1972 MG Mgb — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1972 perform at MOT as they age

54 years

Current Age

90.2%

Latest Pass Rate

1,355

Total Tests (All Years)

39,974 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Best vintage for Mgb

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1972 MG Mgb as it ages.

37 yrs67.8%

→ ↓1.5%

38 yrs66.3%

→ ↑1.3%

39 yrs67.6%

→ ↑1.5%

40 yrs69.1%

→ ↓7.8%

41 yrs61.3%

→ ↓1.3%

42 yrs60.0%

→ ↑11.8%

43 yrs71.8%

→ ↓4.1%

44 yrs67.7%

→ ↑10.1%

45 yrs77.8%

→ ↓11.8%

46 yrs66.0%

→ ↑13.4%

47 yrs79.4%

→ ↓3.6%

48 yrs75.8%

→ ↑10.2%

49 yrs86.0%

→ ↓17.6%

50 yrs68.4%

→ ↑22.7%

51 yrs91.1%

→ ↓0.9%

52 yrs90.2%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
37 yrs	67.8%	118
38 yrs	66.3%	101
39 yrs	67.6%	111
40 yrs	69.1%	110
41 yrs	61.3%	124
42 yrs	60.0%	120
43 yrs	71.8%	131
44 yrs	67.7%	124
45 yrs	77.8%	108
46 yrs	66.0%	50
47 yrs	79.4%	34
48 yrs	75.8%	33
49 yrs	86.0%	57
50 yrs	68.4%	38
51 yrs	91.1%	45
52 yrs	90.2%	51

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1972 MG Mgb pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (52 yrs)	90.2%	51
2023 (51 yrs)	91.1%	45
2022 (50 yrs)	68.4%	38
2021 (49 yrs)	86%	57
2020 (48 yrs)	75.8%	33
2019 (47 yrs)	79.4%	34
2018 (46 yrs)	66%	50
2017 (45 yrs)	77.8%	108
2016 (44 yrs)	67.7%	124
2015 (43 yrs)	71.8%	131
2014 (42 yrs)	60%	120
2013 (41 yrs)	61.3%	124
2012 (40 yrs)	69.1%	110
2011 (39 yrs)	67.6%	111
2010 (38 yrs)	66.3%	101
2009 (37 yrs)	67.8%	118

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

67.8%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 118Avg Mileage 43,611Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.6%

2010

66.3%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 101Avg Mileage 44,698Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 19.8%

2011

67.6%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 111Avg Mileage 39,116Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.0%

2012

69.1%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 110Avg Mileage 40,364Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.3%

2013High Fail Rate

61.3%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 124Avg Mileage 43,674Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 59.7%

2014High Fail Rate

60.0%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 120Avg Mileage 42,592Top Failure Brakes — 46.7%

2015

71.8%

Age (yrs) 43Tests 131Avg Mileage 39,082Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 48.1%

2016

67.7%

Age (yrs) 44Tests 124Avg Mileage 39,593Top Failure Brakes — 28.2%

2017

77.8%

Age (yrs) 45Tests 108Avg Mileage 38,030Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.3%

2018

66.0%

Age (yrs) 46Tests 50Avg Mileage 33,506Top Failure Brakes — 44.0%

2019

79.4%

Age (yrs) 47Tests 34Avg Mileage 33,784Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 23.5%

2020

75.8%

Age (yrs) 48Tests 33Avg Mileage 39,045Top Failure Brakes — 33.3%

2021

86.0%

Age (yrs) 49Tests 57Avg Mileage 44,243Top Failure Tyres — 26.3%

2022

68.4%

Age (yrs) 50Tests 38Avg Mileage 40,821Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 47.4%

2023

91.1%

Age (yrs) 51Tests 45Avg Mileage 39,768Top Failure Brakes — 22.2%

2024

90.2%

Age (yrs) 52Tests 51Avg Mileage 39,974Top Failure Brakes — 13.7%

MOT results for 1972 MG Mgb by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	37	67.8%	118	43,611	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.6%
2010	38	66.3%	101	44,698	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 19.8%
2011	39	67.6%	111	39,116	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.0%
2012	40	69.1%	110	40,364	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.3%
2013	41	61.3%	124	43,674	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 59.7%
2014	42	60.0%	120	42,592	Brakes — 46.7%
2015	43	71.8%	131	39,082	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 48.1%
2016	44	67.7%	124	39,593	Brakes — 28.2%
2017	45	77.8%	108	38,030	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.3%
2018	46	66.0%	50	33,506	Brakes — 44.0%
2019	47	79.4%	34	33,784	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 23.5%
2020	48	75.8%	33	39,045	Brakes — 33.3%
2021	49	86.0%	57	44,243	Tyres — 26.3%
2022	50	68.4%	38	40,821	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 47.4%
2023	51	91.1%	45	39,768	Brakes — 22.2%
2024	52	90.2%	51	39,974	Brakes — 13.7%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1972 MG Mgb, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

30.1%

↑ Increases with age

Tyres

26.3%

— Consistent

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

23.9%

— Consistent

Brakes

22.9%

— Consistent

Suspension

20.7%

↓ Decreases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	13.6% (37 yrs)	3.9% (52 yrs)	-9.7%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	13.6% (37 yrs)	13.7% (52 yrs)	+0.1%	⚪ —

Other Manufacture Years

1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981

← Back to MG Mgb overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the MG Mgb page →

About This Data

This page shows how MG Mgb cars manufactured in 1972 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,355 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.