1979 MG Midget 1500 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1979 perform at MOT as they age

47 years

Current Age

76.1%

Latest Pass Rate

4,718

Total Tests (All Years)

55,625 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1979 MG Midget 1500 as it ages.

30 yrs53.5%

→ ↑5.3%

31 yrs58.8%

→ ↑0.3%

32 yrs59.1%

→ ↑5.9%

33 yrs65.0%

→ ↓4.5%

34 yrs60.5%

→ ↓1.2%

35 yrs59.3%

→ ↑8.7%

36 yrs68.0%

→ ↓1.0%

37 yrs67.0%

→ ↑1.0%

38 yrs68.0%

→ ↑1.0%

39 yrs69.0%

→ ↓1.3%

40 yrs67.7%

→ ↑5.3%

41 yrs73.0%

→ ↓5.6%

42 yrs67.4%

→ ↑4.0%

43 yrs71.4%

→ ↑3.2%

44 yrs74.6%

→ ↑1.5%

45 yrs76.1%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
30 yrs	53.5%	512
31 yrs	58.8%	468
32 yrs	59.1%	465
33 yrs	65.0%	443
34 yrs	60.5%	410
35 yrs	59.3%	410
36 yrs	68.0%	384
37 yrs	67.0%	388
38 yrs	68.0%	362
39 yrs	69.0%	255
40 yrs	67.7%	217
41 yrs	73.0%	89
42 yrs	67.4%	89
43 yrs	71.4%	63
44 yrs	74.6%	71
45 yrs	76.1%	92

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1979 MG Midget 1500 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (45 yrs)	76.1%	92
2023 (44 yrs)	74.6%	71
2022 (43 yrs)	71.4%	63
2021 (42 yrs)	67.4%	89
2020 (41 yrs)	73%	89
2019 (40 yrs)	67.7%	217
2018 (39 yrs)	69%	255
2017 (38 yrs)	68%	362
2016 (37 yrs)	67%	388
2015 (36 yrs)	68%	384
2014 (35 yrs)	59.3%	410
2013 (34 yrs)	60.5%	410
2012 (33 yrs)	65%	443
2011 (32 yrs)	59.1%	465
2010 (31 yrs)	58.8%	468
2009 (30 yrs)	53.5%	512

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

53.5%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 512Avg Mileage 54,988Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.5%

2010High Fail Rate

58.8%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 468Avg Mileage 55,499Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 20.3%

2011High Fail Rate

59.1%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 465Avg Mileage 53,751Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.1%

2012

65.0%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 443Avg Mileage 53,422Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 20.3%

2013High Fail Rate

60.5%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 410Avg Mileage 54,194Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 58.3%

2014High Fail Rate

59.3%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 410Avg Mileage 51,671Top Failure Brakes — 52.9%

2015

68.0%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 384Avg Mileage 51,820Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 42.7%

2016

67.0%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 388Avg Mileage 51,648Top Failure Brakes — 42.5%

2017

68.0%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 362Avg Mileage 50,914Top Failure Brakes — 40.3%

2018

69.0%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 255Avg Mileage 54,610Top Failure Suspension — 29.0%

2019

67.7%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 217Avg Mileage 51,105Top Failure Suspension — 26.7%

2020

73.0%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 89Avg Mileage 49,673Top Failure Suspension — 40.4%

2021

67.4%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 89Avg Mileage 49,637Top Failure Noise, emissions and leaks — 30.3%

2022

71.4%

Age (yrs) 43Tests 63Avg Mileage 49,115Top Failure Brakes — 34.9%

2023

74.6%

Age (yrs) 44Tests 71Avg Mileage 47,810Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 35.2%

2024

76.1%

Age (yrs) 45Tests 92Avg Mileage 55,625Top Failure Suspension — 20.7%

MOT results for 1979 MG Midget 1500 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	30	53.5%	512	54,988	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.5%
2010	31	58.8%	468	55,499	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 20.3%
2011	32	59.1%	465	53,751	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.1%
2012	33	65.0%	443	53,422	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 20.3%
2013	34	60.5%	410	54,194	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 58.3%
2014	35	59.3%	410	51,671	Brakes — 52.9%
2015	36	68.0%	384	51,820	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 42.7%
2016	37	67.0%	388	51,648	Brakes — 42.5%
2017	38	68.0%	362	50,914	Brakes — 40.3%
2018	39	69.0%	255	54,610	Suspension — 29.0%
2019	40	67.7%	217	51,105	Suspension — 26.7%
2020	41	73.0%	89	49,673	Suspension — 40.4%
2021	42	67.4%	89	49,637	Noise, emissions and leaks — 30.3%
2022	43	71.4%	63	49,115	Brakes — 34.9%
2023	44	74.6%	71	47,810	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 35.2%
2024	45	76.1%	92	55,625	Suspension — 20.7%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1979 MG Midget 1500, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

35.2%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

30.2%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

27.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

21.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

18.9%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	23.0% (30 yrs)	8.7% (45 yrs)	-14.3%	🟢 ↓
Suspension	25.4% (30 yrs)	20.7% (45 yrs)	-4.7%	🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980

← Back to MG Midget 1500 overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the MG Midget 1500 page →

About This Data

This page shows how MG Midget 1500 cars manufactured in 1979 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 4,718 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.