1971 MG Midget — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1971 perform at MOT as they age

55 years

Current Age

72.2%

Latest Pass Rate

14,276

Total Tests (All Years)

38,863 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 1971 MG Midget as it ages.

38 yrs67.3%

→ ↑2.8%

39 yrs70.1%

→ ↑0.9%

40 yrs71.0%

→ ↓0.6%

41 yrs70.4%

→ ↓0.6%

42 yrs69.8%

→ ↑1.6%

43 yrs71.4%

→ ↑0.8%

44 yrs72.2%

→ ↑1.8%

45 yrs74.0%

→ ↓0.5%

46 yrs73.5%

→ ↑1.6%

47 yrs75.1%

→ ↑1.3%

48 yrs76.4%

→ ↑1.9%

49 yrs78.3%

→ ↓4.4%

50 yrs73.9%

→ ↑9.7%

51 yrs83.6%

→ ↓11.6%

52 yrs72.0%

→ ↑0.2%

53 yrs72.2%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
38 yrs	67.3%	1,473
39 yrs	70.1%	1,432
40 yrs	71.0%	1,477
41 yrs	70.4%	1,412
42 yrs	69.8%	1,457
43 yrs	71.4%	1,488
44 yrs	72.2%	1,436
45 yrs	74.0%	1,412
46 yrs	73.5%	1,356
47 yrs	75.1%	518
48 yrs	76.4%	335
49 yrs	78.3%	240
50 yrs	73.9%	69
51 yrs	83.6%	67
52 yrs	72.0%	50
53 yrs	72.2%	54

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1971 MG Midget pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (53 yrs)	72.2%	54
2023 (52 yrs)	72%	50
2022 (51 yrs)	83.6%	67
2021 (50 yrs)	73.9%	69
2020 (49 yrs)	78.3%	240
2019 (48 yrs)	76.4%	335
2018 (47 yrs)	75.1%	518
2017 (46 yrs)	73.5%	1,356
2016 (45 yrs)	74%	1,412
2015 (44 yrs)	72.2%	1,436
2014 (43 yrs)	71.4%	1,488
2013 (42 yrs)	69.8%	1,457
2012 (41 yrs)	70.4%	1,412
2011 (40 yrs)	71%	1,477
2010 (39 yrs)	70.1%	1,432
2009 (38 yrs)	67.3%	1,473

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

67.3%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 1,473Avg Mileage 42,939Top Failure Brakes — 16.8%

2010

70.1%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 1,432Avg Mileage 43,459Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 15.2%

2011

71.0%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 1,477Avg Mileage 43,294Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 15.8%

2012

70.4%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 1,412Avg Mileage 42,582Top Failure Suspension — 14.4%

2013

69.8%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 1,457Avg Mileage 42,434Top Failure Suspension — 34.7%

2014

71.4%

Age (yrs) 43Tests 1,488Avg Mileage 43,734Top Failure Brakes — 32.6%

2015

72.2%

Age (yrs) 44Tests 1,436Avg Mileage 43,131Top Failure Brakes — 30.4%

2016

74.0%

Age (yrs) 45Tests 1,412Avg Mileage 41,824Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.2%

2017

73.5%

Age (yrs) 46Tests 1,356Avg Mileage 42,264Top Failure Brakes — 30.1%

2018

75.1%

Age (yrs) 47Tests 518Avg Mileage 42,146Top Failure Brakes — 26.3%

2019

76.4%

Age (yrs) 48Tests 335Avg Mileage 41,737Top Failure Brakes — 25.4%

2020

78.3%

Age (yrs) 49Tests 240Avg Mileage 39,896Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 18.8%

2021

73.9%

Age (yrs) 50Tests 69Avg Mileage 40,744Top Failure Brakes — 33.3%

2022

83.6%

Age (yrs) 51Tests 67Avg Mileage 38,415Top Failure Suspension — 20.9%

2023

72.0%

Age (yrs) 52Tests 50Avg Mileage 44,768Top Failure Suspension — 44.0%

2024

72.2%

Age (yrs) 53Tests 54Avg Mileage 38,863Top Failure Brakes — 29.6%

MOT results for 1971 MG Midget by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	38	67.3%	1,473	42,939	Brakes — 16.8%
2010	39	70.1%	1,432	43,459	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 15.2%
2011	40	71.0%	1,477	43,294	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 15.8%
2012	41	70.4%	1,412	42,582	Suspension — 14.4%
2013	42	69.8%	1,457	42,434	Suspension — 34.7%
2014	43	71.4%	1,488	43,734	Brakes — 32.6%
2015	44	72.2%	1,436	43,131	Brakes — 30.4%
2016	45	74.0%	1,412	41,824	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.2%
2017	46	73.5%	1,356	42,264	Brakes — 30.1%
2018	47	75.1%	518	42,146	Brakes — 26.3%
2019	48	76.4%	335	41,737	Brakes — 25.4%
2020	49	78.3%	240	39,896	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 18.8%
2021	50	73.9%	69	40,744	Brakes — 33.3%
2022	51	83.6%	67	38,415	Suspension — 20.9%
2023	52	72.0%	50	44,768	Suspension — 44.0%
2024	53	72.2%	54	38,863	Brakes — 29.6%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1971 MG Midget, with age trends.

Brakes

23.2%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

22.3%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

22.3%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

19.7%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

10.7%

↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	16.8% (38 yrs)	29.6% (53 yrs)	+12.8%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	16.0% (38 yrs)	20.4% (53 yrs)	+4.4%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

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

About This Data

This page shows how MG Midget cars manufactured in 1971 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 14,276 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.