1978 MG Midget — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1978 perform at MOT as they age

48 years

Current Age

73.3%

Latest Pass Rate

2,086

Total Tests (All Years)

46,818 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 1978 MG Midget as it ages.

31 yrs52.2%

→ ↑0.8%

32 yrs53.0%

→ ↑3.9%

33 yrs56.9%

→ ↓0.5%

34 yrs56.4%

→ ↑0.9%

35 yrs57.3%

→ ↓3.3%

36 yrs54.0%

→ ↑16.5%

37 yrs70.5%

→ ↑0.8%

38 yrs71.3%

→ ↓2.3%

39 yrs69.0%

→ ↑3.1%

40 yrs72.1%

→ ↓7.5%

41 yrs64.6%

→ ↑9.4%

42 yrs74.0%

→ ↓6.8%

43 yrs67.2%

→ ↑7.8%

44 yrs75.0%

→ ↑5.6%

45 yrs80.6%

→ ↓7.3%

46 yrs73.3%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
31 yrs	52.2%	201
32 yrs	53.0%	183
33 yrs	56.9%	202
34 yrs	56.4%	195
35 yrs	57.3%	213
36 yrs	54.0%	187
37 yrs	70.5%	183
38 yrs	71.3%	164
39 yrs	69.0%	174
40 yrs	72.1%	104
41 yrs	64.6%	65
42 yrs	74.0%	50
43 yrs	67.2%	64
44 yrs	75.0%	40
45 yrs	80.6%	31
46 yrs	73.3%	30

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1978 MG Midget pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (46 yrs)	73.3%	30
2023 (45 yrs)	80.6%	31
2022 (44 yrs)	75%	40
2021 (43 yrs)	67.2%	64
2020 (42 yrs)	74%	50
2019 (41 yrs)	64.6%	65
2018 (40 yrs)	72.1%	104
2017 (39 yrs)	69%	174
2016 (38 yrs)	71.3%	164
2015 (37 yrs)	70.5%	183
2014 (36 yrs)	54%	187
2013 (35 yrs)	57.3%	213
2012 (34 yrs)	56.4%	195
2011 (33 yrs)	56.9%	202
2010 (32 yrs)	53%	183
2009 (31 yrs)	52.2%	201

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

52.2%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 201Avg Mileage 53,604Top Failure Suspension — 26.4%

2010High Fail Rate

53.0%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 183Avg Mileage 56,763Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.0%

2011High Fail Rate

56.9%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 202Avg Mileage 55,063Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.3%

2012High Fail Rate

56.4%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 195Avg Mileage 55,870Top Failure Brakes — 20.0%

2013High Fail Rate

57.3%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 213Avg Mileage 57,715Top Failure Suspension — 55.9%

2014High Fail Rate

54.0%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 187Avg Mileage 53,670Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 51.9%

2015

70.5%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 183Avg Mileage 56,957Top Failure Suspension — 39.9%

2016

71.3%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 164Avg Mileage 55,143Top Failure Brakes — 31.1%

2017

69.0%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 174Avg Mileage 54,232Top Failure Brakes — 38.5%

2018

72.1%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 104Avg Mileage 51,614Top Failure Brakes — 30.8%

2019High Fail Rate

64.6%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 65Avg Mileage 52,908Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 23.1%

2020

74.0%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 50Avg Mileage 50,119Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 38.0%

2021

67.2%

Age (yrs) 43Tests 64Avg Mileage 50,213Top Failure Suspension — 35.9%

2022

75.0%

Age (yrs) 44Tests 40Avg Mileage 47,713Top Failure Noise, emissions and leaks — 25.0%

2023

80.6%

Age (yrs) 45Tests 31Avg Mileage 46,378Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 35.5%

2024

73.3%

Age (yrs) 46Tests 30Avg Mileage 46,818Top Failure Brakes — 43.3%

MOT results for 1978 MG Midget by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	31	52.2%	201	53,604	Suspension — 26.4%
2010	32	53.0%	183	56,763	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.0%
2011	33	56.9%	202	55,063	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.3%
2012	34	56.4%	195	55,870	Brakes — 20.0%
2013	35	57.3%	213	57,715	Suspension — 55.9%
2014	36	54.0%	187	53,670	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 51.9%
2015	37	70.5%	183	56,957	Suspension — 39.9%
2016	38	71.3%	164	55,143	Brakes — 31.1%
2017	39	69.0%	174	54,232	Brakes — 38.5%
2018	40	72.1%	104	51,614	Brakes — 30.8%
2019	41	64.6%	65	52,908	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 23.1%
2020	42	74.0%	50	50,119	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 38.0%
2021	43	67.2%	64	50,213	Suspension — 35.9%
2022	44	75.0%	40	47,713	Noise, emissions and leaks — 25.0%
2023	45	80.6%	31	46,378	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 35.5%
2024	46	73.3%	30	46,818	Brakes — 43.3%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1978 MG Midget, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

32.7%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

31.0%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

28.4%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

27.9%

↑ Increases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

20.0%

↑ 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	23.4% (31 yrs)	43.3% (46 yrs)	+19.9%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	26.4% (31 yrs)	30.0% (46 yrs)	+3.6%	🔴 ↑

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 1978 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 2,086 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.