MG Rv8 MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 9,257 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 15.5%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
MG Rv8 MOT Reliability Overview
The MG Rv8 is a less common vehicle in the UK, with 9,257 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 15 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 84.5% and a failure rate of 15.5%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the MG Rv8 earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average MG Rv8 presents for MOT with approximately 29,549 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2007 models achieve the highest pass rate at 92.7%, while 1976 models have the lowest at 63.2%. This 29.5 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the MG Rv8 is Brakes, affecting 8.5% of all tests. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. The second most common issue is Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment at 7.0%. Steering rounds out the top three at 3.7%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Best Year to Buy
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
Tracking how each manufacture year's MOT pass rate changes as the car ages. Showing 2 vintages — click year chips to highlight.
Multi-line chart showing how different MG Rv8 vintages degrade over time, from age 3 to 30 years.
Only vintages with 100+ tests in at least 3 different test years are shown. Fleet average is the UK-wide pass rate for all cars at each age.
📉 How Age Affects Reliability
MOT failure rate by vehicle age for the MG Rv8. The dashed red line marks when the manufacturer warranty typically expires (7 years).
Line chart showing MOT failure rate by vehicle age from 14 to 20 years, with warranty expiry marked at 7 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The MG Rv8 shows a relatively stable failure rate after warranty — the change of 0% is negligible. Peak failure occurs at age 19 (18.6% fail rate).
Note: pass rates may improve for very old vehicles due to survivorship bias — only well-maintained cars remain on the road.
Pass Rate by Manufacture Year
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment | 11.3% | 1,047 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.0% | 926 |
| 3 | Steering | 4.1% | 378 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.0% | 372 |
| 5 | Exhaust, Fuel And Emissions | 3.2% | 294 |
| 6 | Tyres | 3.0% | 278 |
| 7 | Driver's View Of The Road | 2.6% | 240 |
| 8 | Noise, Emissions And Leaks | 2.5% | 228 |
| 9 | Visibility | 1.2% | 113 |
| 10 | Non-component Advisories | 0.9% | 79 |
| 11 | Body, Chassis, Structure | 0.7% | 68 |
| 12 | Registration Plates And Vin | 0.5% | 47 |
| 13 | Seat Belts And Supplementary Restraint Systems | 0.3% | 27 |
| 14 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 0.2% | 22 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 29,549 miFor every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps & Electrical | 3.83 | 11.3% | 1,047 |
| Brakes | 3.39 | 10.0% | 926 |
| Steering | 1.38 | 4.1% | 378 |
| Suspension | 1.36 | 4.0% | 372 |
| Visibility | 1.29 | 3.8% | 353 |
| Emissions & Exhaust | 1.07 | 3.2% | 294 |
| Tyres | 1.02 | 3.0% | 278 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.83 | 2.5% | 228 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.29 | 0.9% | 79 |
| Body & Structure | 0.25 | 0.7% | 68 |
| Registration Plates and VIN | 0.17 | 0.5% | 47 |
| Seat Belts | 0.10 | 0.3% | 27 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.08 | 0.2% | 22 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average MG Rv8 has 29,549 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The MG Rv8 has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 5.25% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is better than average.
About MG Rv8 MOT Data
The MG Rv8 is a less common vehicle in the UK, with 9,257 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 15 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 84.5% and a failure rate of 15.5%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For MG Rv8 owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on brakes and lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific Rv8 is likely to perform.
Brakes — 8.5% of failures
Brakes issues account for 8.5% of MOT failures on the MG Rv8. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. Typical repair costs: £150–400. Pre-MOT check: Listen for squealing or grinding noises. Check brake pedal feel — if it feels spongy or goes to the floor, have the system inspected immediately. Look at brake pad thickness through the wheel spokes (minimum 3mm).
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 7.0% of failures
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment issues account for 7.0% of MOT failures on the MG Rv8. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.
Steering — 3.7% of failures
Steering issues account for 3.7% of MOT failures on the MG Rv8. Steering failures include excessive play in the steering wheel, leaking power steering fluid, worn track rod ends, and damaged steering rack. These affect vehicle control and are closely related to suspension wear. Typical repair costs: £150–600. Pre-MOT check: Check for excessive steering wheel play (more than a few inches of free movement). Listen for whining from the power steering pump. Look for fluid leaks under the car near the front wheels.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the MG Rv8?
Based on 9,257 MOT tests in our database, the MG Rv8 has an overall pass rate of 84.5% (15.5% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a MG Rv8?
The top 3 reasons a MG Rv8 fails its MOT are: 1. Brakes (8.5%), 2. Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (7.0%), 3. Steering (3.7%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the MG Rv8 reliable?
With a 15.5% MOT failure rate, the Rv8 is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my MG Rv8?
Based on failure data, focus on: Brakes (8.5%); Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (7.0%); Steering (3.7%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.