3,991 tests in 2025
MG 4 reliability and MOT pass rate
92.6% passed first time. The 7.4% fail rate is 15.2 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 3 years old with 26,442 miles.
Pass rate
92.6%
22.6% of all cars failed; 7.4% of these did.
Fixed on the day
3.9%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
26,442 mi
3 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 2,552 | 8% |
| 6-9 years | 0 | — |
| 10-13 years | 0 | — |
| 14+ years | 0 | — |
What the 4 fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Tyres171 dangerous66.8%
- Visibility14.6%
- Suspension12.5%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment8.1%
- Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems4.1%
- Brakes1 dangerous3.4%
- Body, chassis, structure2%
- Steering1%
Is the 4 getting worse?
The fail rate rose 3.1 points to 7.7% from 2024 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (4.8 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 544 | 1 | 4.6% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 2,055 | 3 | 7.7% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical 4 at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a 4 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords81 tests
- 2Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm80 tests
- 3Condition: has ply or cords exposed39 tests
- 4Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively34 tests
- 5Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn18 tests
- 6Coil spring: fractured or broken15 tests
- 7Headlamp aim: too low9 tests
- 8Condition: has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure6 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical 4 collects 1.97 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm629 tests
- 2Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened280 tests
- 3Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords155 tests
- 4Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn142 tests
- 5Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm109 tests
- 6Non-component advisories: Nail in tyre69 tests
- 7Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt67 tests
- 8Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure58 tests
Questions
What is the MG 4 MOT pass rate?
92.6% of the 3,991 MG 4 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 7.4% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 3.9% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a MG 4 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords", recorded on 81 failed tests, followed by "Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" and "Condition: has ply or cords exposed". By section, tyres appears in 66.8% of failures, visibility appears in 14.6% of failures, suspension appears in 12.5% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 8%; at 3-5 years it was 8%. The median MG 4 tested in 2025 was 3 years old with 26,442 miles.
Is the MG 4 getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 3.1 points to 7.7% from 2024 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (4.8 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every 4 trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
Other MG models
Checking a particular 4?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.