8,031 tests in 2025
MG Tf reliability and MOT pass rate
73.6% passed first time. The 26.4% fail rate is 3.8 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 21 years old with 56,565 miles.
Pass rate
73.6%
22.6% of all cars failed; 26.4% of these did.
Fixed on the day
4.1%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
56,565 mi
21 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 1 | — |
| 6-9 years | 1 | — |
| 10-13 years | 17 | — |
| 14+ years | 8,011 | 26.5% |
What the Tf 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.
- Brakes230 dangerous39.3%
- Suspension111 dangerous34.3%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment43 dangerous28.8%
- Noise, emissions and leaks26.8%
- Visibility17.6%
- Body, chassis, structure13 dangerous13.5%
- Tyres271 dangerous12.6%
- Steering8 dangerous11.3%
Is the Tf getting worse?
The fail rate fell 0.9 points to 26.5% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (0.2 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 10,828 | 18 | 27.4% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 10,031 | 19 | 26.1% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 7,903 | 20 | 27.1% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 7,974 | 21 | 26.5% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Tf 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 Tf in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements392 tests
- 2Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play198 tests
- 3Horn: not working195 tests
- 4Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits169 tests
- 5Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength153 tests
- 6Suspension arm: corroded and seriously weakened151 tests
- 7Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn145 tests
- 8Service brake performance: excessively binding140 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Tf collects 3.24 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.
- 1Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened1,119 tests
- 2Sub-frame: corroded and seriously weakened791 tests
- 3Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure677 tests
- 4Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded624 tests
- 5Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn551 tests
- 6Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine550 tests
- 7Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm509 tests
- 8Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play471 tests
Questions
What is the MG Tf MOT pass rate?
73.6% of the 8,031 MG Tf first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 26.4% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 4.1% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a MG Tf usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements", recorded on 392 failed tests, followed by "Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play" and "Horn: not working". By section, brakes appears in 39.3% of failures, suspension appears in 34.3% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 28.8% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 0%; at 14+ years it was 26.5%. The median MG Tf tested in 2025 was 21 years old with 56,565 miles.
Is the MG Tf getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 0.9 points to 26.5% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (0.2 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 Tf 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 Tf?
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.