1,729 tests in 2025
Morgan 4/4 reliability and MOT pass rate
89.6% passed first time. The 10.4% fail rate is 12.2 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 25 years old with 26,935 miles.
Pass rate
89.6%
22.6% of all cars failed; 10.4% of these did.
Fixed on the day
2.8%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
26,935 mi
25 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 112 | — |
| 10-13 years | 122 | — |
| 14+ years | 1,495 | 10.8% |
What the 4/4 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.
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment9 dangerous40.6%
- Brakes10 dangerous37.8%
- Noise, emissions and leaks2 dangerous21.1%
- Visibility20.6%
- Suspension2 dangerous9.4%
- Steering1 dangerous8.9%
- Body, chassis, structure6.7%
- Tyres3 dangerous2.8%
Is the 4/4 getting worse?
The fail rate fell 2 points to 10.4% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (-1.9 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2,040 | 23 | 12.4% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 1,960 | 23 | 10% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 1,571 | 24 | 10.1% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 1,723 | 25 | 10.4% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical 4/4 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 4/4 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Service brake imbalance: across an axle25 tests
- 2Service brake performance: excessively binding23 tests
- 3Rear fog lamp: not working21 tests
- 4Washers: not working17 tests
- 5Service brake performance: efficiency below requirements12 tests
- 6Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid12 tests
- 7Catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits10 tests
- 8Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits10 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical 4/4 collects 1.87 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.
- 1Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine66 tests
- 2Wheel bearings: has excessive play48 tests
- 3Service brake performance: excessively binding44 tests
- 4Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn31 tests
- 5Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure29 tests
- 6Transmission oil leaks: leaking excessively from transmission26 tests
- 7Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases23 tests
- 8Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened20 tests
Questions
What is the Morgan 4/4 MOT pass rate?
89.6% of the 1,729 Morgan 4/4 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 10.4% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 2.8% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Morgan 4/4 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Service brake imbalance: across an axle", recorded on 25 failed tests, followed by "Service brake performance: excessively binding" and "Rear fog lamp: not working". By section, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 40.6% of failures, brakes appears in 37.8% of failures, noise, emissions and leaks appears in 21.1% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was n/a%; at 14+ years it was 10.8%. The median Morgan 4/4 tested in 2025 was 25 years old with 26,935 miles.
Is the Morgan 4/4 getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 2 points to 10.4% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (-1.9 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 4/4 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 Morgan models
- Plus 4 8.8%
Checking a particular 4/4?
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.