1,323 tests in 2025
Morgan Plus 4 reliability and MOT pass rate
91.2% passed first time. The 8.8% fail rate is 13.8 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 14 years old with 18,237 miles.
Pass rate
91.2%
22.6% of all cars failed; 8.8% of these did.
Fixed on the day
2.2%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
18,237 mi
14 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 47 | — |
| 6-9 years | 326 | 8.9% |
| 10-13 years | 258 | 5.8% |
| 14+ years | 692 | 10.3% |
What the Plus 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 equipment12 dangerous32.5%
- Brakes31.6%
- Noise, emissions and leaks24.8%
- Steering2 dangerous12%
- Visibility10.3%
- Suspension1 dangerous6.8%
- Body, chassis, structure1 dangerous6%
- Tyres10 dangerous4.3%
Is the Plus 4 getting worse?
The fail rate fell 0.7 points to 8.9% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 5.9 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1,422 | 11 | 9.6% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 1,446 | 12 | 10% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 1,132 | 13 | 8.5% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 1,322 | 14 | 8.9% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Plus 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 Plus 4 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Service brake performance: excessively binding14 tests
- 2Service brake imbalance: across an axle13 tests
- 3Stop lamp: all not working12 tests
- 4Steering rack: gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt10 tests
- 5Catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits9 tests
- 6Washers: not working9 tests
- 7Position lamp: not working7 tests
- 8Catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits5 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Plus 4 collects 1.92 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 engine36 tests
- 2Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn30 tests
- 3Wheel bearings: has excessive play30 tests
- 4Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure25 tests
- 5Service brake performance: excessively binding22 tests
- 6Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm14 tests
- 7Swivel pins and bushes: swivel pin and/or bush excessively worn13 tests
- 8Exhaust system: system insecure12 tests
Questions
What is the Morgan Plus 4 MOT pass rate?
91.2% of the 1,323 Morgan Plus 4 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 8.8% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 2.2% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Morgan Plus 4 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Service brake performance: excessively binding", recorded on 14 failed tests, followed by "Service brake imbalance: across an axle" and "Stop lamp: all not working". By section, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 32.5% of failures, brakes appears in 31.6% of failures, noise, emissions and leaks appears in 24.8% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 4.3%; at 14+ years it was 10.3%. The median Morgan Plus 4 tested in 2025 was 14 years old with 18,237 miles.
Is the Morgan Plus 4 getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 0.7 points to 8.9% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 5.9 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
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 Plus 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
- 4/4 10.4%
Checking a particular Plus 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.