MOT fail rates
MG 3 MOT fail rate by age
How often the MG 3 fails its MOT at each age, compared with all cars of the same age, and what it fails on. From 81,125 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.
MOT data updated
At 3 years, the most tested age
265 of 343 model groups with enough tests fail less often at 3 years.
What stands out
- At 3 years the MG 3 fails 15.1% of MOTs (12,347 tests), 3.0 points above the 12.1% for all cars that age. At 11 years it fails 32.0% (1,717 tests), 1.3 points below the 33.3% average.
- It moves from above to below the all-car rate between 10 and 11 years.
- Its most common structural or mechanical fail item at 3 years: Tyre pressure monitoring system: malfunctioning or obviously inoperative, at 1.2 per 100 MOTs.
MOT fail rate by age
Solid line: this model. Dashed line: all cars at the same age.
| Age | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars | Difference | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 15.1% | 12,347 | 12.1% | +3.0 pts | 17,159 miles |
| 4 years | 17.6% | 10,699 | 13.4% | +4.2 pts | 21,563 miles |
| 5 years | 20.4% | 11,673 | 15.3% | +5.1 pts | 27,002 miles |
| 6 years | 24.3% | 12,308 | 17.8% | +6.5 pts | 33,389 miles |
| 7 years | 26.6% | 11,033 | 20.6% | +6.0 pts | 39,383 miles |
| 8 years | 28.3% | 10,023 | 23.8% | +4.5 pts | 44,876 miles |
| 9 years | 30.0% | 7,270 | 27.1% | +2.8 pts | 49,792 miles |
| 10 years | 33.1% | 4,055 | 30.3% | +2.7 pts | 54,042 miles |
| 11 years | 32.0% | 1,717 | 33.3% | −1.3 pts | 57,968 miles |
Most common fail items at 3 years
Split into structural or mechanical items and wear items. Wear items (tyres, brake pads, wipers, bulbs) say more about upkeep than about the design.
Structural and mechanical
| Fail item | Per 100 MOTs |
|---|---|
| Tyre pressure monitoring system: malfunctioning or obviously inoperative Major | 1.2 |
Out of 12,347 MOTs. A test with two faults counts twice.
Wear and upkeep
| Fail item | Per 100 MOTs |
|---|---|
| Headlamp aim: too low Major | 5.6 |
| Tyre with cords exposed Dangerous | 1.7 |
| Tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Major | 1.6 |
| Wipers not clearing screen Major | 1.4 |
| Brake light not working Major | 0.9 |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Major | 0.9 |
| Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Dangerous | 0.8 |
| Brake pads under 1.5 mm Dangerous | 0.6 |
| Side/position light not working Major | 0.6 |
Out of 12,347 MOTs. A test with two faults counts twice.
Other models at 3 years
| Model | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|
| MG ZS | 13.0% | 55,218 | 12.1% |
| Ford Fiesta | 12.9% | 187,046 | 12.1% |
| Vauxhall Corsa | 14.7% | 179,235 | 12.1% |
MOT fail rate by first-use year
Each year has its own page: the fail rate for cars first used that year at each MOT from 2022 to 2025 with at least 1,000 tests, the most common faults at that age, and the car tax and ULEZ rules for that year.
First-use year data updated .
| First used | Age at test | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 11 years in 2025 | 32.5% | 1,540 | 33.3% |
| 2015 | 10 years in 2025 | 34.1% | 2,273 | 30.3% |
| 2016 | 9 years in 2025 | 28.5% | 3,072 | 27.1% |
| 2017 | 8 years in 2025 | 30.3% | 2,853 | 23.8% |
| 2018 | 7 years in 2025 | 27.8% | 2,556 | 20.6% |
| 2019 | 6 years in 2025 | 24.7% | 3,647 | 17.8% |
| 2020 | 5 years in 2025 | 20.6% | 2,480 | 15.3% |
| 2021 | 4 years in 2025 | 18.0% | 1,939 | 13.4% |
More on the MG 3
Looking at one MG 3?
These are figures for the model, not for one car. The VetTheCar Buying Report looks at a single car: its MOT tests, defects, advisories and mileage readings.
Source
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 22 September 2026.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources