MOT data by first-use year
1999 MG MGF: MOT fail rate and common problems
DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 1,074 MOT tests · Updated
36.7% of 1999 MG MGF cars failed their MOT at 23 years (1,074 MOT tests), an age when only survivors are still tested [1].
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Engine, fuel and mileage decide where one vehicle sits within these figures. Check the reg first.
Figures are for 1999 MG MGF cars as a group, not for one car.
- Fail rate at 23 years (2022)
- 36.7%
- vs 38.9% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 23 years in 2022
- 1,074 MOT tests
- Gap to all class 4, same age and year
- −2.2 pts
- at 23 years
- 1,074 MOT tests
- MOT tests of 1999 cars
- 1,074
- tested 2022, 1 age with 1,000+ tests
- 1,074 MOT tests
Every MOT age we hold for 1999 MG MGF cars is over 18 years, when only survivors are still tested, so there is no verdict for this year.
Every MG MGF year against all class 4 vehicles the same age
1999 MG MGF fail rate at each MOT
1999 MG MGF cars had one MOT age with at least 1,000 tests in the data: 23 years, in 2022.
| Test year | Age | Fail rate | 95% range | MOT tests | All class 4, same age and year | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 23 years* | 36.7% | 33.9%–39.6% | 1,074 | 38.9% | −2.2 pts |
* Above 18 years only survivors are still tested, so these rows say less about the vehicle when new and do not count towards the verdict.
All class 4: every class 4 vehicle (cars and light vans) tested at that age in the same test year.
What fails on an MG MGF at 23 years
All MG MGF MOTs at 23 years, cars first used 1999–2002 (3,923 MOT tests; DVSA item counts are not split by first-use year). The most common fail items: handbrake too weak (4.7 per 100 MOT tests), catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (3.9 per 100 MOT tests) and service brake performance: efficiency below requirements (3.0 per 100 MOT tests).
No item fails at a clearly different rate from all class 4 vehicles the same age across 3 or more ages.
Mileage and the fail rate at 23 years
MG MGF cars first used 1999–2002 at 60,000 to 90,000 miles failed 37.5% of MOTs at 23 years (1,552 MOT tests), against 28.8% at 30,000 to 60,000 miles (1,450 MOT tests). All class 4 vehicles: 38.4% and 32.7%.
Car tax and ULEZ for a 1999 car
Cars first registered before 1 March 2001 are taxed by engine size. [2] Car tax calculator for a 1999 petrol car
For the London ULEZ, a 1999 petrol usually does not meet Euro 4. The Euro standard of the car decides, not the year alone. [3] ULEZ checker
Buying an MG MGF? Check that exact car before the viewing.
Buying Report £14.99 incl. VAT · one car · no subscription · Not a mechanical inspection.
- Model risks for this year and fuel
- What similar cars did at their next MOT
- Repairs ahead
- Viewing checklist
Questions people ask
What is the MOT fail rate of a 1999 MG MGF?
36.7% at 23 years (tested 2022), from 1,074 MOT tests, against 38.9% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 23 years in 2022.
At what ages were 1999 MG MGF cars MOT tested in the data?
1 age with at least 1,000 MOT tests: 23 years, tested 2022, 1,074 MOT tests in all. Ages over 18 are shown but not used for the verdict.
What fails most on an MG MGF at 23 years?
4.7 in 100 MOT tests failed on handbrake too weak, the most common fail item. From 3,923 MOT tests of MG MGF cars first used 1999–2002, not only 1999.
Sources
- Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 1,074 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- GOV.UK, Vehicle tax rates. Rules, not drawn from the MOT data.
- Transport for London, Ultra Low Emission Zone. Rules, not drawn from the MOT data.
Cars tested at 23 years are compared with every class 4 vehicle tested at 23 years in the same test year. These rates are not adjusted for mileage. Breakdowns and non-MOT faults are not in this data. How we compare