MG Midget: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The MG Midget passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 7.3 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 767 individual MG Midget tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate84%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+7.3 points
Tests analysed767
Average mileage at test41,109 miles
Average year of manufacture1975
Reliability rank1,302 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 84% first-time pass rate means roughly 16 in every 100 MG Midgets presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average MG Midget tested had covered 41,109 miles and was built around 1975.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. On a MG Midget bought as a repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific MG Midget rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see what damaged MG Midgets actually sold for at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a MG Midget

  1. A wheel bearing with excessive play, 2% of tests (15.19x the national rate for this defect)
  2. Audible warning inoperative, 1.5% of tests (7.11x the national rate for this defect)
  3. Brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle., 2.2% of tests (5.57x the national rate for this defect)
  4. Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 2.7% of tests (4.97x the national rate for this defect)
  5. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 1.4% of tests (3.9x the national rate for this defect)
  6. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 2.7% of tests (3.2x the national rate for this defect)
  7. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 2.1% of tests (2.18x the national rate for this defect)
  8. A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED, 2% of tests (2.18x the national rate for this defect)
  9. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 3% of tests (1.85x the national rate for this defect)
  10. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 1.8% of tests (1.44x the national rate for this defect)

From 1,128 DVSA-tracked MG Midget tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 4.23% of these flagged MG Midget defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.

Other MG models

Models with a similar pass rate

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate