Pass rate, every year
77.8% Around average
32,921 tests across 10 model years, 2002–2011.
−3.2 pts vs the national average
MG Tf MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics
Best year to buy
2010 83.1%
The strongest of the 10 years on record. See the 2010 page →
Worst year to buy
2003 76.5%
6.6 points below the 2010 peak. See the 2003 page →
The MG Tf MOT pass rate is 77.8%, −3.2 percentage points below the UK average. That is 32,921 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2002 and 2011. This page lists the most common MG Tf MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.
Check your postcode
MOT pass rates are national — type your postcode to see how MG Tf MOT pass rates does in your corner of the country.
MG Tf MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average
The MG Tf passed on its first attempt in 73.5%, and its overall record sits −3.2 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the MG Tf in the 2023–2025 data: 32,921 tests across 10 model years (2002–2011). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 32,921 |
| Overall pass rate | 77.8% |
| Passed on first attempt | 73.5% |
| Average mileage at test | 50,645 mi |
| Model years covered | 2002–2011 (10 years) |
| Versus UK national average | −3.2 pts below |
Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.
Most Common MG Tf MOT Problems by Failure Category
Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the MG Tf, the Brakes section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.
| Inspection section | Share of failures |
|---|---|
| Brakes | 26% |
| Suspension | 22% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 15% |
| Visibility | 12% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 12% |
| Steering | 11% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 3% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 0% |
Shares are over the MG Tf's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Brakes
Around 26% of the recorded MG Tf failures fall in the Brakes section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Rbt (sp) efficiency below requirements" (4.0%), "Service brake performance excessively binding" (0.7%), "Service brake performance efficiency below requirements" (0.5%) among the MG Tf's brakes faults.
Suspension
Around 22% of the recorded MG Tf failures fall in the Suspension section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Suspension arm corroded and seriously weakened" (1.9%), "Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" (1.3%), "Ball joint excessively worn" (1.2%) among the MG Tf's suspension faults.
Noise, emissions and leaks
Around 15% of the recorded MG Tf failures fall in the Noise, emissions and leaks section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Catalyst emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits" (1.9%), "Malfunction indicator lamp inoperative or indicates a malfunction" (0.9%), "Catalyst emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits" (0.2%) among the MG Tf's noise, emissions and leaks faults.
Top Recorded MG Tf DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the MG Tf, each with how many of the model's 32,921 tests it was noted on.
- "Rbt (sp) efficiency below requirements" (Major) — noted on about 1,316 MG Tf tests, 4.0% of the model's MOT record.
- "Track rod end ball joint has excessive play" (Major) — noted on about 714 MG Tf tests, 2.2% of the model's MOT record.
- "Suspension arm corroded and seriously weakened" (Major) — noted on about 627 MG Tf tests, 1.9% of the model's MOT record.
- "Catalyst emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits" (Major) — noted on about 626 MG Tf tests, 1.9% of the model's MOT record.
- "Horn not working" (Major) — noted on about 471 MG Tf tests, 1.4% of the model's MOT record.
- "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 462 MG Tf tests, 1.4% of the model's MOT record.
What Tf fails on more than most
The 8 biggest of 10 failure items this model records at least 1.5 times the UK rate for.
| Failure item | This model | UK | × UK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sub-frame mounting corroded | 2.3% | 0.3% | 7.7× | £180–£450 |
| Wheel bearings has excessive play | 4.1% | 0.6% | 6.8× | £20–£55 |
| Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush | 2.5% | 0.5% | 5.0× | £30–£75 |
| Brake efficiency below requirements | 4.0% | 0.9% | 4.4× | £45–£110 |
| Sub-frame corroded | 10.4% | 2.4% | 4.3× | £180–£450 |
| SRS warning lamp indicates a fault | 1.7% | 0.4% | 4.3× | £3–£12 |
| Lambda reading outside limits | 2.0% | 0.5% | 4.0× | £60–£250 |
| Track rod end excessive play | 7.6% | 2.0% | 3.8× | £18–£45 |
Rates are a share of this model's own tests (32,921 for the top row), so a big seller cannot outrank a rare one. The UK figure is the same item's share of every test in our data. Items Tf records at or below the UK rate are not listed — this is where it is unusual, not a full inventory. All failure items · parts and costs
Best and Worst MG Tf Model Years by Pass Rate
The strongest MG Tf model year on record is 2010 (83.1% across 722 tests), and the weakest is 2003 (76.5%). The gap between them is 6.6 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 Tf | 251 | 80.1% |
| 2010 Tf | 722 | 83.1% |
| 2009 Tf | 1,018 | 80.8% |
| 2008 Tf | 393 | 78.6% |
| 2007 Tf | 148 | 81.8% |
| 2006 Tf | 1,037 | 81.0% |
| 2005 Tf | 4,334 | 78.9% |
| 2004 Tf | 9,133 | 77.9% |
| 2003 Tf | 9,551 | 76.5% |
| 2002 Tf | 6,334 | 77.1% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for MG Tf Owners
These checks follow this MG Tf's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a MG Tf.
-
the suspension joints — “track rod end ball joint has excessive play”
With the car parked on level ground, rock the top of each front wheel in and out while someone watches the suspension arm. Clunks, or rubber boots split and greasy, are what testers record here.
-
the exhaust and emissions — “catalyst emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits”
Listen for a blow at idle and have someone rev it gently. Then look at the tailpipe smoke: blue is oil, white when warm is coolant, black is over-fuelling. Any of those and the emissions test is the least of it.
-
the horn — “horn not working”
Press it. That is the whole check, and a surprising number of cars fail on it.
Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the MG Tf. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions: MG Tf MOT & Reliability
What is the MG Tf MOT pass rate?
77.8% of the 32,921 recorded MG Tf MOT tests ended in a pass, −3.2 percentage points below the national average. 73.5% of those passed on the first attempt.
Which MG Tf model years pass the MOT most often?
2010 is the strongest MG Tf year on record at 83.1%, while 2003 is the weakest at 76.5%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
What are the most common MG Tf MOT failures?
The most recorded MG Tf failures are "Rbt (sp) efficiency below requirements" and "Track rod end ball joint has excessive play" — together around 6% of tests, mostly in the Brakes section.