81.7%
MGB pass rate
Used MGB buying guide
In 2025, MGB cars passed 81.7% of 4,498 initial MOT tests, 9.4 points above the 72.3% UK average. Here is where it fails and what to check before you buy.
Looking at a specific MGB? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
MGB MOT record in brief
Initial MOT tests in 2025, retests excluded.
72.3%
UK average, all cars
+9.4
percentage points above average
Ranked on pass rate the MGB sits 175th of 575 models in the data. MG as a brand averaged 80.9%, so this model runs 0.8 points ahead of its own brand.
A pass rate is not a reliability score. The full MGB MOT record has the pass rate by age, every common failure and how the MGB compares with similar cars.
MGB fuel types
Petrol was the most common fuel among MGB cars tested in 2025. None of the tested examples were diesel.
Where the MGB fails its MOT
Where MGB cars that failed their 2025 MOT were marked down, as a share of all recorded failure items.
The specific items testers recorded most often were position lamp not working (5.6%), washers not working (5.1%) and service brake imbalance across an axle (4.3%). See every common MGB MOT failure.
These are DVSA failure records across every MGB that failed, not a claim that every MGB has these problems.
What should you check when buying a used MGB?
The areas above, most common first, and what an MOT tester looks at in each.
1
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting. 30.9% of MGB failure items.
2
Brakes
Make sure the pedal feels firm, the car stops in a straight line, the handbrake holds on a slope and no brake warning light is showing. 22.3% of MGB failure items.
3
Visibility
Check the windscreen for chips or cracks in the driver's view, and that the wipers and washers clear it properly. 11.3% of MGB failure items.
4
Suspension
Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters. 10% of MGB failure items.
5
Noise, emissions and leaks
Listen for a blowing exhaust, watch for smoke on start-up and look under the car for oil or fluid leaks. 7.6% of MGB failure items.
None of this replaces the car's own record. Run a free MOT history check on the registration to see every test, advisory and recorded mileage for that car.
What the MOT record doesn't tell you
Knowing MGB failures cluster around lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and brakes tells you what to inspect. It tells you nothing about whether the car is safe to buy. An MOT does not show money still owed on the car, a write-off, a theft record or a clocked odometer.
Check the exact MGB you are looking at. One £15 report, instant results, backed by a £30,000 data guarantee. More on the MG history check.
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off records
- Stolen markers
- Mileage history
- Previous keepers
Other used MG models
The most-tested MG models in 2025, with how their MOT pass rate compares with the MGB.
Used MGB FAQs
Is the MGB reliable?
MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is an 81.7% first-time pass rate for the MGB across 4,498 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.
What should I check before buying a used MGB?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, brakes and visibility. Then check the individual car's history: outstanding finance, insurance write-off records, stolen markers, mileage and previous keepers. None of these appear in the MOT record or on the V5C.
How do I check a MGB's history?
Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability.