69.6%
MG TF pass rate
Used MG TF buying guide
In 2025, MG TF cars passed 69.6% of 8,698 initial MOT tests, 2.7 points below the 72.3% UK average. Here is where it fails and what to check before you buy.
Looking at a specific TF? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
MG TF MOT record in brief
Initial MOT tests in 2025, retests excluded.
72.3%
UK average, all cars
−2.7
percentage points below average
Ranked on pass rate the TF sits 355th of 575 models in the data. MG as a brand averaged 80.9%, so this model runs 11.3 points behind its own brand.
A pass rate is not a reliability score. The full MG TF MOT record has the pass rate by age, every common failure and how the TF compares with similar cars.
TF fuel types
Petrol was the most common fuel among MG TF cars tested in 2025. None of the tested examples were diesel.
Where the TF fails its MOT
Where MG TF 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 rbt (sp) efficiency below requirements (5.9%), wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.6%) and track rod end ball joint has excessive play (3.4%). See every common TF MOT failure.
These are DVSA failure records across every MG TF that failed, not a claim that every TF has these problems.
What should you check when buying a used TF?
The areas above, most common first, and what an MOT tester looks at in each.
1
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. 23.2% of TF failure items.
2
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. 17.7% of TF failure items.
3
Suspension
Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters. 17.5% of TF failure items.
4
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. 13.5% of TF failure items.
5
Visibility
Check the windscreen for chips or cracks in the driver's view, and that the wipers and washers clear it properly. 9% of TF 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 MG TF failures cluster around brakes and lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 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 TF 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 TF.
Used MG TF FAQs
Is the MG TF 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 a 69.6% first-time pass rate for the MG TF across 8,698 tests in 2025, below the 72.3% average for all cars.
What should I check before buying a used MG TF?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: brakes, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and suspension. 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 MG TF'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.