MG
Rv8
1,268 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Rv8s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 10.7 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
88.2%
Pass-after-fix
2.1%
Fail
9.3%
Avg miles
32,758
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
The picture
Rv8: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 586 MOT tests, the Rv8 returns 87.7% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is wipers that don't clear the screen. Brakes imbalance across an axle such and a number-plate lamp out round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 31,315, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 12–28
Below the fleet average — generally reasonable to insure. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
12–28
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
Wiper blade defective
18 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 02
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
11 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 03
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
11 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 04
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.
11 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 05
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
10 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 06
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
10 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 07
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
10 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 08
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated
8 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 09
Emissions levels exceed default limits
7 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 10
Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value
7 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£48–£125
If every one of this Rv8's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Summit
Summit ADRG-60 MG Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass LHS
£7.69
View at My Motor World →
Autotek
Autotek Ford Nordic Blue 300ml
£14.29
View at My Motor World →
Motor World
Motor World MG Rover F 95-2002 Car Floor Mat Set
£32.99
View at My Motor World →
Motor World
Motor World Rover MGB Car Floor Mat Set
£32.99
View at My Motor World →
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Book a mobile mechanic
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Buying or keeping a Rv8?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Rv8 and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.