Which year Morgan 4 4 is most reliable?

Based on 2,411 vehicles (1980–2003) and millions of DVLA MOT records.

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Not just "newer is more reliable"

These rankings compare each year at the same mileage point — a 2003 4 4 at 80,000 miles is judged against a 2014 4 4 at 80,000 miles, not its full lifetime average. Verdicts are also relative to this model's own average, not a universal scale. That's the difference between "old cars wear out" and "this year is genuinely more or less reliable."

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Years to look for

1996–2003

Above-average pass rate — these years consistently do better than other 4 4s

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Below model average

1980–1985, 1987, 1991

Lower pass rate than other 4 4s — worth checking the MOT history before buying

See common failures for 1980 →

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Dataset

2,411

vehicles · 1980–2003 · millions of MOT records

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CarHunch sweet spot — 1994–2000

These years hit the reliability-to-value sweet spot: a 71.0–82.5% pass rate, well above this model's median, but old enough to have depreciated significantly from peak price. If budget matters alongside reliability, start your search here.

Pass rate by year

Year	Pass rate	Vehicles
2003	82.3%	113	Recommended
2002	82.5%	152	Recommended
2001	81.2%	162	Recommended
2000	82.5%	201	Recommended
1999	81.3%	151	Recommended
1998	81.0%	107	Recommended
1997	77.7%	101	Recommended
1996	78.4%	100	Recommended
1995	71.0%	109
1994	71.4%	102
1992	68.9%	102
1991	62.2%	103	Below avg
1987	57.8%	100	Below avg
1985	59.3%	130	Below avg
1984	57.4%	137	Below avg
1983	55.6%	161	Below avg
1982	59.6%	136	Below avg
1981	53.3%	132	Below avg
1980	53.1%	112	Below avg

Click any year to see full MOT history, common faults and comparisons for those cars. Verdicts are relative to this model's own average — a good Land Rover year is judged differently from a good Toyota year.

How each year holds up at higher mileage

Each line is a different model year. The mileage ranges are divided into 5 equal groups based on how this model is actually driven in the real world — so you're comparing like-for-like, not arbitrary round numbers.

Only years with enough data across at least 3 mileage ranges are shown. Newer years appear in blue; older years in amber.

How is this measured?

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What "pass rate" means

The percentage of all MOT tests that resulted in a pass — counted across a car's whole life, not just its first test. Higher means fewer failures over time.

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Mileage groups built from real data

We split this model's real-world mileage history into 5 equal groups — so each slice contains the same number of cars, not an arbitrary round number like "0–30,000 miles."

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Does age still matter?

Yes. A low-mileage 20-year-old car has still had 20 years of weather, perishing rubber, and ageing electrics. Comparing at the same mileage narrows the gap between old and new — but doesn't erase it entirely.

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Why this beats surveys

Our figures come from the DVLA's national MOT database — over 50 million real test results from accredited garages, with no opinions involved. Most reliability guides are based on owner surveys with a few hundred responses per model.

What next?

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