It's fine if the motorist has annual services and pays attention to the weekly checks.
It's let down by the few motorists who do absolutely nothing as far as regards maintenance or weekly checks. I know a couple of people who bought brand new cars and still don't know how to open the bonnet or check tyre pressures.
By the time my car was 4 years old it had covered 80,000 miles. It could have had bald tyres, knackered exhaust and only half its bulbs working. Perhaps the criteria should be (say) 20,000 miles OR 4 years, whichever comes sooner.
A 4 year old car should have had its free services for at least the first 3 years otherwise the warranty would be void. So a 4 year old car is not going to be unserviced as for example a 15 year old car often is.
New cars are, on the whole, very reliable these days if you do the basic preventive maintenance ie fluids tyre pressures etc I can see the extra year being an issue.
I heard that that the government were going to do this a few years ago – it’s a long time coming. This change will bring us in line with most of Europe in terms of vehicle testing.
But MOT test garages are going to have to increase their fees as a result of losing over 50% of tests – and fail a greater % of cars to get the MOT failure repairs which they rely on.
I have taken a lot of cars for the 3rd year MOT, not one has failed, given a Advice note, if it goes on to start the test at 4th year I agree, it's up to the owner to check if the car want a tyre or two, if he / she can not do it, ask your MOT testing Station, " Can I add, not K.F."