Makes › MG › 5

MG 5 reliability

C · Average

MOT pass rates and common problems from 28,458 MOT tests of cars first registered 2021–2022.

Jump to: YearsEnginesCommon failures
83.7%pass first time
−0.7 ptsvs typical car
Beats 43%of cars
28,458MOT tests

Verdict

The MG 5 passes its MOT first time on 83.7% of tests, 0.7 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (84.4%). That puts it ahead of 43% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.

By year of first registration, the 2021 5 does best (beats 63% of cars) and the 2022 worst (beats 23%).

The MOT doesn’t test an electric car’s battery or motor, so ask for a battery health report too, and electric cars have no exhaust emissions test, which flatters the comparison a little.

Better than average on visibility, brakes.

Watch these weak spots

Lights & electrics1.7×as often as a typical car
Suspension2.2×as often as a typical car
Headlight bulbs & units3.1×as often as a typical car
Shock absorbers4.1×as often as a typical car

MOT pass rate by age

First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.

80%82%84%86%88%34584%83%84%
MG 5Typical car, same age & mileage

Best and worst years

By year of first registration, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.

2021
Beats 63%
2022
Beats 23%

Engines

All years, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.

EngineYearsTestsPass rateRankGrade
Electric2021–202228,45883.7%Beats 43%C

Where it fails

Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.

Exhaust: electric cars have no exhaust or emissions test.Suspension: 3.2% of tests fail on suspension, against 1.4% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Lights: 7.3% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 4.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Tyres: 6.4% of tests fail on tyres, against 5.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Brakes: 0.5% of tests fail on brakes, against 2.5% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Lights: 7.3% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 4.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Lights−3.1 ptsTyres: 6.4% of tests fail on tyres, against 5.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Tyres−0.5 ptsBrakes: 0.5% of tests fail on brakes, against 2.5% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Brakes+2.0 ptsSuspension: 3.2% of tests fail on suspension, against 1.4% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Suspension−1.7 ptsExhaust: electric cars have no exhaust or emissions test.Exhaustn/aSuspension: 3.2% of tests fail on suspension, against 1.4% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Brakes: 0.5% of tests fail on brakes, against 2.5% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Tyres: 6.4% of tests fail on tyres, against 5.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Lights: 7.3% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 4.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Exhaust: electric cars have no exhaust or emissions test.Lights: 7.3% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 4.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Lights−3.1 ptsTyres: 6.4% of tests fail on tyres, against 5.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Tyres−0.5 ptsBrakes: 0.5% of tests fail on brakes, against 2.5% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Brakes+2.0 ptsSuspension: 3.2% of tests fail on suspension, against 1.4% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Suspension−1.7 ptsExhaust: electric cars have no exhaust or emissions test.Exhaustn/a
Better than typicalTypicalWorse than typical
Lights: 7.3% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 4.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.

Every MOT area

Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).

Lights & electrics
7.3% vs 4.2%
Tyres
6.4% vs 5.9%
Suspension
3.2% vs 1.4%
Visibility
1.7% vs 3.6%
Brakes
0.5% vs 2.5%
Body & structure
0.2% vs 0.5%
Seat belts & airbags
0.2% vs 0.4%
Wheels
0.1% vs 0.2%
Steering
0.1% vs 0.2%
Emissions & leaks
0.0% vs 0.8%

Buying one or MOT due? Check these

  • Headlight bulbs & units 3.1× typical
    Check dipped and main beam on both sides.
  • Shock absorbers 4.1× typical
    Push down hard on each corner: it should rebound once and settle. Look for oily dampers.
  • Number plate lights 3.1× typical
    Walk around with the lights on: bulb failures are the easiest MOT fails to avoid.
  • Coil springs 3.9× typical
    Look behind each wheel for a snapped coil (often the bottom one) and listen for clunks over bumps.
  • Suspension arm bushes 3.9× typical
    Listen for knocks over speed bumps and feel for wandering or vague steering.
  • Tyre pressure warning (TPMS) 2.1× typical
    Make sure no tyre-pressure warning light stays on after start-up.

Pass rate by mileage

First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.

70%75%80%85%90%95%10k20k30k40k50k60k70k80k92%89%87%84%81%80%74%77%
MG 5Typical car

Most common MOT failures

ItemThis carTypicalvs typical
Tyre damage & cracking3.5%4.0%0.9×
Tyre tread depth2.5%1.8%1.4×
Headlight bulbs & units2.4%0.8%3.1×
Headlight aim2.3%1.9%1.2×
Number plate lights1.8%0.6%3.1×
Shock absorbers1.7%0.4%4.1×
Brake lights1.4%0.5%3.1×
Windscreen washers1.2%1.1%1.1×
Coil springs0.8%0.2%3.9×
Tyre pressure warning (TPMS)0.7%0.4%2.1×

Specific defects found

Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.

Defectper 1,000
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements25.1
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED23.5
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements23.1
A tyre seriously damaged20.3
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage16.7
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps14.7
A tyre cords visible or damaged14.4
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning13.1
Check another car

Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.

Every year and engine

Tap a year to see its engines. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.

2022 MG 51 engine81.5% passD
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
Electric14,09481.5%Beats 23%D
2021 MG 51 engine85.8% passB
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
Electric14,36485.8%Beats 63%B

FAQ

What is the MG 5 MOT pass rate?

83.7% of MOT tests on the MG 5 were passed first time, based on 28,458 tests between 2023 and 2026 of cars first registered 2021–2022. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 84.4% of the time.

Is the MG 5 reliable?

On MOT results it rates C (average): it passes first time less often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 43% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.

Which MG 5 year is best?

Among years with enough data, the 2021 5 does best for its age and mileage: it beats 63% of cars on UK roads. The 2022 does worst: it beats 23%.

What are the most common MOT failures on the MG 5?

The most common failure items are tyre damage & cracking, tyre tread depth, headlight bulbs & units. Compared with similar cars, headlight bulbs & units comes up 3.1× as often.

How we calculate this. We use official MOT results for cars tested in Great Britain from 2018 to 2026. Each car is compared with typical cars of the same age and mileage, so old and new cars are judged fairly; “pts” are percentage points above or below them. Differences also reflect how cars are used and maintained, not only how they are built.