MG
8,189 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where 5 Exclusives pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 9.7 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
87.2%
Pass-after-fix
5.4%
Fail
7.0%
Avg miles
39,233
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Electric and hydrogen vehicles are exempt from all UK clean air zone charges.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 8,189 tests
Pass rate drops 1.7 points across the cohorts — recent 5 Exclusive examples are doing worse than the early cars at the same tested age.
Pass
88.8%
Fail
9.0%
PRS
1.1%
Avg mileage at test
37,297 mi
Pass
87.1%
Fail
6.9%
PRS
5.6%
Avg mileage at test
39,301 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 2,001 MOT tests, the 5 Exclusive returns 88.3% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. Headlamp or light source missing and a seriously damaged tyre round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 32,374, 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
Around the UK fleet average for insurance cost. 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 →
18–24
out of 50
Filter failures:
Hide categories
Tick a category to hide it from rankings sitewide. Saved in this browser only.
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
172 occurrences · 2.1% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
93 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
93 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
84 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
62 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
61 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
52 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
39 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
Reflector defective or damaged by up to 50% of the reflecting surface
31 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps
30 occurrences · 0.4% 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
£130–£270
If every one of this 5 Exclusive'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 →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 1.7-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy MG 5 Exclusive makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
88.8%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 88.8% — a 1.7-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, has ply or cords exposed — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band.
Band to be cautious about
87.1%
2021+ registration
On the 2021-on band, the data shows a 87.1% pass rate against a fleet average of 88.8% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, has a cut in excess of the…, and damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view. Average mileage on test for this band is 39,301 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (88.8% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2021+ (87.1% pass). That's a 1.7-point spread across 7,911 older tests and 278 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
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
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
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 →
EV King · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
EV Charging Cables
8M - 32amp (3 Phase)- Blaupunkt Type 2 Charging Cable 32amp - 3 Phase (22kW) 8M
£329.00
View at EV King →
EV Charging Cables
15M - 32amp -Type 2 to Type 2 Charging Cable Type 2 to Type 2 15M 32amp (7.4kW)
£315.00
View at EV King →
EV Charging Cables
3 Pin to Type 2 - 10M - Range Rover Evoque Charging Cable 3 Pin to Type 2 10M 6-12amp Adjustable (2.3kW)
£297.00
View at EV King →
EV Charging Cables
3 Pin to Type 2 - 10M - Range Rover Sport Charging Cable 3 Pin to Type 2 10M 6-12amp Adjustable (2.3kW)
£297.00
View at EV King →
Click Mechanic · affiliate
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.
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 5 Exclusive 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.
