MG
7,631 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where HS Exclusive S As pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 14.4 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
91.9%
Pass-after-fix
2.0%
Fail
5.7%
Avg miles
25,520
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Petrol cars first registered from January 2006 meet Euro 4 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 7,631 tests
Pass rate is broadly flat across the cohorts — new and old HS Exclusive S A examples track each other at the test bay.
Pass
91.8%
Fail
6.0%
PRS
2.0%
Avg mileage at test
28,423 mi
Pass
91.9%
Fail
5.6%
PRS
2.0%
Avg mileage at test
24,357 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 1,310 MOT tests, the Hs Exclusive S-A returns 91.0% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a seriously damaged tyre. Windscreen damage and brake pads worn below 1.5 mm round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 20,669, 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 →
18–26
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a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
84 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
57 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
45 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn
42 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
27 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
26 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
18 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
A tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative
17 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
17 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
16 occurrences · 0.2% 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.
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Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. Pass rates barely move across bands here, so the year you buy MG HS Exclusive S A makes little measurable difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
91.9%
2021+ registration
the 2021-on band climbs to 91.9% — a 0.1-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: less than 1.5 mm thick, has a cut in excess of the… — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. Post-2020 examples are early in their MOT life and generally show the cleanest records.
Band to be cautious about
91.8%
2018–2020 registration
On the 2018–2020 band, the data shows a 91.8% pass rate against a fleet average of 91.9% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: less than 1.5 mm thick, significantly and obviously worn, and has a cut in excess of the…. Average mileage on test for this band is 28,423 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2021+ (91.9% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2018-2020 (91.8% pass). That's a 0.1-point spread across 2,180 older tests and 5,451 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
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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 an HS Exclusive S A 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.
