MG
5,958 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where HS Exclusives pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 12.9 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
90.4%
Pass-after-fix
2.5%
Fail
6.6%
Avg miles
26,353
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Trim variants
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 5,958 tests
Pass rate drops 2.7 points across the cohorts — recent HS Exclusive examples are doing worse than the early cars at the same tested age.
Pass
92.3%
Fail
5.2%
PRS
2.1%
Avg mileage at test
28,243 mi
Pass
89.5%
Fail
7.3%
PRS
2.6%
Avg mileage at test
25,416 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 1,223 MOT tests, the Hs Exclusive returns 90.1% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is brake pads worn below 1.5 mm. Tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning and an excessively worn brake disc round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 21,962, 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
106 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
52 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn
49 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
49 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
A tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative
32 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
23 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
20 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution.
18 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
A registration plate lamp not securely attached
17 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
17 occurrences · 0.3% 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. A 2.7-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy MG HS Exclusive makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
92.3%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 92.3% — a 2.7-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: less than 1.5 mm thick, malfunctioning or obviously inoperative — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band.
Band to be cautious about
89.5%
2021+ registration
On the 2021-on band, the data shows a 89.5% pass rate against a fleet average of 92.3% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: less than 1.5 mm thick, has a cut in excess of the…, and damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view. Average mileage on test for this band is 25,416 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (92.3% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2021+ (89.5% pass). That's a 2.7-point spread across 3,985 older tests and 1,973 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.
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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 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.
