MG MG3 MOT pass rate & common failures
The MG MG3 appears in 108,959 MOT tests spanning model years 2013–2024, and 85.1% of them passed. That is 1.7 percentage points worse than superminis of a similar age, which fail at 13.2%. Its most common failure areas are tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
Best and worst MG3 years
Ranked across MG3 years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Build year matters more than the headline suggests: 2022 cars pass 91.2% of the time while 2014 cars manage 80.5%, a 10.7-point spread.
No single area dominates — tyres (6.2%) and lighting & signalling (5.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, wipers and tread depth — headlamp aim alone was recorded 4,439 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 22.0% versus 9.5%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 25.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 13.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 16.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every MG3 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 1,114 | 81.0% | 19.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 9,734 | 80.5% | 19.5% | Suspension |
| 2015 | 14,174 | 81.5% | 18.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 18,244 | 83.0% | 17.0% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 16,857 | 83.9% | 16.1% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 14,644 | 86.0% | 14.0% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 16,406 | 88.3% | 11.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 8,279 | 89.4% | 10.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 4,240 | 90.2% | 9.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2022 | 4,926 | 91.2% | 8.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2023 | 323 | 92.9% | 7.1% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.2% | 6,718 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.8% | 6,339 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.4% | 4,810 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.8% | 4,170 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.5% | 3,811 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.8% | 1,998 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 898 |
| 8 | Steering | 0.8% | 838 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 4,439 |
| 2 | Wipers | 2,952 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 2,329 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 2,184 |
| 5 | Washers | 2,027 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 1,859 |
| 7 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 1,768 |
| 8 | Brake pads | 1,565 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 25.5% | 27,824 |
| 2 | Brakes | 18.6% | 20,293 |
| 3 | Suspension | 13.9% | 15,143 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.7% | 8,363 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.2% | 3,443 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.9% | 2,052 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 50,541 | 9.5% |
| 30-60k | 43,856 | 18.1% |
| 60-90k | 12,117 | 23.8% |
| 90-120k | 2,071 | 27.0% |
| 120-150k | 250 | 28.0% |
| 150k+ | 50 | 22.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 14,817 | 13.1% |
| 2022 | 18,870 | 13.3% |
| 2023 | 21,926 | 14.6% |
| 2024 | 24,222 | 15.9% |
| 2025 | 29,124 | 16.4% |
What to check before buying a MG MG3
- Tyres (6.2% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (5.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.4% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the MG MG3?
85.1% of the 108,959 MG MG3 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 14.9% fail rate, across model years 2013–2024.
What does the MG MG3 most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 6.2% of tests, then lighting & signalling (5.8%).
Which MG3 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 91.2% and 2014 the weakest at 80.5%, from 4,926 and 9,734 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect MG3 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 9.5% for cars in the 0-30k band and 22.0% for 150k+, a 12.5-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 108,959 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.