MG MG6 MOT pass rate & common failures
The MG MG6 appears in 13,375 MOT tests spanning model years 1980–2020, and 74.9% of them passed. That is 6.5 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 18.6%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
Best and worst MG6 years
Ranked across MG6 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
Not every year is equal — 80.4% of 2016 examples pass against 69.6% of 2011 ones.
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.9% of tests against 10.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are rigid brake pipes, headlamp aim and headlamp — rigid brake pipes alone was recorded 1,244 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 15.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 33.0% once past 150k — 2.1× the risk.
The diesel cars hold up better: 22.9% fail against 26.9% for petrol, a 4.0-point gap across 13,367 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 36.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 23.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 25.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every MG6 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 1,405 | 69.6% | 30.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 3,367 | 72.7% | 27.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 1,382 | 74.4% | 25.6% | Suspension |
| 2014 | 2,683 | 73.9% | 26.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 2,621 | 77.5% | 22.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 1,908 | 80.4% | 19.6% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.9% | 1,857 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.5% | 1,406 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.5% | 1,266 |
| 4 | Tyres | 8.1% | 1,089 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.1% | 544 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.3% | 301 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.8% | 245 |
| 8 | Road wheels | 1.0% | 128 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rigid brake pipes | 1,244 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 740 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 659 |
| 4 | Ball joint | 635 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 545 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 428 |
| 7 | Brake pads | 426 |
| 8 | Wipers | 353 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 36.3% | 4,861 |
| 2 | Tyres | 28.8% | 3,859 |
| 3 | Suspension | 25.6% | 3,418 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 10.9% | 1,456 |
| 5 | Other defects | 8.2% | 1,099 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.8% | 507 |
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 | 868 | 15.8% |
| 30-60k | 4,819 | 22.7% |
| 60-90k | 5,376 | 27.6% |
| 90-120k | 1,823 | 28.0% |
| 120-150k | 383 | 26.9% |
| 150k+ | 103 | 33.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 7,502 | 26.9% |
| Diesel | 5,865 | 22.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,100 | 23.1% |
| 2022 | 3,002 | 24.5% |
| 2023 | 2,857 | 27.2% |
| 2024 | 2,427 | 26.0% |
| 2025 | 1,989 | 25.3% |
What to check before buying a MG MG6
- Lighting & signalling (13.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (10.5% 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.
- Suspension (9.5% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
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 MG6?
74.9% of the 13,375 MG MG6 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 25.1% fail rate, across model years 1980–2020.
What does the MG MG6 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.9% of tests, then brakes (10.5%).
Which MG6 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2016 has the best pass rate at 80.4% and 2011 the weakest at 69.6%, from 1,908 and 1,405 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect MG6 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 15.8% for cars in the 0-30k band and 33.0% for 150k+, a 17.2-point difference.
Is the diesel or petrol MG6 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the diesel fails 22.9% of the time against 26.9% for the petrol. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 13,375 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.