Used car guide

2021 MG 5 Excite: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2021 MG 5 Excites, from 1,456 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,456MOT tests in 2025
82%pass first time (all 2021 cars: 87%)
13,000typical miles a year
8.7×the usual rate for number plate lights

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2021 MG 5 Excites than on all cars registered in 2021.

  • Number plate lights8.7× usual
    MG 5 Excite
    5.2% All 2021 cars
    0.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3%, against 0.2% of all 2021 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £5–£40 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the number plate lights work and the plates are clean and legal.

  • Shock absorbers3.6× usual
    MG 5 Excite
    6.2% All 2021 cars
    1.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.9%, against 0.3% of all 2021 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

  • Headlights10.7× usual
    MG 5 Excite
    4.3% All 2021 cars
    0.4%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.2%, against 0.4% of all 2021 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £40–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check both headlights on dipped and full beam, and look for cloudy or cracked lenses.

By area

The share of 2021 MG 5 Excite MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    26% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Lights and electrics
    13% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Suspension
    7% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Brakes
    6% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    4% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    3% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20222,052Tyres 29%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2021 MG 5 Excites registered in 2021. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score