Used car guide

2021 MG 5 Exclusive: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the MG 5 Exclusive first registered in 2021: we looked at the 8,081 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

8,081MOTs of 2021 cars, done in 2023–2025
87%pass first time (all 2021 cars: 87%)
10,400typical miles a year
2.5×the usual rate for shock absorbers

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2021 MG 5 Exclusive?

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

  • Shock absorbers2.5× usual
    MG 5 Exclusive
    3.5% All 2021 cars
    1.4%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.7%, against 0.2% 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.

Better than most

Brake pads: 0.5% here, against 5.9% of all 2021 cars.

Common 2021 MG 5 Exclusive MOT failures and advisories

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

  • Tyres
    28% 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
    7% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • 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.

  • Suspension
    5% 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.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    3% 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.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2021 MG 5 Exclusive

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the shock absorbers? (Flagged at MOT 2.5× as often on the 2021 MG 5 Exclusive as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at an MG 5 Exclusive?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the MG 5 Exclusive compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20228,366Tyres 24%
2020513Tyres 35%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of MG 5 Exclusive cars first registered in 2021. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score