MG4 reliability: what the MOT shows

2,816 MG4s had an MOT in 2025. 87.5% passed first time, against 88.5% for other cars of the same age and mileage.

87.5%passed first time

−1.0points against cars of the same age and mileage

1.8×as many suspension failures as comparable cars

Report card

MG4 MOT results by registration year

Each dot compares how often MG4s of that year failed on one area of the test with cars of the same age and mileage.

Much betterBetterAbout the sameWorseMuch worse

Year	Passed first time	Against same age and mileage	MOTs	Suspension	Steering	Brakes	Tyres	Lights & electrics	Visibility	Body & structure	Emissions & leaks
2022	87.5%	−1.0	2,816

Much worse: failed on that area at least 1.5 times as often. Worse: 1.15 to 1.5 times. Better: up to 0.87 times. Much better: two-thirds as often or less. Gaps under half a percentage point count as about the same. Registration year is the year the car was first used.

MG4 years to avoid, going by the MOT

Level2022−1.0 ptsMost common failure: headlamp aim (too low). 2,816 MOTs.

Well behind: 5 or more points below cars of the same age and mileage. Behind: 1.5 to 5 points below. Level: within 1.5 points. Ahead: 1.5 or more points above.

What fails

MG4 common faults at the MOT

1.2% of MG4 MOTs failed on suspension, against 0.7% for cars of the same age and mileage, and 4.2% on lights and electrics, against 2.6%.

Most common failures

Headlamp aim: too low2.8%Cars of the same age and mileage: 0.5%

Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords2.3%Cars of the same age and mileage: 2.1%

Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.2%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.2%

Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively1.4%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.6%

Condition: has ply or cords exposed0.9%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.1%

Headlamp aim: too high0.8%Cars of the same age and mileage: 0.9%

Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid0.7%Cars of the same age and mileage: 0.6%

Coil spring: fractured or broken0.5%Cars of the same age and mileage: 0.1%

MG4Same age and mileage

Fails more often than other cars

Mileage

First-time pass rate by mileage

Against cars of the same age and mileage, in points: Under 30k: −0.3, 30–60k: −2.1, 60–90k: −1.5, 90–120k: −22.2.

MG4, first-time pass rateCars of the same age and mileage

Against rivals

MG4 against other family hatchbacks

Cars registered 2014 to 2021, each against cars of the same age and mileage. The MG4 had fewer than 500 MOTs from cars registered in those years, so it isn't ranked.

Model	MOTs	Passed first time	Same age and mileage	Gap (pts)
1. VW Golf	453,675	84.7%	77.2%	+7.5
2. Audi A3	236,485	83.4%	76.3%	+7.1
3. Skoda Octavia	130,349	81.5%	75.7%	+5.8
4. Toyota Corolla	55,580	89.2%	84.2%	+5.1
5. Toyota Auris	78,822	78.5%	73.7%	+4.8
6. Honda Civic	96,393	82.2%	77.5%	+4.8
7. BMW 1 Series	216,359	81.6%	77.1%	+4.5
8. Seat Leon	133,332	79.6%	77.2%	+2.3
9. Mercedes A-Class	285,897	80.7%	79.2%	+1.6
10. Ford Focus	433,954	77.1%	76.9%	+0.2
11. Kia Ceed	68,633	75.8%	76.8%	−1.0
12. Vauxhall Astra	259,770	73.6%	75.2%	−1.6
13. Hyundai i30	54,108	73.1%	75.3%	−2.2
14. Nissan Leaf	42,108	78.9%	81.7%	−2.7
15. Peugeot 308	69,563	71.2%	75.2%	−4.0

Check these before you buy a used MG4

What testers most often noted as advisories on MG4s in 2025: wear that passed but was close to failing. Figures in brackets are for cars of the same age and mileage.

Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge16% (12%)
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened10% (4%)
Pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement5% (1%)
Condition: has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords4% (2%)
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge3% (2%)
Condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing1% (4%)
Condition: slightly damaged1% (1%)
Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread1% (0%)

Questions about MG4 reliability

Is the MG4 reliable?

At the MOT, 87.5% of 2,816 MG4 MOTs in 2025 passed first time, against 88.5% for cars of the same age and mileage. 2022: level (−1.0 points).

Which MG4 years should I avoid?

None stand out: every registration year is within 1.5 points of cars of the same age and mileage, or ahead of them.

What is the most common MOT failure on a MG4?

Headlamp aim: too low: 2.8% of MG4 MOTs, against 0.5% for cars of the same age and mileage.

How we measure

Data. Every car MOT in Great Britain in 2025 (31,475,521 first tests on cars first used 2005 to 2022), from DVSA's anonymised MOT test data. Retests are left out.

Passed first time. A car passed if its first test that year ended in a pass. Cars that failed and were fixed within the hour count as fails, as DVSA counts them.

Same age and mileage. We group every car by the year it was first used and its mileage (under 30k, 30–60k, 60–90k, 90–120k, over 120k). The comparison figure is what those groups scored, weighted to match the MG4's mix of ages and mileages.

Model. Every car DVSA records as a MG4: 3 recorded model names, from "4 TROPHY" to trims such as "4 SE".

The full method, including how each report-card dot and year group is decided.