1,486 tests in 2025
MG 6 reliability and MOT pass rate
68.4% passed first time. The 31.6% fail rate is 9.0 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 11 years old with 72,779 miles.
Pass rate
68.4%
22.6% of all cars failed; 31.6% of these did.
Fixed on the day
5.8%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
72,779 mi
11 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 1 | — |
| 6-9 years | 256 | 27% |
| 10-13 years | 1,100 | 32.3% |
| 14+ years | 129 | — |
What the 6 fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment4 dangerous46.6%
- Suspension19 dangerous42.6%
- Brakes82 dangerous38.5%
- Tyres138 dangerous34.3%
- Noise, emissions and leaks4 dangerous11.5%
- Body, chassis, structure3 dangerous9.4%
- Visibility7.7%
- Road Wheels1 dangerous4.5%
Is the 6 getting worse?
The fail rate rose 1.6 points to 32% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 8 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2,293 | 8 | 30.4% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 2,142 | 9 | 34.5% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 1,631 | 10 | 31.4% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 1,434 | 11 | 32% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical 6 at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a 6 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded76 tests
- 2Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn58 tests
- 3Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect50 tests
- 4Position lamp: not working49 tests
- 5Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm49 tests
- 6Suspension arm: corroded and seriously weakened38 tests
- 7Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick37 tests
- 8Headlamp: not working on dipped beam37 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical 6 collects 3.32 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm291 tests
- 2Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded266 tests
- 3Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened210 tests
- 4Sub-frame: corroded and seriously weakened181 tests
- 5Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick158 tests
- 6Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened146 tests
- 7Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure128 tests
- 8Suspension arm: corroded and seriously weakened126 tests
Questions
What is the MG 6 MOT pass rate?
68.4% of the 1,486 MG 6 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 31.6% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 5.8% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a MG 6 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded", recorded on 76 failed tests, followed by "Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn" and "Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect". By section, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 46.6% of failures, suspension appears in 42.6% of failures, brakes appears in 38.5% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 100%; at 10-13 years it was 32.3%. The median MG 6 tested in 2025 was 11 years old with 72,779 miles.
Is the MG 6 getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 1.6 points to 32% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 8 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every 6 trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
Other MG models
Checking a particular 6?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.