MG 3 Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the MG 3 fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 31,882 MOT tests across 10 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: small family car | Fuel: Petrol
84%
MG 3 pass rate
86%
MG average
82%
All-model average
The MG 3 has an average MOT pass rate of 84%, which is 2 points below the MG average and 2 points above the average across all models in our data. Newer MG 3s pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 6 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the MG 3 Fails Its MOT On
Of the 5,396 MOT tests on the MG 3 that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Lights and electrics
31%Cars and vans the same age: 28% · Typical repair £15-£200
Tyres
28%Cars and vans the same age: 29% · Typical repair £50-£300
Brakes
24%Cars and vans the same age: 19% (the 3 fails on this more often) · Typical repair £80-£450
Suspension
21%Cars and vans the same age: 23% · Typical repair £150-£600
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
20%Cars and vans the same age: 16% · Typical repair £10-£350
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively (11% of failed tests, windscreen, wipers and mirrors)
- Headlamp: not working on dipped beam (8.2% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Tyre tread depth below the 1.6mm limit (7.4% of failed tests, tyres)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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MG 3 Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each 3 year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
Passed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points more often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
MG 3 Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Petrol | 1.5L | 91% | 9% | - |
| 2021 | Petrol | 1.5L | 92% | 8% | 93% (-1) |
| 2020 | Petrol | 1.5L | 90% | 10% | 92% (-2) |
| 2019 | Petrol | 1.5L | 88% | 11% | 91% (-3) |
| 2018 | Petrol | 1.5L | 85% | 15% | 89% (-4) |
| 2017 | Petrol | 1.5L | 80% | 19% | 87% (-7) |
| 2016 | Petrol | 1.5L | 82% | 18% | 86% (-4) |
| 2015 | Petrol | 1.5L | 79% | 20% | 84% (-5) |
| 2014 | Petrol | 1.5L | 79% | 21% | 82% (-3) |
| 2013 | Petrol | 1.5L | 86% | 14% | - |
MG 3 Running Costs
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MG 3 FAQ
What are the most common MG 3 problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the MG 3 that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (31% of the 5,396 failed tests), tyres (28%) and brakes (24%). The single most common fault was "Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively" (11%). Across 31,882 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 84% ended in a pass.
Is the MG 3 reliable?
The MG 3 has an average MOT pass rate of 84%, from 31,882 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed 4 points less often on average, so check the history of any example carefully.
Which MG 3 years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2017 (80% of 5,135 tests passed, against 87% for all 2017 cars), the 2015 (79% of 4,075 tests passed, against 84% for all 2015 cars) and the 2016 (82% of 5,218 tests passed, against 86% for all 2016 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common MG 3 faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a MG 3 typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
Check a Specific MG 3
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Other MG Models
Common problems pages for other MG models