Safety authority ANCAP has re-tested the MG 5 following a series of updates to the small sedan, and this time it has received a three-star rating.
When it was first tested in 2023, it received zero stars. That made it one of just three cars to receive a zero-star rating from the safety authority, along with the Mahindra Scorpio and defunct Mitsubishi Express.
In its latest test, it received an adult occupant protection rating of 62 per cent, a child occupant protection rating of 68 per cent, a vulnerable road user protection rating of 65 per cent, and a safety assist rating of 59 per cent.
These are up from 37 per cent, 58 per cent, 42 per cent, and 13 per cent, respectively.
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ANCAP has confirmed the updated model entered production in November 2024, and is on sale this month. We’ve contacted MG Motor Australia for more details on pricing and availability.
The MG 5 finally has front and rear outboard seatbelt pre-tensioners, and ANCAP conducted new frontal offset and full-width crash tests to assess their effectiveness in a crash.
Additionally, ANCAP conducted whiplash and pedestrian impact tests, plus on-track collision avoidance performance tests, and combined these with the results of additional tests conducted in 2023.
ANCAP observed “enhanced crash performance” in both the full-width and frontal offset tests, with improvements in driver head, chest and lower leg protection and front seat passenger chest protection in the latter test.
In the full-width frontal test, the MG 5 received full points for driver neck and chest protection – up from a Marginal rating in ANCAP’s last round of assessment.
Rear passenger chest protection in the full-width test improved from Poor to Marginal, which ANCAP says reflects the benefit of seatbelt pre-tensioners and load limiters in managing the force of a crash.
There were still some Weak ratings recorded for aspects like neck and chest protection of a 10-year-old child in the frontal offset test, however.
While the MG 5 has always had standard autonomous emergency braking (AEB) but now it features pedestrian, cyclist and motorcycle detection.
The MG 5 also gains lane-keep assist and emergency lane-keep assist. Also newly fitted: seatbelt reminders for all five seats.
MG had been promising safety updates to the small sedan since December 2023, the same month it received its zero-star rating.
“We commend MG for taking the opportunity to elevate the safety performance of the MG 5. This upgrade demonstrates important progress,” said ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg.
“While this rating is a step up, it’s important that consumers and fleet operators recognise there are still safety limitations with this model, and that there are other vehicles on the market that offer more robust safety performance.”
ANCAP noted, for example, the absence of a centre airbag to mitigate impacts between front-row occupants in a side impact.
In terms of active safety systems, the MG 5 still lacks blind-spot monitoring and any kind of driver monitoring system. There’s also no reverse AEB or rear cross-traffic alert/assist system.
To the end of April, MG has delivered 1123 MG 5 sedans so far this year. But while it outsells other small cars like the Subaru Impreza and Skoda Scala, it’s MG’s lowest-volume model apart from the flagship Cyberster.
MORE: Everything MG 5
