MG 3 (2016)

What to check before buying a 2016 MG 3

Practical pre-purchase checks for this age and model.

• 📋 Check the full MOT history. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. Enter the reg below for a full AI analysis.
• 🔍 Inspect for corrosion in person. Brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that's expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.
• 🛞 Check tyres and brakes. The most common advisory items at this age. Budget for replacement if they're near the limit — factor this into your offer price.
• ⚠️ 35.9% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Enter the reg below — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.
• 📄 Run an HPI check. The MOT history won't show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status — an HPI check will.

Before you buy a MG 3

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Mileage Distribution

Most 2016 MG 3 vehicles sit in the blue band. If the car you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

Half of all 2016 MG 3 vehicles fall between 24,269 and 45,924 miles.

2016 MG 3 — Still on the Road

Strong survival — 2,892 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 95% of the peak.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2019–2025.

MOT History Averages

Most Common MOT Issues — 2016 MG 3

Based on actual MOT test records for this model. Percentage shows how often each item appears across all vehicles in this cohort.

• 39.7%
  Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge
• 38.7%
  Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge
• 33.5%
  Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin
• 26.4%
  Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing
• 25.3%
  Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened
• 22.8%
  Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing
• 20.2%
  Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge
• 19.8%
  Front Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2016. Counts include advisories and failures.

Found a specific MG 3?

Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.