2025 MG 5 gets safety makeover, Australia’s ANCAP upgrades rating to 3-stars
The MG 5 has undergone a significant transformation in safety, resulting in a better outcome in the latest ANCAP safety assessment. Originally rated zero stars in 2023, the small sedan has now been awarded a more respectable 3-star rating after receiving several safety upgrades.
When the MG 5 was first crash-tested, it ranked among the lowest-rated vehicles in the Australasian market, joining the Mahindra Scorpio and the now-defunct Mitsubishi Express in ANCAP’s rare zero-star category. This prompted concerns and immediate calls for improvement.
forward to 2025, and MG has responded. A revised version of the MG 5 began production in November 2024, a few months after the model's Malaysian launch, has just gone on sale in Australia. This new variant incorporates critical upgrades, including the addition of front and rear outboard seatbelt pre-tensioners - devices that help tighten seatbelts instantly in the event of a crash.
As a result, ANCAP conducted a series of updated crash tests, including full-width frontal and offset frontal collisions, whiplash evaluations, pedestrian impact tests, and on-track assessments of collision avoidance systems. The agency also took into account supplementary testing performed in 2023.
The improvements were clear. The adult occupant protection score rose from 37 per cent to 62 per cent, while child occupant protection increased to 68 per cent from 58 per cent. Vulnerable road user protection climbed to 65 per cent, up from 42 per cent, and safety assist saw a major boost—from just 13 per cent to 59 per cent.
According to ANCAP, the revised MG 5 showed "enhanced crash performance," with notable improvements in driver head, chest, and lower leg protection, as well as better chest protection for front seat passengers. The vehicle scored full marks for driver neck and chest protection in the full-width test—a significant jump from its previous “Marginal” rating. Even the chest protection rating for rear passengers improved from “Poor” to “Marginal,” highlighting the effectiveness of the newly fitted seatbelt technologies.
However, not all areas were without concern. Weak ratings were still observed in the neck and chest protection of a simulated 10-year-old child during the frontal offset test. The MG 5 also received upgrades to its active safety suite. While it has always featured autonomous emergency braking (AEB), it now includes detection for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. Additionally, lane-keep assist, emergency lane-keeping, and seatbelt reminders for all five seats have been added.
Despite the improvements, ANCAP cautioned that the MG 5 still has limitations. Notably, it lacks a centre airbag to prevent front-seat passenger collisions in a side impact. It also misses out on critical modern driver aids such as blind-spot monitoring, driver attention monitoring, reverse AEB, and rear cross-traffic alert.
