MG 5 Three-Star ANCAP Safety Rating: What Redlands Buyers Need to Know

The updated MG 5 carries a three-star ANCAP safety rating under the 2023-2025 assessment criteria. That represents a meaningful step forward from the zero-star rating that applied to MG 5 vehicles built before November 2024, but it is important that buyers understand both what the three-star result means and, critically, which vehicles it applies to.

This three-star rating applies only to MG 5 vehicles built from November 2024 and on sale from June 2025. A zero-star rating applies to all MG 5 vehicles built between March 2023 and September 2024. Given the original MG 5 was on sale in Australia from August 2023, there is a real possibility that zero-star vehicles remain in dealer stock or private sale listings. Confirming the build date of any MG 5 is essential before purchase. Our team at Bartons MG at 103 Redland Bay Road, Capalaba can verify this against the VIN.

Here is what the three-star result means in full detail for Redlands buyers.

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) independently crash-tests and rates new vehicles sold in Australia at accredited facilities. Ratings run from zero to five stars. A three-star result indicates the vehicle meets a base threshold of safety performance but falls meaningfully short of the four and five-star results achieved by other vehicles in the MG range and by many competitors in the small car segment.

ANCAP assesses four key categories: Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection, and Safety Assist. The MG 5 returned scores ranging from 59 to 68 per cent across all four categories.

MG 5 ANCAP Safety Rating: The Full Scorecard

The MG 5 (built from November 2024, on sale from June 2025) achieved the following results under 2023-2025 criteria:

The rating applies to both variants sold in Australia: the MG 5 Vibe (1.5L petrol) and the MG 5 Essence (1.5L turbo). The MG 5 is sold in Australia only and is not available in New Zealand. The rating expires in December 2031.

Adult Occupant Protection: 62% (25.08 out of 40)

What Was Tested

The MG 5 was assessed through a frontal offset test at 50 km/h, a full-width frontal test at 50 km/h, a side impact at 60 km/h, an oblique pole test at 32 km/h, far-side impact tests, and whiplash protection assessments.

What the Results Show

Adult occupant protection is the area of greatest concern in the MG 5 result, and Redlands buyers deserve a clear understanding of the findings before making a purchase decision.

In the frontal offset test, the passenger compartment remained stable. However, the driver recorded marginal protection for the chest, upper legs, and lower legs, with all three areas underperforming. Dashboard structures were identified as a potential source of injury for both the driver and front passenger. Three specific deductions were applied to the driver result: variable contact, concentrated load, and pedal blocking. The front passenger received adequate protection for upper and lower legs, with good results elsewhere.

The vehicle-to-vehicle compatibility penalty was 5.49 points out of a possible 8.00, a significant deduction indicating the MG 5 presents a meaningful risk to occupants of an oncoming vehicle in a frontal collision.

In the full-width frontal test, driver protection was good across all critical body areas. For the rear passenger, neck protection was adequate and chest protection was marginal.

The side impact result was the MG 5's strongest individual score, returning maximum points with good protection across all critical body regions. For Redlands drivers navigating the arterial intersections along Redland Bay Road and through the Capalaba retail precinct, that side-impact result is a genuine positive. The oblique pole test returned near-maximum points.

The far-side impact score was just 1.32 out of 4, a low result reflecting the absence of a centre airbag. The MG 5 does not have a centre airbag. Occupant-to-occupant head contact was not assessed in the far-side test.

No multi-collision braking system is fitted. Doors passed submergence testing, though window opening functionality was not demonstrated. No eCall system is fitted.

Child Occupant Protection: 68% (33.69 out of 49)

What Was Tested

Child occupant protection is assessed through dynamic crash testing using six-year-old and ten-year-old child dummies in frontal offset and side impact scenarios, as well as a practical assessment of how standard Australian child restraints can be installed.

What the Results Show

The MG 5 scored 68 per cent in child occupant protection. For Redlands families, the dynamic crash test results are the key area to understand.

In the frontal offset test, head protection for both child dummies was rated marginal. Neck and chest protection for the ten-year-old dummy was rated weak. The six-year-old dummy returned marginal neck protection and good chest protection.

In the side impact test, head protection for the six-year-old dummy was weak and adequate for the ten-year-old dummy. Other critical body areas of both dummies were rated good.

The restraint installation assessment returned near-maximum points at 11.62 out of 12. The MG 5 is fitted with ISOFix lower anchorages on both rear outboard seats and top tether anchorages across all rear seating positions. One Type A convertible seat in rearward-facing mode and the Type E booster seat could not be correctly installed in the centre rear position. No child presence detection system is available.

Vulnerable Road User Protection: 65% (41.55 out of 63)

What Was Tested

Vulnerable road user (VRU) protection covers the physical construction of the vehicle's bonnet and windscreen and the performance of the AEB system in detecting and reacting to pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.

Physical Impact Results

The MG 5 bonnet provided predominantly adequate or marginal head protection to pedestrians, with weak and poor results at the rear of the bonnet, the base of the windscreen, and the stiff windscreen pillars. Pelvis and lower leg protection were good at all test locations. Femur protection was mostly weak.

Autonomous Emergency Braking: Pedestrians, Cyclists, and Motorcyclists

The VRU AEB system operates from 8 km/h to 85 km/h in forward scenarios.

Forward pedestrian AEB performance was rated adequate, with collisions avoided or mitigated in most forward tests. However, the system does not react to pedestrians in turning scenarios and no AEB Backover capability is available. This is worth noting for driveways and car parks throughout the Capalaba and Redlands area.

Cyclist AEB performance was rated adequate, with collisions avoided or mitigated at most test speeds. The system does not react to cyclists in turning scenarios and the MG 5 provides no cyclist dooring warning.

Motorcyclist forward AEB in straight-ahead scenarios was rated good. Motorcyclist AEB in turning scenarios was rated poor. Lane support system performance in car-to-motorcyclist scenarios was rated adequate.

What Was Tested

Safety Assist evaluates the active safety technology suite: AEB for car-to-car scenarios, lane support, speed assistance, seat belt reminders, and driver monitoring.

Car-to-Car AEB

The MG 5 AEB system operates from 8 km/h to 150 km/h. Standard car-to-car rear performance was good across all four test types. AEB Crossing performance was good. AEB Junction performance was rated marginal, which is relevant to the busy intersections through the Redlands road network. AEB Head-On performance was good.

Lane Support System

The lane support system operates from 60 to 130 km/h. Lane keep assist was rated good. Emergency lane keeping was rated marginal in car-to-car scenarios, which is the weakest ELK result across all MG models in this ANCAP series and is worth considering for motorway commutes on the Gateway and Pacific Motorway.

Speed Assistance, Monitoring, and Features

The MG 5 includes a manual speed limiter as standard. No speed sign recognition, no intelligent speed limiter, and no iACC are fitted. No driver monitoring system of any kind is available, scoring zero out of 2. No blind spot monitoringis fitted. Seat belt reminders with occupancy detection for all seating positions scored the full 1.00 out of 1.

The following safety features are standard across both MG 5 variants sold in Australia:

• Dual frontal airbags (driver and front passenger)
• Side chest-protecting airbags (front and second-row seats)
• Side head-protecting curtain airbags (front and second-row seats)
• Autonomous emergency braking: car-to-car (8-150 km/h), pedestrian (forward only), cyclist (forward, no turning), and motorcyclist (forward)
• AEB Crossing and Head-On
• Lane keep assist (LKA) and emergency lane keeping (ELK)
• Lane departure warning (LDW)
• Forward collision warning (FCW)
• Manual speed limiter
• Seat belt reminders with occupancy detection (all seating positions)
• ISOFix anchorages (rear outboard seats) and top tether anchorages (all rear positions)
• Rescue sheet for emergency responders

The three-star ANCAP rating applies to the following MG 5 variants built from November 2024 and on sale from June 2025:

• MG 5 Vibe (1.5L petrol, FWD)
• MG 5 Essence (1.5L turbo, FWD)

At Bartons MG, we provide the same level of honest detail for every MG model regardless of its rating. The MG 5 is a three-star vehicle in a range that also includes the five-star MG ZS, MG QS, MG HS, MG 7, and MG4 EV Urban, and the four-star MG 3.

For buyers who need an affordable small sedan and are comfortable with the three-star rating and its specific limitations, the updated MG 5 is a meaningful step forward from its zero-star predecessor. For buyers who prioritise higher safety ratings, the MG ZS starts at a competitive price point and carries a five-star result. Our team is happy to walk you through the differences and help you find the right vehicle.

Come and see us at 103 Redland Bay Road, Capalaba, call us on (07) 3245 2200, or browse the full MG range and current stock at BartonsMG.com.au.