Newly-registered MGs will now need to be serviced through the official dealer network to unlock a 10-year warranty – as with Nissans and Mitsubishis – after launching headline coverage without such a clause last year.
MG will now require owners of newly-registered and purchased cars to service their vehicles exclusively at the company’s dealers to unlock its full, headline 10-year/250,000km warranty first introduced close to 12 months ago.
The walk-back means that, should owners of all but one model of new MG first registered from July 1, 2025 take their vehicle outside the dealer network for maintenance, warranty coverage will be capped at seven years/unlimited kilometres.
It is the same clause used in ’10-year’ warranties marketed by Nissan and Mitsubishi, which offer up to 300,000km and 200,000km respectively.
MG still holds an advantage in the base ‘non-commercial use’ warranty coverage, at seven years/unlimited kilometres, against Nissan’s five years/unlimited kilometres and Mitsubishi’s five years/100,000km.
MORE: MG introduces Australia’s longest new-car warranty – 10 years or 250,000km (published August 2024)
Customers who take their vehicles elsewhere must still ensure servicing is conducted “using materials that meet MG Motor engineering specifications” – a typical requirement for any new-car warranty.
Buyers of the upcoming MG U9 ute will get even less coverage, however, offered only up to seven years/200,000km if serviced through MG, whichever occurs first – or five years/unlimited kilometres if not.
The seven-year/200,000km coverage matches its LDV Terron 9 cousin – but LDV does not market the same dealer-servicing clause and allows customers to take their cars elsewhere without capping coverage.
There is no impact on MG vehicles sold under the original 10-year warranty introduced August 1, 2024, nor cars registered before July 1, 2025, but delivered after that date.
MORE: Nissan says new 10-year warranty is luring customers back
Separate warranties apply for MGs that fall under ‘commercial use’ – for purposes such as ride sharing and food delivery – at seven years/160,000km for all bar the U9, which quotes five years/160,000km.
There is no dealer servicing clause on the commercial-use warranties, which are unchanged from the original 10-year warranty program announced in August 2024.
MG says the “refreshed” warranty gives customers “flexibility” – even though it will now reduce coverage for buyers who do not service within its dealer network.
MORE: Why Nissan’s new 10-year warranty has a big caveat
“From 1 July 2025, all newly registered MG vehicles will benefit from a refreshed warranty offering designed to give Australian drivers exceptional value, more confidence, flexibility, ownership options and long-term industry-leading support,” MG said in a media statement.
“For non-commercial customers, MG continues to offer up to 10 years or 250,000 kilometres of coverage, provided all scheduled servicing is completed at an authorised MG dealership.
“Commercial customers will benefit from a seven-year or 160,000 kilometre warranty, one of the strongest commercial warranties available in the market, reinforcing MG’s growing appeal for fleet and business operators.”
The change means that for customers who do not service exclusively within the brand’s dealer network, MG has handed the title of Australia’s longest ‘unconditional’ new-car warranty to Jaecoo’s eight-year/unlimited-kilometre assurance.
MORE: Jaecoo launches in Australia with eight-year warranty
It is uncommon, but not a first, for a car brand to reduce its warranty coverage.
In recent months, fellow Chinese brand Leapmotor cut the seven-year/160,000km coverage on its first batch of 2024 model-year vehicles to six years/150,000km for 2025 model-year examples, albeit accompanied by longer roadside assistance and capped-price servicing programs.
Tesla halved its warranty from eight years/160,000km to four years/80,000km in February 2019, while Renault cut coverage on its RS performance models from five to three years in May 2018.
BYD trimmed coverage on its Atto 3 SUV from seven years/unlimited kilometres on the vehicle and seven years/160,000km on the battery, to six years and 150,000km on the vehicle and eight years/160,000km on the battery.
MORE: BYD Australia cuts Atto 3 warranty, reveals high servicing costs
It also involved the addition of a series of controversial clauses, which limited coverage on certain components further – such as the infotainment screen to three years.
This occurred before the first deliveries of the vehicle, however, and the majority of the clauses on certain components have since been scrapped.
Australia’s longest new-car warranties
- Nissan – 10 years/300,000km if serviced through dealers, five years/unlimited kilometres if not
- MG (all models bar U9) – 10 years/250,000km if serviced through dealers, seven years/unlimited kilometres if not
- Mitsubishi – 10 years/200,000km if serviced through dealers, five years/100,000 if not
- Jaecoo – eight years/unlimited kilometres, without dealer clause
- Chery – seven years/unlimited kilometres, without dealer clause
- Geely – seven years/unlimited kilometres, without dealer clause
- GWM Haval – seven years/unlimited kilometres, without dealer clause
- JAC – seven years/unlimited kilometres, without dealer clause
- KGM SsangYong – seven years/unlimited kilometres, without dealer clause
- Kia – seven years/unlimited kilometres, without dealer clause
- Skoda – seven years/unlimited kilometres, without dealer clause
- LDV (select models) – seven years/200,000km, without dealer clause
- Deepal – seven years/160,000km, without dealer clause
- BYD – six years/150,000km, without dealer clause
- Isuzu Ute – six years/150,000km, without dealer clause
- Leapmotor – six years/150,000km, without dealer clause
Note: Warranties listed above apply to non-commercial use, and the vehicle only, rather than any high-voltage battery fitted.
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