MG Zs
From 27,586 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Zss fare better: 2021 models pass at 83.2% vs 73.1% for 2004.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm and tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements. The top issue, a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led, caused 728 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led | 728 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 466 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 459 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 357 |
| brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn | 336 |
| significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake | 297 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 277 |
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 242 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 198 |
| engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction | 176 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 53.6% of Zs failures are safety items (worn brakes, tyre damage, steering play). The car still drives, but you shouldn't. Only 5% are the kind that would actually strand you. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £94.
Fuel type matters
Petrol versions pass at 81.9% while Diesel versions pass at 68%, a 14 percentage point gap.
MG Zs on UK roads
The fleet is growing: 24,615 newly registered in the past year with 1,874 leaving, a net gain of 22,741. Currently at its highest numbers ever.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 121,371 | 2,917 | +4,706 | -0 | +5,227 |
| 2025 Q2 | 116,137 | 2,924 | +5,727 | -972 | +4,755 |
| 2025 Q1 | 111,463 | 2,843 | +8,964 | -415 | +8,549 |
| 2024 Q4 | 102,879 | 2,878 | +5,218 | -487 | +4,731 |
| 2024 Q3 | 98,088 | 2,938 | +3,603 | -0 | +4,359 |
| 2024 Q2 | 93,604 | 3,063 | +7,117 | -308 | +6,809 |
| 2024 Q1 | 86,832 | 3,026 | +7,525 | -897 | +6,628 |
| 2023 Q4 | 80,301 | 2,929 | +5,030 | -1,346 | +3,684 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zs Exclusive Vti-Tech | Petrol | 21,529 | 18% |
| Zs Trophy Hev Auto | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 16,373 | 14% |
| Zs Exclusive T-Gdi Auto | Petrol | 14,151 | 12% |
| Zs Excite Vti-Tech | Petrol | 9,665 | 8% |
| Zs Exclusive Ev | Battery Electric | 8,846 | 7% |
| Zs Trophy Connect Ev | Battery Electric | 7,340 | 6% |
| Zs Trophy Ev | Battery Electric | 6,849 | 6% |
| Zs Exclusive | Petrol | 6,120 | 5% |
| Zs Exclusive T-Gdi | Petrol | 5,517 | 5% |
| Zs Se Ev | Battery Electric | 4,334 | 4% |
| Zs Exclusive Turbo Auto | Petrol | 4,213 | 3% |
| Zs Excite | Petrol | 3,610 | 3% |
| Zs Excite T-Gdi Auto | Petrol | 2,831 | 2% |
| Zs Se Hev Auto | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 2,749 | 2% |
| Zs Excite Turbo Auto | Petrol | 2,017 | 2% |
| Zs Se | Petrol | 2,012 | 2% |
| Zs Excite Ev | Battery Electric | 1,588 | 1% |
| Zs Limited Edition | Petrol | 565 | <1% |
| Zs | Petrol | 415 | <1% |
| Zs+ | Petrol | 342 | <1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 83.2% | brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle., brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured |
| 2020 | 85% | a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2019 | 83.3% | a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2018 | 79.9% | a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
6 earlier years
| 2017 | 81.4% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led |
| 2005 | 72.6% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2004 | 73.1% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2003 | 69.3% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2002 | 69.1% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2001 | 70.1% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
Typical mileage
Half of all Zss tested had between 27,151 and 60,532 miles on the clock. Relatively low mileage overall. Many are still fairly young.
At 38,797 median miles, the Zs has 0.047 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other MG models
| MG 3 | 79.4% |
| MG Zs Exclusive Ev | 89.5% |
| MG Tf | 75% |
| MG Mgf | 72.8% |
| MG Zs Exclusive Vti-Tech | 90.4% |
Common questions
What is the MG Zs MOT pass rate?
The MG Zs has a 81.9% MOT pass rate based on 27,586 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a MG Zs?
The most common MOT failure on the MG Zs is a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led, which caused 728 failures. Other common issues include a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm.
How many MG Zss are on UK roads?
There are 121,371 MG Zss currently licensed on UK roads, with 2,917 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a MG Zs at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a MG Zs is 38,797 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 27,151 and 60,532 miles.
Buying a used Zs?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 81.9% pass rate and an average repair bill of £94 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
Some links are to services we may earn from. Disclosure.
MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.