2019 MG ZS — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 39,242 MOT tests, the 2019 MG ZS recorded an 86.8% pass rate. That is 4.3 percentage points worse than small SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 8.9%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (5.4%) and brakes (5.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp, tread depth and brake pads — headlamp alone was recorded 1,960 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 9.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 18.9% once past 150k — 2.0× the risk.
Split by fuel, petrol examples fail 3.4pp more often than electric ones (13.5% vs 10.1%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 26.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 7.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.4% | 2,128 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.2% | 2,040 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.7% | 1,826 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 2.2% | 854 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.0% | 789 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.0% | 398 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp | 1,960 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 869 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 807 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 790 |
| 5 | Brake discs | 758 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 742 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 26.8% | 10,519 |
| 2 | Brakes | 24.4% | 9,588 |
| 3 | Other defects | 8.5% | 3,334 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.4% | 1,729 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.4% | 935 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.5% | 589 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 20,832 | 9.4% |
| 30-60k | 15,890 | 17.0% |
| 60-90k | 2,120 | 20.8% |
| 90-120k | 299 | 22.4% |
| 120-150k | 64 | 20.3% |
| 150k+ | 37 | 18.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 36,364 | 13.5% |
| Electric | 2,878 | 10.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 314 | 7.6% |
| 2022 | 9,272 | 9.3% |
| 2023 | 9,722 | 12.2% |
| 2024 | 9,751 | 14.2% |
| 2025 | 10,183 | 17.0% |
What to check before buying a 2019 ZS
On a 2019 ZS, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (5.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.2% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Tyres (4.7% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2019 MG ZSs pass their MOT?
86.8% of the 39,242 2019 MG ZS MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 MG ZS?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.4% of tests, followed by brakes (5.2%).
Does the 2019 ZS get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.4% in the 0-30k band to 18.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 39,242 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.