2023 MG ZS — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2023 MG ZS passed 92.4% of its 2,731 recorded MOT tests. Against small SUVs of a similar age (4.7% fail rate), the 2023 ZS comes out 2.8pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (5.5%) and tyres (5.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, registration plate lamp(s) and tyre pressure monitoring system — tread depth alone was recorded 108 times.
A 60-90k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 13.7% versus 5.6%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 6.8% of the time against 8.1% for electric.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 14.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 0.0% of tests failed in 2023 against 8.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.5% | 150 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.3% | 146 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.1% | 29 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.9% | 26 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.8% | 21 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.5% | 13 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 108 |
| 2 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 101 |
| 3 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 48 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 46 |
| 5 | Front fog lamps | 21 |
| 6 | Washers | 18 |
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 | 14.5% | 396 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.6% | 152 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.8% | 130 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.3% | 118 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 2.8% | 75 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.3% | 35 |
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 | 1,578 | 5.6% |
| 30-60k | 920 | 9.6% |
| 60-90k | 205 | 13.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Electric | 1,675 | 8.1% |
| Petrol | 1,055 | 6.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 30 | 0.0% |
| 2024 | 644 | 5.3% |
| 2025 | 2,057 | 8.4% |
What to check before buying a 2023 ZS
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 5.5% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (5.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.3% 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.
- Visibility (1.1% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 2023 MG ZSs pass their MOT?
92.4% of the 2,731 2023 MG ZS MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2023 MG ZS?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.5% of tests, followed by tyres (5.3%).
Does the 2023 ZS get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.6% in the 0-30k band to 13.7% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,731 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.