MG Zs common problems by mileage
What UK MOT testers flag on the MG Zs at each age and mileage, compared with all cars.
In 23,726 UK MOT tests of the MG Zs in 2023, the problem that most sets it apart from other cars is headlamp (not working on main beam): recorded on 3% of tests of 2016–2018 cars at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km), 30× the rate for all cars of that age and mileage. Other stand-out issues: headlamp (not working on dipped beam) (12×); service brake performance (binding but not excessively) (10×); shock absorbers (light misting of oil) (7.5×). The most common reasons a MG Zs fails its MOT are headlamp (not working on dipped beam); brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick); tyres (tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm).
Last updated: · Source: DVSA anonymised MOT data 2023
What stands out on the MG Zs
Parts that MOT testers flag clearly more often on the MG Zs than on all cars of the same age at the same mileage (at least 1.5× the rate and 3% of tests).
| Issue | Type | First used | Mileage | Share of tests | All cars this age | Ratio | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headlamp: not working on main beam | MOT fail | 2016–2018 | 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 3% | 0.1% | 30× | 1,321 |
| Headlamp: not working on dipped beam | MOT fail | 2017–2019 | 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) | 3.5% | 0.3% | 12× | 7,260 |
| Service brake performance: binding but not excessively | Advisory | 2017–2019 | 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) | 3.1% | 0.3% | 10× | 7,260 |
| Shock absorbers: has light misting of oil | Advisory | 2021–2023 | 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) | 4.5% | 0.6% | 7.5× | 448 |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened | Advisory | 2018–2020 | 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) | 12% | 3.1% | 3.9× | 7,534 |
| Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge | Advisory | 2017–2019 | 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) | 12% | 6.3% | 1.9× | 3,529 |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick | MOT fail | 2018–2020 | 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 4.1% | 2.5% | 1.6× | 2,500 |
| Tyres (tread depth): tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | MOT fail | 2018–2020 | 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) | 5.1% | 2.8% | 1.8× | 451 |
MG Zs by mileage (2018–2020 cars)
The most-tested first-use years. For each mileage band: how many MOT tests, the most common item, and the item that stands out most against other cars.
| Mileage | Tests | Most common | Stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) | 7,534 | Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (12%) | Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (12%, 3.9×) |
| 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) | 10,276 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (21%) | Headlamp: not working on dipped beam (3%, 10×) |
| 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 2,500 | Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (21%) | Service brake performance: binding but not excessively (3%, 10×) |
| 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) | 451 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (21%) | Headlamp: not working on dipped beam (5.1%, 3.6×) |
MG Zs by first-use year
| First used | Tests | Biggest stand-out issue |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 350 | Headlamp: not working on main beam at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (30×) |
| 2018 | 5,086 | Headlamp: not working on dipped beam at 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) (12×) |
| 2019 | 8,191 | Headlamp: not working on dipped beam at 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) (10×) |
| 2020 | 7,614 | Headlamp: not working on dipped beam at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (6.1×) |
| 2021 | 399 | Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened at 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) (3.4×) |
| 2022 | 615 | Shock absorbers: has light misting of oil at 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) (7.5×) |
How these numbers are made
From the DVSA anonymised MOT data for 2023: every normal MOT test of a car in Great Britain, with its mileage and every advisory and failure item. For each first-use year (pooled with the years either side) and 20,000-mile band we count the share of tests where a part was recorded, and compare it with the same share for every car of that age at that mileage. A cell is shown only with 300 or more tests. Advisories are tester notes, not failures. Figures describe UK-market cars; engines and equipment can differ in other countries.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (DVSA anonymised MOT data, 2023).
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the MG Zs?
In 23,726 UK MOT tests of the MG Zs in 2023, the problem that most sets it apart from other cars is headlamp (not working on main beam): recorded on 3% of tests of 2016–2018 cars at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km), 30× the rate for all cars of that age and mileage. Other stand-out issues: headlamp (not working on dipped beam) (12×); service brake performance (binding but not excessively) (10×); shock absorbers (light misting of oil) (7.5×). The most common reasons a MG Zs fails its MOT are headlamp (not working on dipped beam); brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick); tyres (tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm).
Why do MG Zss fail the MOT?
Across 23,726 MOT tests in 2023, the most common failure items on the MG Zs were headlamp (not working on dipped beam) (3.6% of tests); brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick) (2.8% of tests); tyres (tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm) (2.6% of tests).
At what mileage do MG Zs problems start?
The clearest MG Zs-specific issue, headlamp (not working on main beam), peaks against other cars at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) on 2016–2018 cars (3% of tests vs 0.1% for all cars that age).
Where does this MG Zs data come from?
From the UK government's anonymised MOT test data (DVSA, 2023, Open Government Licence v3.0): 23,726 tests of the MG Zs. VinSnap shows the same numbers for your own car's age and mileage in the app.