MOT cost .

MG

GS

3,258 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where GSs pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.

That's 5.8 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,988 tracked models — a confident result.

Pass

81.5%

Pass-after-fix

5.1%

Fail

13.0%

Avg miles

41,134

Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%

The picture

Gs: above-average pass rates, with caveats

Across 3,258 MOT tests, the Gs returns 81.5% first-time pass — above the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is brake pads worn below 1.5 mm. Tyre tread under the limit and headlamp aim out of spec round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 41,134, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.

Top ten reasons for rejection.

  1. 01

    a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm

    83 occurrences · 2.5% of tests

  2. 02

    Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

    78 occurrences · 2.4% of tests

  3. 03

    The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements

    72 occurrences · 2.2% of tests

  4. 04

    A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources

    60 occurrences · 1.8% of tests

  5. 05

    Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view

    56 occurrences · 1.7% of tests

  6. 06

    Warning device shows system malfunction

    49 occurrences · 1.5% of tests

  7. 07

    A tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative

    48 occurrences · 1.5% of tests

  8. 08

    ESC MIL indicates a system malfunction

    37 occurrences · 1.1% of tests

  9. 09

    A tyre seriously damaged

    36 occurrences · 1.1% of tests

  10. 10

    An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction

    35 occurrences · 1.1% of tests

Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.

Worst-case fix budget · top 4 failures

£158–£370

If every one of this GS's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →

Try the calculator

Build your own retest budget.

Tools that pre-empt a retest.

Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.

Item 01 · Amazon UK

Brake pad measurement gauge

Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.

Search Amazon UK

Item 02 · Amazon UK

Digital tyre-tread depth gauge

Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.

Search Amazon UK

Item 03 · Amazon UK

Headlight restoration kit

Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.

Search Amazon UK

Buying or keeping a GS?

Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.

If you own a GS and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.