MG
2,745 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where HS Excite S As pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 11.5 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
89.0%
Pass-after-fix
3.6%
Fail
7.0%
Avg miles
25,617
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Petrol cars first registered from January 2006 meet Euro 4 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 2,745 tests
Pass rate drops 1.4 points across the cohorts — recent HS Excite S A examples are doing worse than the early cars at the same tested age.
Pass
90.1%
Fail
5.6%
PRS
4.3%
Avg mileage at test
27,261 mi
Pass
88.7%
Fail
7.5%
PRS
3.3%
Avg mileage at test
25,110 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 490 MOT tests, the Hs Excite S-A returns 86.1% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is brake pads worn below 1.5 mm. A seriously damaged tyre and windscreen damage round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 20,670, 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.
ABI Insurance Group
Around the UK fleet average for insurance cost. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
18–26
out of 50
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a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
31 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
30 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
16 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn
14 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
14 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
13 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
11 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
10 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
9 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
A tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative
8 occurrences · 0.3% 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.
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Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 1.4-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy MG HS Excite S A makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
90.1%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 90.1% — a 1.4-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: has a cut in excess of the…, less than 1.5 mm thick — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band.
Band to be cautious about
88.7%
2021+ registration
On the 2021-on band, the data shows a 88.7% pass rate against a fleet average of 90.1% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: less than 1.5 mm thick, has a cut in excess of the…, and not working. Average mileage on test for this band is 25,110 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (90.1% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2021+ (88.7% pass). That's a 1.4-point spread across 2,100 older tests and 645 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
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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 an HS Excite S A 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.
