MG
2,669 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where HS Excites pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 12.2 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
89.7%
Pass-after-fix
2.4%
Fail
7.5%
Avg miles
27,021
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Trim variants
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 2,669 tests
Pass rate drops 1.6 points across the cohorts — recent HS Excite examples are doing worse than the early cars at the same tested age.
Pass
90.8%
Fail
7.7%
PRS
1.0%
Avg mileage at test
29,323 mi
Pass
89.3%
Fail
7.3%
PRS
3.0%
Avg mileage at test
26,007 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 507 MOT tests, the Hs Excite returns 87.8% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is brake pads worn below 1.5 mm. Windscreen washers not working and a seriously damaged tyre round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 22,098, 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
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a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
33 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn
27 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
23 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
21 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
Wiper blade defective
14 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
13 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
13 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
12 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
A tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative
12 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Reflector defective or damaged by up to 50% of the reflecting surface
11 occurrences · 0.4% 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 2 failures
£100–£205
If every one of this HS Excite'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.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 1.6-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy MG HS Excite makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
90.8%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 90.8% — a 1.6-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: less than 1.5 mm thick, has a cut in excess of the… — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band.
Band to be cautious about
89.3%
2021+ registration
On the 2021-on band, the data shows a 89.3% pass rate against a fleet average of 90.8% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: less than 1.5 mm thick, significantly and obviously worn, and not working. Average mileage on test for this band is 26,007 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (90.8% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2021+ (89.3% pass). That's a 1.6-point spread across 1,852 older tests and 817 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
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
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
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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 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.
