MG
2,931 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where ZS Excite EVs pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 8.1 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
85.6%
Pass-after-fix
4.1%
Fail
9.9%
Avg miles
28,213
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Electric and hydrogen vehicles are exempt from all UK clean air zone charges.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 2,931 tests
Pass rate is broadly flat across the cohorts — new and old ZS Excite EV examples track each other at the test bay.
Pass
85.6%
Fail
10.0%
PRS
3.7%
Avg mileage at test
31,812 mi
Pass
85.5%
Fail
9.8%
PRS
4.6%
Avg mileage at test
23,945 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 974 MOT tests, the Zs Excite Ev returns 87.7% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a seriously damaged tyre. Windscreen damage and headlamp or light source missing round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 25,817, 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
Below the fleet average — generally reasonable to insure. 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 →
14–22
out of 50
Filter failures:
Hide categories
Tick a category to hide it from rankings sitewide. Saved in this browser only.
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
63 occurrences · 2.1% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
49 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
43 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
32 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
31 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
Wiper blade defective
31 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
21 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
20 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
Headlamp aim unable to be tested
19 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
13 occurrences · 0.4% 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 3 failures
£80–£255
If every one of this ZS Excite EV'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. Pass rates barely move across bands here, so the year you buy MG ZS Excite EV makes little measurable difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
85.6%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 85.6% — a 0.1-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: not working on dipped beam, 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
85.5%
2021+ registration
On the 2021-on band, the data shows a 85.5% pass rate against a fleet average of 85.6% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: not working on dipped beam, not working on main beam, and has a cut in excess of the…. Average mileage on test for this band is 23,945 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (85.6% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2021+ (85.5% pass). That's a 0.1-point spread across 1,336 older tests and 1,595 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
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
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
My Motor World · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Summit
Summit ADRG-60 MG Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass LHS
£7.69
View at My Motor World →
Autotek
Autotek Ford Nordic Blue 300ml
£14.29
View at My Motor World →
Motor World
Motor World MG Rover F 95-2002 Car Floor Mat Set
£32.99
View at My Motor World →
Motor World
Motor World Rover MGB Car Floor Mat Set
£32.99
View at My Motor World →
EV King · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
EV Charging Cables
8M - 32amp (3 Phase)- Blaupunkt Type 2 Charging Cable 32amp - 3 Phase (22kW) 8M
£329.00
View at EV King →
EV Charging Cables
15M - 32amp -Type 2 to Type 2 Charging Cable Type 2 to Type 2 15M 32amp (7.4kW)
£315.00
View at EV King →
EV Charging Cables
3 Pin to Type 2 - 10M - Range Rover Evoque Charging Cable 3 Pin to Type 2 10M 6-12amp Adjustable (2.3kW)
£297.00
View at EV King →
EV Charging Cables
3 Pin to Type 2 - 10M - Range Rover Sport Charging Cable 3 Pin to Type 2 10M 6-12amp Adjustable (2.3kW)
£297.00
View at EV King →
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
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 ZS Excite EV 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.
