MG
16,228 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where ZS Exclusive EVs pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 11.6 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
89.1%
Pass-after-fix
2.9%
Fail
7.7%
Avg miles
29,886
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 · 16,228 tests
Pass rate climbs 1.0 points across the cohorts — newer ZS Exclusive EV examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
88.7%
Fail
8.1%
PRS
2.9%
Avg mileage at test
33,712 mi
Pass
89.7%
Fail
7.0%
PRS
3.0%
Avg mileage at test
24,831 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 5,920 MOT tests, the Zs Exclusive Ev returns 90.0% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a seriously damaged tyre. A tyre with the cords showing and tyre tread under the limit round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 26,310, 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
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A tyre seriously damaged
318 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
Wiper blade defective
196 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
173 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
147 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
136 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
107 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
99 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
94 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
A lens defective which has no effect on emitted light
56 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
49 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.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£90–£220
If every one of this ZS Exclusive 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. A 1.0-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy MG ZS Exclusive EV makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
89.7%
2021+ registration
the 2021-on band climbs to 89.7% — a 1.0-point improvement. Tests in this band average 24,831 miles — roughly 9K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: has a cut in excess of the…, blade defective — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. Post-2020 examples are early in their MOT life and generally show the cleanest records.
Band to be cautious about
88.7%
2018–2020 registration
On the 2018–2020 band, the data shows a 88.7% pass rate against a fleet average of 89.7% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: has a cut in excess of the…, blade defective, and not working on dipped beam. Average mileage on test for this band is 33,712 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2021+ (89.7% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2018-2020 (88.7% pass). That's a 1.0-point spread across 9,239 older tests and 6,989 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
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
Item 02 · 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 03 · 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
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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 a ZS Exclusive 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.
