The picture

Zt: a below-average pass rate worth digging into

Across 2,122 MOT tests, the Zt returns 69.4% first-time pass — well below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a number-plate lamp out. The strength or continuity of the load bearing and a defective headlamp lens round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 100,084, 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

Group 12–28

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 →

12–28

out of 50

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Top ten reasons for rejection.

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Hide wear items to see the model's real defects.

01

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

165 occurrences · 6.2% of tests
02

Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective

93 occurrences · 3.5% of tests
03

The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired

81 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
04

Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded

75 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
05

A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated

69 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
06

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

62 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
07

Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement

59 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
08

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

51 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
09

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

51 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
10

A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play

46 occurrences · 1.7% 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

£138–£445

If every one of this ZT'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 →

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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

H7 / W21W bulb pack

A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.

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

My Motor World · affiliate

Parts & supplies for this fix

Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.

Summit

Summit ADRG-60 MG Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass LHS

£7.69

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Autotek

Autotek Ford Nordic Blue 300ml

£14.29

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Motor World

Motor World MG Rover F 95-2002 Car Floor Mat Set

£32.99

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Motor World

Motor World Rover MGB Car Floor Mat Set

£32.99

View at My Motor World →

Click Mechanic · affiliate

Book a mobile mechanic

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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.

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Buying or keeping a ZT?

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 ZT 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.