How reliable is the MG Zt-T compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the MG Zt-T, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 63.1% across 677 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.

What is the most common MOT failure on a MG Zt-T?

The item recorded most often is "Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement", which appears in 20.8% of failed MG Zt-T tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.

What do testers most often warn about on a MG Zt-T?

The most common advisory is "Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded", noted on 30.7% of all MG Zt-T tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a MG Zt-T usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 129,481 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.

Are most MG Zt-T models petrol or diesel?

Of the MG Zt-T cars tested, 52% are petrol, 48% are diesel. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

Model reliability file

MG Zt-T MOT pass rate & common failures

From 677 recorded MOT tests of the MG Zt-T, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 677 MOT tests, 63.1% of MG Zt-T tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the MG Zt-T fleet does not yet cover a wide enough spread of ages and distances to compare it fairly against other models. Its most commonly recorded failure is parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, which appears in 20.8% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 129,481 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

63.1%unadjusted, not comparable677 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the Zt-T. The examples tested do not cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages to compare it fairly, and an unadjusted pass rate mostly sorts models by how recently they were bought rather than how well they were built. The failure and advisory patterns below come from the same 677 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed MG Zt-T tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement20.8%
45 occurrencesParking brake efficiency too low explained
2.Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded16.2%
35 occurrencesBrake pipe corroded explained
3.An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction16.2%
35 occurrencesAirbag warning lamp on, or airbag missing explained
4.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 repaired16.2%
35 occurrencesSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
5.A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage10.2%
22 occurrencesShock absorber defective explained
6.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements10.2%
22 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained
7.A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc10.2%
22 occurrencesSuspension joint dust cover missing or split explained
8.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn9.7%
21 occurrencesSuspension arm bush worn explained
9.A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded9.3%
20 occurrencesSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
10.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning8.3%
18 occurrencesLamp not working explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all MG Zt-T tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.

1.Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded30.7%
208 testsBrake pipe corroded explained
2.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements20.5%
139 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
3.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured19.9%
135 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
4.A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded17.0%
115 testsSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
5.A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded13.9%
94 testsSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
6.A tyre seriously damaged10.9%
74 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
7.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened10.5%
71 testsRoad spring broken or fractured explained
8.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 repaired9.3%
63 testsSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained

What gets tested

The Zt-T fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 129,481
Fuel mix of tested cars: Petrol51.8%
Diesel47.9%

Trim names grouped into this model (3)

Recorded exactly as DVSA holds them. Trim-level names are rolled up so one model is not split across a dozen thin pages.

ZT-T CDTI
ZT-T CDTI AUTO
ZT-T+ TURBO

Check a specific MG Zt-T

A model average tells you the pattern. Its own MOT record tells you the car.

Compare within the range

Other MG models

MG ZS — 82.1% unadjusted
MG HS — 88.3% unadjusted
MG 3 — 75.1% unadjusted
MG 5 — 84.3% unadjusted
MG TF — 69.6% unadjusted
MG Mgf — 66.9% unadjusted
All MG models

Common questions

How reliable is the MG Zt-T compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the MG Zt-T, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 63.1% across 677 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.
What is the most common MOT failure on a MG Zt-T?: The item recorded most often is "Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement", which appears in 20.8% of failed MG Zt-T tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.
What do testers most often warn about on a MG Zt-T?: The most common advisory is "Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded", noted on 30.7% of all MG Zt-T tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a MG Zt-T usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 129,481 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.
Are most MG Zt-T models petrol or diesel?: Of the MG Zt-T cars tested, 52% are petrol, 48% are diesel. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

How this was worked out

Method and limits

Figures come from the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, published under the Open Government Licence. Only class 4 initial tests are counted: retests are excluded so a car appears once, and abandoned tests are excluded entirely. No adjusted rate is shown because this model's tested examples do not cover enough of the national age and mileage range for standardisation to mean anything.

An MOT measures whether a car met a legal standard on the day. It is not a breakdown record, a service history or a running-cost estimate, and a pass rate is a property of a fleet rather than a prediction about one car.