MG ZS: common problems, best years and what to check
Great-value small SUV with a seven-year warranty; petrol, hybrid and EV. Covers 2018–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the MG ZS a good used buy?
Best buy
2021+ ZS EV Long Range or 1.0 T-GDI
Avoid
early 1.5 auto
Who it suits: Buyers wanting lots of car and a long warranty for little money.
What's good
- Seven-year warranty
- Great value
- Roomy
- Cheap EV option
What's not
- Basic driving experience
- Three-star NCAP for petrol
- Weak resale
- Infotainment is slow
By the numbers
- #83 most common model on UK roads, with about 103k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2023: 23.9k cars still licensed.
- The most expensive common fault: Infotainment glitches (up to £300).
MG ZS common problems by generation and engine
MG ZS ZS (2017–2024) · small SUV; ZS EV
How to spot it: 17 plate onwards. Small SUV; 2020 facelift has a star-pattern grille; EV has a closed grille.
1.5 VTi-Tech / 1.0 T-GDI (15S4C / 10E4E, petrol, 2017–2024)
Basic but reliable
ZS EV 44.5 / 51 / 72kWh (electric, electric, 2019–)
Cheap EV
- 12V battery drain£100–£200any
Faults on any ZS (2017–2024) engine
- Infotainment glitches£0–£300any
MG ZS ZS Hybrid+ (2024–) · small SUV
How to spot it: 24 plate onwards. Sharper nose and slim lights.
1.5 Hybrid+ (HEV, hybrid, 2024–)
New
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst MG ZS years
How many MG ZSs from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
No year clearly outlasts similar cars. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.
MG ZS MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2018+ cars)
MG ZSs pass their MOT first time 4 points less often than the average UK car of the same age (83% vs 86%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 75% | 81% | 46k miles |
| 2019 | 76% | 84% | 39k miles |
| 2020 | 81% | 86% | 34k miles |
| 2021 | 87% | 87% | 30k miles |
| 2022 | 85% | 89% | 23k miles |
| 2023 | 85% | 92% | 25k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Petrol
Electric
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.62 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick2.06 per 100
- Headlamp: not working on dipped beam1.89 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut1.83 per 100
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively1.59 per 100
- Coil spring: fractured or broken1.52 per 100
- Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn1.25 per 100
- Tyres: has ply or cords exposed1.11 per 100
Most common advisories
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened23.52 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm22.77 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear11.58 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick8.66 per 100
- Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt4.49 per 100
- Non-component advisories: Nail in tyre3.26 per 100
- Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm2.85 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn2.56 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the MG ZS have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 VTi-Tech | chain | durable | £500–£900 |
MG ZS running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the MG ZS ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Electric: always compliant.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Electric / hybrid
MG ZS vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MG ZS | 103k | 11–25 | 448 l | 2021+ ZS EV Long Range or 1.0 T-GDI |
| Nissan Juke | 379k | 11–20 | 422 l | 2019+ F16 1.0 DIG-T manual |
| Dacia Duster | 97k | 8–20 | 445 l | 2018+ Mk2 1.3 TCe or Bi-Fuel |
| Kia Stonic | 47k | 10–15 | 352 l | 1.0 T-GDi 120 mild hybrid |
| Hyundai Kona | 93k | 11–29 | 361 l | Kona Electric 64kWh (recall done) or 1.6 Hybrid |
| Vauxhall Mokka | 291k | 12–21 | 356 l | 2016–2019 Mokka X 1.4T or 1.6 CDTi manual |
What to check when buying a used MG ZS
- Warranty transfers
- EV: check charging speed
MG ZS FAQ
›Is the MG ZS reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2021+ ZS EV Long Range or 1.0 T-GDI. Avoid: early 1.5 auto.
›What is the MG ZS MOT pass rate?
83% of MG ZSs passed their MOT first time in 2025 (55,085 tests), below the 86% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm.
›What are the most common MG ZS problems?
The costliest known faults are 12V battery drain. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the MG ZS have a timing belt or chain?
1.5 VTi-Tech: chain.
›What is the best year MG ZS to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2018, 2019, 2021 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a MG ZS cost to run?
Real-world economy: 1.5 / 1.0T petrol 38–44 mpg; ZS EV 3.4–3.9 mi/kWh. Insurance groups 11–25. A minor service is about £140–£200 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a MG ZS?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the MG ZS ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.