MOT data by first-use year
2004 MG ZT: MOT fail rate and common problems
DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 1,055 MOT tests · Updated
38.4% of 2004 MG ZT cars failed their MOT at 18 years (2022), against 44.4% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 18 years in 2022 (1,055 MOT tests) [1].
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Engine, fuel and mileage decide where one vehicle sits within these figures. Check the reg first.
Figures are for 2004 MG ZT cars as a group, not for one car.
- Fail rate at 18 years (2022)
- 38.4%
- vs 44.4% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 18 years in 2022
- 1,055 MOT tests
- Gap to all class 4, same age and year
- −6.0 pts
- at 18 years
- 1,055 MOT tests
- MOT tests of 2004 cars
- 1,055
- tested 2022, 1 age with 1,000+ tests
- 1,055 MOT tests
No neighbouring first-use year of the MG ZT has 1,000 MOT tests at the same ages, so this year is compared only with all class 4 vehicles the same age.
Every MG ZT year against all class 4 vehicles the same age
2004 MG ZT fail rate at each MOT
2004 MG ZT cars had one MOT age with at least 1,000 tests in the data: 18 years, in 2022.
| Test year | Age | Fail rate | 95% range | MOT tests | All class 4, same age and year | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 18 years | 38.4% | 35.5%–41.4% | 1,055 | 44.4% | −6.0 pts |
All class 4: every class 4 vehicle (cars and light vans) tested at that age in the same test year.
What fails on an MG ZT at 18 years
All MG ZT MOTs at 18 years, cars first used 2004–2006 (1,751 MOT tests; DVSA item counts are not split by first-use year). The most common fail items: airbag (SRS) warning light on (6.2 per 100 MOT tests), handbrake too weak (5.9 per 100 MOT tests) and rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded (3.7 per 100 MOT tests).
No item fails at a clearly different rate from all class 4 vehicles the same age across 3 or more ages.
Car tax and ULEZ for a 2004 car
A car first registered in the UK in 2004 was issued a 53 (January–February), 04 (March–August) or 54 (September–December) plate, unless it was registered in Northern Ireland (no age identifier) or has since moved to a private plate. An imported one is plated when first registered here, so its plate can be newer than its first-use year. 04 plates
A 2004 car is taxed by its CO2 emissions band (A to M), shown on the V5C logbook. [2] Car tax calculator for a 2004 car
For the London ULEZ, a 2004 petrol may or may not meet Euro 4, and a 2004 diesel usually does not meet Euro 6. The Euro standard of the car decides, not the year alone. [3] ULEZ checker
Buying an MG ZT? Check that exact car before the viewing.
Buying Report £14.99 incl. VAT · one car · no subscription · Not a mechanical inspection.
- Model risks for this year and fuel
- What similar cars did at their next MOT
- Repairs ahead
- Viewing checklist
Questions people ask
What is the MOT fail rate of a 2004 MG ZT?
38.4% at 18 years (tested 2022), from 1,055 MOT tests, against 44.4% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 18 years in 2022.
At what ages were 2004 MG ZT cars MOT tested in the data?
1 age with at least 1,000 MOT tests: 18 years, tested 2022, 1,055 MOT tests in all.
What fails most on an MG ZT at 18 years?
6.2 in 100 MOT tests failed on airbag (SRS) warning light on, the most common fail item. From 1,751 MOT tests of MG ZT cars first used 2004–2006, not only 2004.
Sources
- Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 1,055 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- GOV.UK, Vehicle tax rates. Rules, not drawn from the MOT data.
- Transport for London, Ultra Low Emission Zone. Rules, not drawn from the MOT data.
Cars tested at 18 years are compared with every class 4 vehicle tested at 18 years in the same test year. These rates are not adjusted for mileage. Breakdowns and non-MOT faults are not in this data. How we compare