MG ZR 2001: MOT failure rate for its age

40.1% of 526 MOT tests of the MG ZR first registered in 2001 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 101.8 (95% CI 88.1–115.6; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2001 build year is no different from other years of the same model at the same age. This is a rough estimate from a smaller sample.

MG ZR built in 2001 at a glance
Measure	Value	Unit	Compared with	Years	Tests
Failed first time	40.1	%	all ages tested	2019–2024	526
Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 88.1–115.6)	101.8	index	100 = normal for this model at that age	2019–2024	526
Rank among this model's 6 build years	5	of 6	1 = fails least for its age	2019–2024	526
Tested in 2024	80	tests	median 82,112 miles	2024	80

Built 2001 against MG ZR normal for the age: first-time MOT failure share at each age, age 18: 43.6% vs 43.1%; age 19: 39.4% vs 39.3%; age 20: 41.7% vs 36.9%; age 21: 32.3% vs 35.2%; age 22: 37.9% vs n/a%. Axis from 0% to 50%. DVSA MOT bulk data, 2019–2024.

Check a 2001 MG ZR by registration · All MG ZR MOT statistics · Download the build-year table (CSV)

Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).

How does the 2001 MG ZR fail at each age?

Cars built in 2001 were tested at ages 18 to 22 between 2019 and 2024. Each row compares their first-time failure share with what this model normally shows at that age, after allowing for the overall failure level of each test year.

MG ZR built 2001: first-time MOT failure by age, against the model's normal rate at that age (2019–2024)
Age	Tests	Failed, %	95% interval	Normal for this model at that age, %	Index (100 = normal)
18	188 (rough estimate)	43.6	36.7–50.8	43.1	101.2
19	127 (rough estimate)	39.4	31.3–48.1	39.3	100.2
20	115 (rough estimate)	41.7	33.1–50.9	36.9	113.1
21	96 (rough estimate)	32.3	23.8–42.2	35.2	91.7
22	87 (rough estimate)	37.9	28.5–48.4	not available	not available

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 613 (initial tests) · Method: normal rate = this model's first-time failure share at that age across its build years (cells of 400+ tests), adjusted for each test year's overall level; cells of 30+ tests, under 500 marked rough · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV

What fails most on the 2001 MG ZR?

The most common failure group on cars built in 2001 is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 28.4 items per 100 first tests, against 40.5 across all build years of the MG ZR. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2001 were tested at ages 18 to 22.

Failure items per 100 first tests, MG ZR built 2001 against the MG ZR in all build years (2019–2024, not age-adjusted)
Failure group	Built 2001, per 100	All build years, per 100	Items
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	28.4	40.5	197
Brakes	24.2	18.9	168
Body, chassis, structure	20.6	27	143
Suspension	16.6	12.4	115
Visibility	11.8	11.7	82

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 693 (initial tests of this build year) · Method: failure items grouped by DVSA's top-level defect groups, per 100 initial tests; groups with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV

How does 2001 compare with the years around it?

Among the 6 published build years of the MG ZR, 2001 ranks 5 (1 = fails least for its age). 2002: index 105.0.

MG ZR build years: index against the model at the same age (2019–2024)
Build year	Index (100 = normal)	95% interval	Verdict	Tests
2001	101.8	88.1–115.6	no different (rough estimate)	526
2002	105.0	98.4–111.5	no different (rough estimate)	2,334
2003	101.1	96.8–105.4	no different	5,187
2004	97.6	94.1–101.2	no different	6,893
2005	93.4	89.1–97.7	better	4,442
2006	94.4	80.2–108.6	no different (rough estimate)	419

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 19,801 (initial tests) · Method: observed failures against those expected for the same model at the same ages, test-year level adjusted; verdict follows the printed one-decimal bound · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV

How to cite this page

MOT Risk Index (2026). MG ZR 2001 MOT statistics (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 30 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/mg-zr/2001/

How every figure is calculated: methodology. Age, test year and build year are tied together (age = test year − build year), so the test-year level is taken as observed, not estimated.

Other pages for this model

MG ZR 2002 · MG ZR 2003 · MG ZR 2004 · MG ZR 2005 · MG ZR 2006 · MG ZR by postcode area · MG ZR body, chassis and structure failures · MG ZR brakes failures · MG ZR vehicle identification failures · MG ZR lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · MG ZR noise, emissions and leaks failures · MG ZR road wheels failures · MG ZR seat belts and airbags failures · MG ZR steering failures · MG ZR suspension failures · MG ZR tyres failures · MG ZR visibility failures