The mechanical properties at room and elevated temperature as well as the friction wear behavior under dry sliding condition for as-cast Mg97Zn1Y2 alloy were investigated, and compared with that of AZ91 alloy. The results show that the yield strength of AZ91 alloy is higher than that of Mg97Zn1Y2 alloy at room temperature, but Mg97Zn1Y2 alloy exhibits better thermal stability at the evaluated temperature; as the temperature is above 150 ℃, the yield strength of AZ91 alloy decreases sharply, but that of Mg97Zn1Y2 alloy decreases a little. The transition point from mild wear to severe wear for Mg97Zn1Y2 alloy obviously lags that of AZ91 alloy. In the same load range, the bulk temperature rise of wear surface of the Mg97Zn1Y2 alloy is also lower than that of AZ91 alloy. The reason is that the intermetallic compound Mg12YZn in Mg97Zn1Y2 alloy possesses better thermal stability than Mg17Al12 phase in AZ91 alloy.