Verdict
Suzuki cars pass their MOT first time on 72.0% of tests, against 73.0% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. That beats 44% of cars on UK roads and ranks Suzuki 22nd of 40 makes, behind Honda and Toyota.
The Vitara does best, beating 73% of cars, followed by the Grand Vitara (65%), the Celerio (64%) and the Jimny (61%).
The Swift, the most tested Suzuki, beats 40% and the SX4 43%. Check the Baleno (8%), Alto (19%) and Splash (23%) most carefully; older Liana (25%) and Wagon-R+ (36%) cars also do below average. The small Carry van beats 39%; vans tend to score lower partly from hard commercial use.
Suzukis fail on brakes about 1.35 times as often as a typical car (about 1 in 12 tests) and on visibility about 1.2 times. Steering fails less than half as often as typical, and tyres a little less often.
Where it fails
Every Suzuki compared with typical cars of the same age and mileage.
Every MOT area
Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).
Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.
Suzuki models
Models with 20,000+ MOT tests, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate. Light vans are included and tend to grade lower, partly from hard commercial use.
| Model first registered | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swift 2001–2023 | 71.2% | Beats 40% | C |
| Alto 2003–2015 | 67.6% | Beats 19% | E |
| Vitara 1994–2023 | 85.4% | Beats 73% | B |
| SX4 2006–2023 | 71.5% | Beats 43% | C |
| Grand Vitara 1999–2014 | 63.1% | Beats 65% | B |
| Jimny 1999–2021 | 68.2% | Beats 61% | B |
| Ignis 2001–2023 | 75.4% | Beats 46% | C |
| Celerio 2015–2019 | 85.8% | Beats 64% | B |
| Splash 2008–2014 | 67.6% | Beats 23% | D |
| Wagon-R+ 2000–2007 | 55.8% | Beats 36% | D |
| Baleno 2016–2019 | 78.4% | Beats 8% | E |
| Carry 2000–2005 | 54.3% | Beats 39% | D |
| Liana 2002–2007 | 49.6% | Beats 25% | D |
FAQ
What is the Suzuki MOT pass rate?
72.0% of Suzuki MOT tests were passed first time, from 3.5 million tests. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 73.0%, so Suzukis do a little worse than typical.
Is Suzuki reliable?
On MOT results it is a little below average: Suzuki beats 44% of cars on UK roads and ranks 22nd of 40 makes. It varies a lot by model. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Suzuki model is most reliable?
The Vitara, which beats about three in four cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account. The Celerio and Grand Vitara beat about two in three.
Which Suzuki should I check most carefully?
The Baleno, which beats fewer than one in ten cars, the Alto, which beats fewer than one in five, and the Splash, which beats fewer than one in four. The Swift, the most common Suzuki, beats about four in ten.
What are the most common MOT failures on Suzukis?
Lights and electrics (about 1 in 9 tests), suspension, brakes (about 1 in 12, about 1.35 times as often as on a typical car) and visibility.