Verdict
The Suzuki Splash passes its MOT first time on 67.6% of tests, 4.7 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (72.3%). That puts it ahead of 23% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2014 Splash does best (beats 39% of cars) and the 2009 worst (beats 13%).
Of its engines, the 1.0 Petrol does best (beats 24%) and the 1.2 Petrol worst (beats 23%).
Better than average on tyres, body & structure, emissions & leaks.
Watch these weak spots
MOT pass rate by age
First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.
Best and worst years
By year of first registration, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.
Engines
All years, 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.
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 66.5% | Beats 23% | D |
| 1.0 Petrol | 70.1% | Beats 24% | D |
| 1.2 Diesel | 49.1% | Beats 10% | E |
Where it fails
Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.
Every MOT area
Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).
Buying one or MOT due? Check these
- Suspension ball joints 3.6× typical
Listen for knocks over speed bumps and feel for wandering or vague steering. - Coil springs 1.8× typical
Look behind each wheel for a snapped coil (often the bottom one) and listen for clunks over bumps. - Handbrake performance 3.3× typical
Check the handbrake holds the car firmly on a slope. - Brake performance 2.7× typical
On the test drive, brake firmly: the car should stop straight with no pulsing through the pedal. - Windscreen wipers 1.8× typical
Test the washers and wipers: a cheap fix, but a very common MOT fail. - Shock absorbers 1.9× typical
Push down hard on each corner: it should rebound once and settle. Look for oily dampers.
Pass rate by mileage
First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.
Most common MOT failures
| Item | This car | Typical | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coil springs | 5.2% | 2.9% | 1.8× |
| Suspension ball joints | 4.7% | 1.3% | 3.6× |
| Windscreen wipers | 4.1% | 2.3% | 1.8× |
| Brake performance | 3.3% | 1.2% | 2.7× |
| Handbrake performance | 3.1% | 0.9% | 3.3× |
| Brake pipes | 2.8% | 0.6% | 4.4× |
| Sidelights | 2.7% | 2.4% | 1.1× |
| Brake lights | 2.2% | 2.3% | 0.9× |
| Tyre tread depth | 2.1% | 2.0% | 1.1× |
| Tyre damage & cracking | 2.1% | 3.3% | 0.6× |
Specific defects found
Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.
| Defect | per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 73.5 |
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 51.6 |
| Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 40.9 |
| Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake | 31.4 |
| Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 26.5 |
| Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 26.3 |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 24.8 |
| A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 22.7 |
Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.
Every year and engine
Tap a year to see its engines. 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.
2014 Suzuki Splash2 engines78.6% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 77.3% | Beats 32% | D |
| 1.2 Petrol | 80.1% | Beats 48% | C |
2013 Suzuki Splash2 engines74.7% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 73.0% | Beats 30% | D |
| 1.2 Petrol | 76.7% | Beats 46% | C |
2012 Suzuki Splash2 engines71.2% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 69.7% | Beats 28% | D |
| 1.2 Petrol | 73.5% | Beats 42% | C |
2011 Suzuki Splash2 engines62.3% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 63.7% | Beats 12% | E |
| 1.0 Petrol | 60.3% | Beats 6% | E |
2010 Suzuki Splash2 engines60.3% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 60.3% | Beats 13% | E |
| 1.0 Petrol | 60.3% | Beats 16% | E |
2009 Suzuki Splash3 engines56.7% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 57.1% | Beats 13% | E |
| 1.0 Petrol | 56.8% | Beats 14% | E |
| 1.2 Diesel | 52.6% | Beats 13% | E |
2008 Suzuki Splash2 engines55.4% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 56.5% | Beats 20% | D |
| 1.2 Diesel | 45.4% | Beats 7% | E |
FAQ
What is the Suzuki Splash MOT pass rate?
67.6% of MOT tests on the Suzuki Splash were passed first time, based on 157,737 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2008–2014. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 72.3% of the time.
Is the Suzuki Splash reliable?
On MOT results it rates D (below average): it passes first time less often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 23% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Suzuki Splash year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2014 Splash does best for its age and mileage: it beats 39% of cars on UK roads. The 2009 does worst: it beats 13%.
Which Suzuki Splash engine is best?
Across all years, the 1.0 Petrol does best: it beats 24% of cars on UK roads. The 1.2 Petrol does worst: it beats 23%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Suzuki Splash?
The most common failure items are coil springs, suspension ball joints, windscreen wipers. Compared with similar cars, suspension ball joints comes up 3.6× as often.