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Suzuki Wagon-R+ reliability

D · Below average

MOT pass rates and common problems from 94,214 MOT tests of cars first registered 2000–2007.

Jump to: YearsEnginesCommon failures
55.8%pass first time
−3.3 ptsvs typical car
Beats 36%of cars
94,214MOT tests

Verdict

The Suzuki Wagon-R+ passes its MOT first time on 55.8% of tests, 3.3 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (59.1%). That puts it ahead of 36% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.

By year of first registration, the 2006 Wagon-R+ does best (beats 60% of cars) and the 2000 worst (beats 17%).

Better than average on seat belts & airbags.

Watch these weak spots

Brakes1.3×as often as a typical car
Tyres1.4×as often as a typical car
Brake pipes2.4×as often as a typical car
Suspension ball joints2.7×as often as a typical car

MOT pass rate by age

First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.

50%55%60%65%70%12131415161718192065%63%60%58%57%54%54%55%53%
Suzuki Wagon-R+Typical car, same age & mileage

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.

2000
Beats 17%
2001
Beats 21%
2002
Beats 18%
2003
Beats 39%
2004
Beats 48%
2005
Beats 51%
2006
Beats 60%
2007
Beats 48%

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.

EngineYearsTestsPass rateRankGrade
1.3 Petrol2000–200579,19754.5%Beats 33%D
1.2 Petrol2005–200715,01762.4%Beats 54%C

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.

Exhaust: 6.1% of tests fail on emissions & leaks, against 6.0% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look underneath for oil or fluid leaks.Suspension: 15.2% of tests fail on suspension, against 14.5% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Lights: 16.3% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 19.0% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Tyres: 8.9% of tests fail on tyres, against 6.4% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Brakes: 15.3% of tests fail on brakes, against 11.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Lights: 16.3% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 19.0% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Lights+2.7 ptsTyres: 8.9% of tests fail on tyres, against 6.4% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Tyres−2.5 ptsBrakes: 15.3% of tests fail on brakes, against 11.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Brakes−3.5 ptsSuspension: 15.2% of tests fail on suspension, against 14.5% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Suspension−0.7 ptsExhaust: 6.1% of tests fail on emissions & leaks, against 6.0% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look underneath for oil or fluid leaks.Exhaust−0.1 ptsSuspension: 15.2% of tests fail on suspension, against 14.5% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Brakes: 15.3% of tests fail on brakes, against 11.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Tyres: 8.9% of tests fail on tyres, against 6.4% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Lights: 16.3% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 19.0% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Exhaust: 6.1% of tests fail on emissions & leaks, against 6.0% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look underneath for oil or fluid leaks.Lights: 16.3% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 19.0% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Lights+2.7 ptsTyres: 8.9% of tests fail on tyres, against 6.4% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Tyres−2.5 ptsBrakes: 15.3% of tests fail on brakes, against 11.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Brakes−3.5 ptsSuspension: 15.2% of tests fail on suspension, against 14.5% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Suspension−0.7 ptsExhaust: 6.1% of tests fail on emissions & leaks, against 6.0% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look underneath for oil or fluid leaks.Exhaust−0.1 pts
Better than typicalTypicalWorse than typical
Brakes: 15.3% of tests fail on brakes, against 11.9% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.

Every MOT area

Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).

Lights & electrics
16.3% vs 19.0%
Brakes
15.3% vs 11.9%
Suspension
15.2% vs 14.5%
Tyres
8.9% vs 6.4%
Body & structure
8.4% vs 7.4%
Visibility
8.0% vs 7.6%
Emissions & leaks
6.1% vs 6.0%
Steering
5.0% vs 3.2%
Seat belts & airbags
1.8% vs 2.6%
Wheels
0.4% vs 0.3%

Buying one or MOT due? Check these

  • Suspension ball joints 2.7× typical
    Listen for knocks over speed bumps and feel for wandering or vague steering.
  • Tyre damage & cracking 1.7× typical
    Look for cuts, bulges and cracking on both sidewalls of every tyre.
  • Wheel bearings 2.9× typical
    Listen for a hum or drone that rises with speed.
  • Track rod ends 2.1× typical
    Feel for play or knocking in the steering and check for wear on the inner edges of the front tyres.
  • Engine warning light 1.6× typical
    The engine warning light should come on with the ignition and go out once the engine starts. If it stays on, get the fault codes read before you buy.
  • Sidelights
    Walk around with the lights on: bulb failures are the easiest MOT fails to avoid.

Pass rate by mileage

First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.

40%50%60%70%80%90%10k20k30k40k50k60k70k80k90k100k110k120k130k81%68%59%53%48%46%43%
Suzuki Wagon-R+Typical car

Most common MOT failures

ItemThis carTypicalvs typical
Brake pipes6.1%2.6%2.4×
Tyre damage & cracking5.7%3.4%1.7×
Sidelights5.4%4.1%1.3×
Windscreen wipers4.5%3.8%1.2×
Suspension ball joints4.4%1.7%2.7×
Brake lights4.1%4.0%1.0×
Track rod ends3.7%1.8%2.1×
Drive shaft (CV) joints3.7%2.6%1.4×
Engine warning light3.3%2.1%1.6×
Wheel bearings3.2%1.1%2.9×

Specific defects found

Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.

Defectper 1,000
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded54.4
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn48.8
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen43.3
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning39.3
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc38.1
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning35.3
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction34.0
A tyre seriously damaged33.6
Check another car

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.

2007 Suzuki Wagon-R+1 engine62.6% passC
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
1.2 Petrol5,04362.6%Beats 48%C
2006 Suzuki Wagon-R+1 engine63.4% passB
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
1.2 Petrol5,99263.4%Beats 60%B
2005 Suzuki Wagon-R+2 engines60.4% passC
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
1.3 Petrol10,20860.4%Beats 51%C
1.2 Petrol3,98260.5%Beats 52%C
2004 Suzuki Wagon-R+1 engine58.4% passC
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
1.3 Petrol18,22258.4%Beats 48%C
2003 Suzuki Wagon-R+1 engine55.2% passD
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
1.3 Petrol19,27055.2%Beats 39%D
2002 Suzuki Wagon-R+1 engine49.7% passE
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
1.3 Petrol15,59149.7%Beats 18%E
2001 Suzuki Wagon-R+1 engine50.8% passD
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
1.3 Petrol10,79750.8%Beats 21%D
2000 Suzuki Wagon-R+1 engine49.2% passE
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
1.3 Petrol5,10949.2%Beats 17%E

FAQ

What is the Suzuki Wagon-R+ MOT pass rate?

55.8% of MOT tests on the Suzuki Wagon-R+ were passed first time, based on 94,214 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2000–2007. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 59.1% of the time.

Is the Suzuki Wagon-R+ 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 36% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.

Which Suzuki Wagon-R+ year is best?

Among years with enough data, the 2006 Wagon-R+ does best for its age and mileage: it beats 60% of cars on UK roads. The 2000 does worst: it beats 17%.

What are the most common MOT failures on the Suzuki Wagon-R+?

The most common failure items are brake pipes, tyre damage & cracking, sidelights. Compared with similar cars, brake pipes comes up 2.4× as often.

How we calculate this. We use official MOT results for cars tested in Great Britain from 2018 to 2026. Each car is compared with typical cars of the same age and mileage, so old and new cars are judged fairly; “pts” are percentage points above or below them. Differences also reflect how cars are used and maintained, not only how they are built.