Suzuki
10,993 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where Balenos pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 0.7 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
78.2%
Pass-after-fix
3.7%
Fail
17.7%
Avg miles
46,384
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 10,992 tests
Pass rate climbs 5.6 points across the cohorts — newer Baleno examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
76.6%
Fail
19.4%
PRS
3.5%
Avg mileage at test
50,971 mi
Pass
82.2%
Fail
13.5%
PRS
4.2%
Avg mileage at test
34,797 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 8,008 MOT tests, the Baleno returns 80.3% first-time pass — above the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a torn suspension dust cover. A missing suspension dust cover and tyre tread under the limit round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 39,967, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
ABI Insurance Group
Below the fleet average — generally reasonable to insure. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
8–14
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A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
960 occurrences · 8.7% of tests
A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
844 occurrences · 7.7% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
341 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
263 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
Wiper blade defective
188 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
147 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
143 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
Audible warning inoperative
143 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
117 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
98 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 5 failures
£280–£710
If every one of this Baleno's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 5.6-point gap between bands means the year you buy Suzuki Baleno has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.
Best band to buy
82.2%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 82.2% — a 5.6-point improvement. Tests in this band average 34,797 miles — roughly 16K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated, ball joint dust cover no longer prevents… — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. The stricter post-2018 MOT test rules meant manufacturers had to tighten up emissions and electrical checks, but this band still shows far fewer major failures on suspension and bodywork than the older fleet.
Band to be cautious about
76.6%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 76.6% pass rate against a fleet average of 82.2% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated, ball joint dust cover no longer prevents…, and tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Average mileage on test for this band is 50,971 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (82.2% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (76.6% pass). That's a 5.6-point spread across 7,885 older tests and 3,107 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
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Hycote Touch Up Colour Paint Brush Suzuki Silky Silver Metallic 12.5ml
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Equip ELF039 Suzuki Petrol and Diesel Locking Fuel Cap
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Motor World Suzuki Carry Van Car Floor Mat Set
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Motor World Suzuki Grand Vitara SWB 1998-2005 Car Floor Mat Set
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Click Mechanic · affiliate
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Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
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Recall history
The Baleno has 5 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Baleno and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.
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