Suzuki
Grand Vitara
38,890 MOT tests analysed. runs below the UK fleet average — here's where Grand Vitaras pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 8.3 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
69.2%
Pass-after-fix
5.6%
Fail
24.3%
Avg miles
93,345
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 .
Generations on file · 2
Suzuki Grand Vitara · UK market
1998–2009
–now
Photos: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA / CC BY / public domain.
The picture
Suzuki Grand Vitara: challenging MOT record across 30,598 tests
The Suzuki Vitara is a series of SUVs produced by Suzuki in five generations since 1988. The second and third generation were known as the Suzuki Grand Vitara, while the fourth generation eschewed the "Grand" prefix.
MOT data from 30,598 tests puts this car on a 69.4% first-time pass rate, well below the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 91,215 miles. The most common fail item is headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective, followed by transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated.
Good looking, on road handling much better than previous version, comparatively cheap, impressive off road.
The Grand Vitara's pass rate warrants caution in the used market. Factor in likely first-test remedial work on the common failure items and get a pre-purchase inspection that covers the specific items this car trips on most.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 18–26
Around the UK fleet average for insurance cost. 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 →
18–26
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
Filter failures:
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- 01
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
1,883 occurrences · 4.8% of tests
- 02
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
1,595 occurrences · 4.1% of tests
- 03
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
1,523 occurrences · 3.9% of tests
- 04
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
1,519 occurrences · 3.9% of tests
- 05
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
1,192 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
- 06
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
1,174 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 07
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
1,104 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
- 08
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
951 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 09
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
858 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
- 10
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
820 occurrences · 2.1% 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 2 failures
£18–£115
If every one of this Grand Vitara'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 →
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Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
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
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Hycote
Hycote Touch Up Colour Paint Brush Suzuki Silky Silver Metallic 12.5ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
equip
Equip ELF039 Suzuki Petrol and Diesel Locking Fuel Cap
£8.79
View at My Motor World →
Motor World
Motor World Suzuki Carry Van Car Floor Mat Set
£32.99
View at My Motor World →
Motor World
Motor World Suzuki Grand Vitara SWB 1998-2005 Car Floor Mat Set
£32.99
View at My Motor World →
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Book a mobile mechanic
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Owner reports · Honest John
What owners actually report.
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
Where it falls short
A bit crude compared to the more expensive opposition. No spare wheel on back from July 2010 to December 2012. Production ended June 2014.
Recent owner-reported faults
- 13 Feb 2014
Problems with 91k mile 2008 Su
- 24 Aug 2013
Cracked cylinder head reported on 24k mile 2008 1.6L VVT (same problem as older Vitaras).
Source: honestjohn.co.uk · 2 reports indexed
Recall history
13 UK recalls on record.
The Grand Vitara has 13 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
Buying or keeping a Grand Vitara?
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 Grand Vitara 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.