Suzuki
92,656 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Vitaras pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 7.7 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
85.3%
Pass-after-fix
4.5%
Fail
9.8%
Avg miles
49,939
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 92,583 tests
Pass rate climbs 6.9 points across the cohorts — newer Vitara examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
82.5%
Fail
11.9%
PRS
5.2%
Avg mileage at test
58,800 mi
Pass
89.4%
Fail
6.7%
PRS
3.5%
Avg mileage at test
36,313 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
Generations on file · 4
Suzuki Vitara · UK market
1988–1998
1998–2005
2005–2015
2015–now
Photos: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA / CC BY / public domain.
The picture
The Suzuki Vitara is a petrol-powered car sold in the UK market across multiple generations, covering a broad date range in the test population.
MOT data from 63,573 tests puts this car on an 85.9% first-time pass rate, well above the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 42,722 miles. The most common fail item is tyre tread below the legal limit, followed by defective wiper blade.
Honest John owner records point to brake component wear as the recurring problems to check before buying used.
For used buyers, the Vitara's pass rate suggests it clears the MOT with fewer surprises than most — but the top failure items above are still worth a pre-purchase inspection, particularly on higher-mileage examples.
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 →
12–22
out of 50
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Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
2,699 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
1,462 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
Wiper blade defective
1,259 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
1,056 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
1,036 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
908 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
709 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
700 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
570 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
532 occurrences · 0.6% 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 4 failures
£180–£345
If every one of this 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 →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 6.9-point gap between bands means the year you buy Suzuki Vitara has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.
Best band to buy
89.4%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 89.4% — a 6.9-point improvement. Tests in this band average 36,313 miles — roughly 22K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, blade defective — 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
82.5%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 82.5% pass rate against a fleet average of 89.4% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, and inoperative in the case of multiple lamps…. Average mileage on test for this band is 58,800 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (89.4% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (82.5% pass). That's a 6.9-point spread across 56,216 older tests and 36,367 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
Item 03 · Amazon UK
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
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
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
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Owner reports · Honest John
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
Owner reports (14 entries) flag recurring problems with tyre wear, timing chain/belt, brake discs.
Recall history
The Vitara has 18 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 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.
