66,232 tests in 2025
Suzuki Vitara reliability and MOT pass rate
89.5% passed first time. The 10.5% fail rate is 12.1 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 7 years old with 45,922 miles.
Pass rate
89.5%
22.6% of all cars failed; 10.5% of these did.
Fixed on the day
5.1%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
45,922 mi
7 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 16,142 | 4.8% |
| 6-9 years | 43,389 | 11.4% |
| 10-13 years | 5,174 | 15.2% |
| 14+ years | 1,271 | 34.9% |
What the Vitara fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Tyres2,991 dangerous39.2%
- Brakes1,151 dangerous28.7%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment27 dangerous25.7%
- Suspension43 dangerous14.6%
- Visibility2 dangerous14.5%
- Body, chassis, structure32 dangerous5.6%
- Noise, emissions and leaks2 dangerous5.2%
- Steering26 dangerous3.3%
Is the Vitara getting worse?
The fail rate rose 2 points to 10.8% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 56,157 | 5 | 8.8% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 60,094 | — | 9.8% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 54,936 | — | 10.4% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 63,382 | — | 10.8% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Vitara at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a Vitara in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1,690 tests
- 2Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick853 tests
- 3Position lamp: not working739 tests
- 4Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively712 tests
- 5Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords595 tests
- 6Stop lamp: not working580 tests
- 7Service brake performance: excessively binding322 tests
- 8Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded235 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Vitara collects 2.22 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm10,242 tests
- 2Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick5,207 tests
- 3Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened3,912 tests
- 4Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure3,585 tests
- 5Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt1,921 tests
- 6Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn1,616 tests
- 7Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded1,591 tests
- 8Service brake performance: excessively binding1,544 tests
Questions
What is the Suzuki Vitara MOT pass rate?
89.5% of the 66,232 Suzuki Vitara first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 10.5% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 5.1% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Suzuki Vitara usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm", recorded on 1,690 failed tests, followed by "Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick" and "Position lamp: not working". By section, tyres appears in 39.2% of failures, brakes appears in 28.7% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 25.7% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 4.8%; at 14+ years it was 34.9%. The median Suzuki Vitara tested in 2025 was 7 years old with 45,922 miles.
Is the Suzuki Vitara getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 2 points to 10.8% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every Vitara trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 11 safety recalls naming the Suzuki Vitara: Suzuki Vitara recalls.
Other Suzuki models
Checking a particular Vitara?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.