5,795 tests in 2025
Suzuki Wagon-R+ reliability and MOT pass rate
63.3% passed first time. The 36.7% fail rate is 14.1 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 21 years old with 74,123 miles.
Pass rate
63.3%
22.6% of all cars failed; 36.7% of these did.
Fixed on the day
7.7%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
74,123 mi
21 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 0 | — |
| 10-13 years | 2 | — |
| 14+ years | 5,793 | 36.7% |
What the Wagon-R+ 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.
- Suspension90 dangerous44.2%
- Brakes285 dangerous34.7%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment11 dangerous30.1%
- Body, chassis, structure8 dangerous24.1%
- Tyres567 dangerous23.7%
- Visibility1 dangerous16.7%
- Noise, emissions and leaks3 dangerous15.9%
- Steering10 dangerous14.3%
Is the Wagon-R+ getting worse?
The fail rate rose 0.6 points to 36.7% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (-0.3 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 10,203 | 19 | 36.1% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 8,903 | 20 | 35.6% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 6,512 | 21 | 38.3% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 5,794 | 21 | 36.7% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Wagon-R+ 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 Wagon-R+ in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn293 tests
- 2Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded244 tests
- 3Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt235 tests
- 4Position lamp: not working231 tests
- 5Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively179 tests
- 6Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play179 tests
- 7Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction162 tests
- 8Condition: has ply or cords exposed159 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Wagon-R+ collects 3.76 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.
- 1Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded1,541 tests
- 2Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure979 tests
- 3Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm822 tests
- 4Non-component advisories: Play in steering rack inner joint(s)805 tests
- 5Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened788 tests
- 6Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine724 tests
- 7Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened541 tests
- 8Suspension arm: corroded and seriously weakened394 tests
Questions
What is the Suzuki Wagon-R+ MOT pass rate?
63.3% of the 5,795 Suzuki Wagon-R+ first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 36.7% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 7.7% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Suzuki Wagon-R+ usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn", recorded on 293 failed tests, followed by "Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded" and "Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt". By section, suspension appears in 44.2% of failures, brakes appears in 34.7% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 30.1% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was n/a%; at 14+ years it was 36.7%. The median Suzuki Wagon-R+ tested in 2025 was 21 years old with 74,123 miles.
Is the Suzuki Wagon-R+ getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 0.6 points to 36.7% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (-0.3 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
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 Wagon-R+ 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 7 safety recalls naming the Suzuki Wagon-R+: Suzuki Wagon-R+ recalls.
Other Suzuki models
Checking a particular Wagon-R+?
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.