2017 Suzuki Baleno — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Suzuki Baleno passed 83.2% of its 13,164 recorded MOT tests. Superminis of a similar age fail 13.4% of the time, so this is 3.5pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, visibility and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (8.3%) and visibility (5.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint dust cover, wipers and tread depth — ball joint dust cover alone was recorded 1,396 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 11.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 21.8% once past 120-150k.
The petrol cars hold up better: 16.7% fail against 19.0% for hybrid, a 2.3-point gap across 13,164 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 22.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 10.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 8.3% | 1,096 |
| 2 | Visibility | 5.4% | 716 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.0% | 659 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 4.5% | 592 |
| 5 | Brakes | 4.0% | 532 |
| 6 | Steering | 0.3% | 34 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint dust cover | 1,396 |
| 2 | Wipers | 603 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 496 |
| 4 | Rigid brake pipes | 331 |
| 5 | Washers | 283 |
| 6 | Horn | 249 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 22.5% | 2,967 |
| 2 | Tyres | 21.8% | 2,866 |
| 3 | Suspension | 19.7% | 2,591 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.2% | 818 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.5% | 463 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.5% | 201 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 4,420 | 11.0% |
| 30-60k | 6,295 | 18.3% |
| 60-90k | 1,985 | 23.1% |
| 90-120k | 362 | 25.7% |
| 120-150k | 78 | 21.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 12,505 | 16.7% |
| Hybrid | 659 | 19.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,505 | 10.7% |
| 2022 | 2,606 | 16.0% |
| 2023 | 2,655 | 16.9% |
| 2024 | 2,710 | 20.1% |
| 2025 | 2,688 | 19.9% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Baleno
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 8.3% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (8.3% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Visibility (5.4% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Tyres (5.0% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2017 Suzuki Balenos pass their MOT?
83.2% of the 13,164 2017 Suzuki Baleno MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Suzuki Baleno?
Suspension, recorded in 8.3% of tests, followed by visibility (5.4%).
Does the 2017 Baleno get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.0% in the 0-30k band to 21.8% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 13,164 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.