Suzuki Grand Vitara MOT pass rate & common failures
151,730 MOT tests on the Suzuki Grand Vitara (1994–2021) give it a 75.8% pass rate. Mid-size SUVs of a similar age fail 26.5% of the time, so this is 2.3pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
Best and worst Grand Vitara years
Ranked across Grand Vitara years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Not every year is equal — 90.6% of 2014 examples pass against 70.9% of 2002 ones.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (12.7%) and suspension (10.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, component mounting prescribed areas and headlamp aim — position lamp alone was recorded 8,562 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 11.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 31.9% once past 150k — 2.9× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.3pp more often than petrol ones (25.8% vs 23.5%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 33.9% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Grand Vitara model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 494 | 72.9% | 27.1% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 1999 | 1,087 | 71.0% | 29.0% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2000 | 1,837 | 72.5% | 27.5% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2001 | 4,152 | 71.8% | 28.2% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2002 | 7,554 | 70.9% | 29.1% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2003 | 10,819 | 71.9% | 28.1% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2004 | 15,543 | 71.7% | 28.3% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2005 | 16,583 | 71.9% | 28.1% | Suspension |
| 2006 | 14,391 | 72.6% | 27.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 16,736 | 75.1% | 24.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 14,272 | 76.1% | 23.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 11,844 | 78.9% | 21.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 11,091 | 79.7% | 20.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 8,923 | 81.4% | 18.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 6,665 | 82.6% | 17.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 6,548 | 86.9% | 13.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 2,835 | 90.6% | 9.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 281 | 90.8% | 9.3% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 12.7% | 19,256 |
| 2 | Suspension | 10.0% | 15,149 |
| 3 | Brakes | 8.4% | 12,725 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.0% | 12,191 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.1% | 7,682 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.8% | 7,254 |
| 7 | Tyres | 3.0% | 4,587 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.3% | 3,515 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 8,562 |
| 2 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 7,388 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 6,892 |
| 4 | Wipers | 6,326 |
| 5 | Rigid brake pipes | 6,270 |
| 6 | Joints | 5,980 |
| 7 | Service brake performance | 4,730 |
| 8 | Stop lamp | 4,497 |
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 | 33.9% | 51,367 |
| 2 | Suspension | 29.3% | 44,400 |
| 3 | Tyres | 21.1% | 32,037 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 17.9% | 27,115 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 15.4% | 23,324 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 12.5% | 18,936 |
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 | 3,846 | 11.1% |
| 30-60k | 23,221 | 16.0% |
| 60-90k | 49,971 | 22.5% |
| 90-120k | 46,941 | 27.3% |
| 120-150k | 20,813 | 30.0% |
| 150k+ | 6,698 | 31.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 110,929 | 23.5% |
| Diesel | 40,797 | 25.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 38,067 | 23.7% |
| 2022 | 34,173 | 23.8% |
| 2023 | 30,323 | 24.1% |
| 2024 | 26,471 | 24.9% |
| 2025 | 22,696 | 24.7% |
What to check before buying a Suzuki Grand Vitara
- Lighting & signalling (12.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (10.0% 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.
- Brakes (8.4% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Suzuki Grand Vitara?
75.8% of the 151,730 Suzuki Grand Vitara MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 24.2% fail rate, across model years 1994–2021.
What does the Suzuki Grand Vitara most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.7% of tests, then suspension (10.0%).
Which Grand Vitara years are best and worst for MOT results?
2014 has the best pass rate at 90.6% and 2002 the weakest at 70.9%, from 2,835 and 7,554 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Grand Vitara MOT results?
Fail rates run at 11.1% for cars in the 0-30k band and 31.9% for 150k+, a 20.8-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Grand Vitara more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 23.5% of the time against 25.8% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 151,730 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.