Suzuki Swift MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 42 model years and 779,332 tests, the Suzuki Swift passes its MOT 82.5% of the time. Superminis of a similar age fail 19.8% of the time, so this is 2.3pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
Best and worst Swift years
Ranked across Swift 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
The strongest year on this record is 2022 (95.6% pass rate); the weakest is 2005 (68.4%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (10.0%) and brakes (7.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, wipers and rigid brake pipes — position lamp alone was recorded 35,698 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 6.0% in the 0-30k band and 30.7% in the 150k+ band, a 24.7-point spread — more than double.
The hybrid cars hold up better: 6.5% fail against 26.9% for diesel, a 20.3-point gap across 92,396 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 27.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Versions & engines
MOT records broken out by the engine designations buyers actually search for.
By model year
Every Swift model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 32 | 84.4% | 15.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1991 | 48 | 87.5% | 12.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 85 | 77.6% | 22.4% | Suspension |
| 1996 | 132 | 76.5% | 23.5% | Brakes |
| 1997 | 155 | 71.0% | 29.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 250 | 74.8% | 25.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 327 | 69.1% | 30.9% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2000 | 405 | 70.9% | 29.1% | Suspension |
| 2001 | 829 | 71.2% | 28.8% | Suspension |
| 2002 | 1,737 | 70.1% | 29.9% | Brakes |
| 2003 | 670 | 70.2% | 29.8% | Suspension |
| 2005 | 11,176 | 68.4% | 31.6% | Suspension |
| 2006 | 32,784 | 68.8% | 31.2% | Suspension |
| 2007 | 54,990 | 70.0% | 30.0% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 55,314 | 70.6% | 29.4% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 50,182 | 71.8% | 28.2% | Suspension |
| 2010 | 41,669 | 74.3% | 25.7% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 39,652 | 79.4% | 20.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 54,923 | 82.3% | 17.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 51,826 | 84.3% | 15.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 58,415 | 86.2% | 13.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 70,080 | 88.3% | 11.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 58,526 | 89.3% | 10.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 44,590 | 90.4% | 9.6% | Visibility |
| 2018 | 55,748 | 91.3% | 8.7% | Visibility |
| 2019 | 47,782 | 93.2% | 6.8% | Visibility |
| 2020 | 25,667 | 94.5% | 5.5% | Visibility |
| 2021 | 15,880 | 94.9% | 5.1% | Visibility |
| 2022 | 5,019 | 95.6% | 4.4% | Visibility |
| 2023 | 304 | 98.0% | 2.0% | Visibility |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.0% | 77,772 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.7% | 60,103 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.4% | 57,716 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.9% | 38,450 |
| 5 | Tyres | 4.5% | 34,912 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.7% | 12,832 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.6% | 12,272 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.5% | 4,304 |
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 | 35,698 |
| 2 | Wipers | 31,253 |
| 3 | Rigid brake pipes | 29,203 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 27,287 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 21,152 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 21,010 |
| 7 | Service brake performance | 20,725 |
| 8 | Ball joint | 18,500 |
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 | 27.6% | 214,904 |
| 2 | Tyres | 25.4% | 197,777 |
| 3 | Suspension | 18.6% | 144,556 |
| 4 | Other defects | 9.1% | 71,158 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 6.4% | 49,875 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.5% | 35,065 |
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 | 160,103 | 6.0% |
| 30-60k | 247,082 | 13.3% |
| 60-90k | 204,753 | 22.1% |
| 90-120k | 119,997 | 28.1% |
| 120-150k | 38,313 | 30.7% |
| 150k+ | 8,867 | 30.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 686,927 | 18.4% |
| Hybrid | 73,262 | 6.5% |
| Diesel | 19,134 | 26.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 146,084 | 17.9% |
| 2022 | 153,832 | 17.3% |
| 2023 | 158,720 | 17.5% |
| 2024 | 160,531 | 17.4% |
| 2025 | 160,165 | 17.3% |
What to check before buying a Suzuki Swift
- Lighting & signalling (10.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.7% 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.
- Suspension (7.4% 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.
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 Swift?
82.5% of the 779,332 Suzuki Swift MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 17.5% fail rate, across model years 1984–2025.
What does the Suzuki Swift most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.0% of tests, then brakes (7.7%).
Which Swift years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 95.6% and 2005 the weakest at 68.4%, from 5,019 and 11,176 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Swift MOT results?
Fail rates run at 6.0% for cars in the 0-30k band and 30.7% for 150k+, a 24.7-point difference.
Is the hybrid or diesel Swift more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the hybrid fails 6.5% of the time against 26.9% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 779,332 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.