2015 Suzuki Swift — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2015 Suzuki Swift passed 88.3% of its 70,080 recorded MOT tests. Against superminis of a similar age (17.6% fail rate), the 2015 Swift comes out 5.9pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.1% of tests against 4.8% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, wipers and stop lamp — position lamp alone was recorded 2,746 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 20.5% once past 150k — 3.4× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 9.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 9.1% | 6,361 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.8% | 3,384 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.8% | 3,360 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.4% | 3,105 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.6% | 1,126 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 258 |
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 | 2,746 |
| 2 | Wipers | 2,674 |
| 3 | Stop lamp | 2,508 |
| 4 | Rigid brake pipes | 2,152 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 1,698 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 1,532 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 25.4% | 17,798 |
| 2 | Brakes | 22.7% | 15,918 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.5% | 5,986 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.7% | 4,682 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 5.8% | 4,086 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.6% | 2,543 |
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 | 12,361 | 6.1% |
| 30-60k | 34,248 | 10.6% |
| 60-90k | 17,987 | 15.2% |
| 90-120k | 4,510 | 19.3% |
| 120-150k | 757 | 20.1% |
| 150k+ | 205 | 20.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 69,922 | 11.7% |
| Diesel | 158 | 18.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 13,792 | 9.0% |
| 2022 | 13,847 | 10.0% |
| 2023 | 14,050 | 11.6% |
| 2024 | 14,152 | 13.4% |
| 2025 | 14,239 | 14.2% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Swift
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 9.1% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (9.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.8% 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.
- Brakes (4.8% 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
How many 2015 Suzuki Swifts pass their MOT?
88.3% of the 70,080 2015 Suzuki Swift MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Suzuki Swift?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.1% of tests, followed by tyres (4.8%).
Does the 2015 Swift get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.1% in the 0-30k band to 20.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 70,080 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.