2020 Suzuki Swift — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 25,667 MOT tests, the 2020 Suzuki Swift recorded a 94.5% pass rate. Against superminis of a similar age (8.8% fail rate), the 2020 Swift comes out 3.3pp better. Failures cluster in visibility, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (4.2%) and tyres (2.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and tread depth — wipers alone was recorded 1,207 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 13.0% versus 4.0%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 5.2% of the time against 5.5% for hybrid.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 0.7% of tests failed in 2022 against 6.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 4.2% | 1,089 |
| 2 | Tyres | 2.5% | 643 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.3% | 581 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.1% | 295 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.2% | 40 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.2% | 40 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 1,207 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 490 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 219 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 203 |
| 5 | Washers | 175 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 120 |
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 | 22.9% | 5,866 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.5% | 2,435 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.3% | 1,104 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.6% | 928 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.0% | 247 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.5% | 130 |
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 | 17,687 | 4.0% |
| 30-60k | 7,160 | 8.7% |
| 60-90k | 708 | 10.9% |
| 90-120k | 77 | 13.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 22,406 | 5.5% |
| Petrol | 3,261 | 5.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 300 | 0.7% |
| 2023 | 8,486 | 4.0% |
| 2024 | 8,352 | 5.8% |
| 2025 | 8,514 | 6.9% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Swift
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: visibility accounted for 4.2% of tests. Start there.
- Visibility (4.2% 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 (2.5% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (2.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 2020 Suzuki Swifts pass their MOT?
94.5% of the 25,667 2020 Suzuki Swift MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Suzuki Swift?
Visibility, recorded in 4.2% of tests, followed by tyres (2.5%).
Does the 2020 Swift get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.0% in the 0-30k band to 13.0% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 25,667 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.