Suzuki SX4 MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 28 model years and 252,112 tests, the Suzuki SX4 passes its MOT 80.9% of the time. Small SUVs of a similar age fail at 19.2%, so the SX4 sits squarely on the average. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
Best and worst SX4 years
Ranked across SX4 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
Build year matters more than the headline suggests: 2022 cars pass 96.4% of the time while 2006 cars manage 69.2%, a 27.2-point spread.
No single area dominates — suspension (9.3%) and lighting & signalling (7.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, tread depth and rigid brake pipes — coil spring alone was recorded 11,983 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 32.3% versus 6.4%.
The hybrid cars hold up better: 4.2% fail against 22.8% for diesel, a 18.6-point gap across 44,024 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 28.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every SX4 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 7,457 | 69.2% | 30.8% | Suspension |
| 2007 | 17,844 | 69.9% | 30.1% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 18,508 | 71.4% | 28.6% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 14,179 | 71.1% | 28.9% | Suspension |
| 2010 | 14,127 | 72.7% | 27.3% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 15,276 | 73.2% | 26.8% | Suspension |
| 2012 | 13,326 | 73.6% | 26.4% | Suspension |
| 2013 | 21,257 | 78.2% | 21.8% | Suspension |
| 2014 | 38,272 | 84.0% | 16.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 21,620 | 87.1% | 12.9% | Tyres |
| 2016 | 19,091 | 88.7% | 11.3% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 17,932 | 90.2% | 9.8% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 14,806 | 92.0% | 8.0% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 8,774 | 93.9% | 6.1% | Visibility |
| 2020 | 2,862 | 95.6% | 4.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 3,617 | 95.4% | 4.6% | Visibility |
| 2022 | 2,864 | 96.4% | 3.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2023 | 286 | 94.8% | 5.2% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 9.3% | 23,579 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 7.3% | 18,323 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.1% | 17,861 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.0% | 12,520 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.1% | 10,410 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.2% | 5,519 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.8% | 4,505 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.5% | 1,221 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 11,983 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 10,748 |
| 3 | Rigid brake pipes | 10,027 |
| 4 | Ball joint | 8,861 |
| 5 | Wipers | 8,703 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 6,736 |
| 7 | Headlamp aim | 6,634 |
| 8 | Service brake performance | 5,638 |
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 | 28.1% | 70,757 |
| 2 | Tyres | 25.1% | 63,418 |
| 3 | Suspension | 19.3% | 48,707 |
| 4 | Other defects | 9.4% | 23,735 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.6% | 14,054 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 5.3% | 13,443 |
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 | 38,179 | 6.4% |
| 30-60k | 81,908 | 14.2% |
| 60-90k | 73,789 | 23.0% |
| 90-120k | 40,911 | 28.3% |
| 120-150k | 13,769 | 31.3% |
| 150k+ | 3,525 | 32.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 208,066 | 19.0% |
| Diesel | 36,055 | 22.8% |
| Hybrid | 7,969 | 4.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 49,115 | 18.8% |
| 2022 | 50,332 | 18.7% |
| 2023 | 50,611 | 19.6% |
| 2024 | 50,473 | 19.4% |
| 2025 | 51,581 | 18.9% |
What to check before buying a Suzuki SX4
- Suspension (9.3% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (7.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.1% 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 SX4?
80.9% of the 252,112 Suzuki SX4 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 19.1% fail rate, across model years 1997–2024.
What does the Suzuki SX4 most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 9.3% of tests, then lighting & signalling (7.3%).
Which SX4 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 96.4% and 2006 the weakest at 69.2%, from 2,864 and 7,457 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect SX4 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 6.4% for cars in the 0-30k band and 32.3% for 150k+, a 25.9-point difference.
Is the hybrid or diesel SX4 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the hybrid fails 4.2% of the time against 22.8% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 252,112 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.