2015 Suzuki Vitara — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2015 Suzuki Vitara passed 89.3% of its 31,136 recorded MOT tests. That is 5.7 percentage points better than small SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 16.4%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (5.7%) and tyres (4.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, wipers and position lamp — tread depth alone was recorded 1,326 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 22.4% versus 4.2%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 10.0% fail against 13.8% for diesel, a 3.8-point gap across 31,136 tests.
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 — 8.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 13.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.7% | 1,770 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.6% | 1,440 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.4% | 1,064 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.7% | 854 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.5% | 466 |
| 6 | Steering | 0.5% | 162 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 1,326 |
| 2 | Wipers | 704 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 698 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 667 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 504 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 476 |
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% | 7,133 |
| 2 | Brakes | 22.4% | 6,976 |
| 3 | Other defects | 9.7% | 3,006 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.8% | 1,186 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.8% | 1,169 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.6% | 805 |
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 | 3,401 | 4.2% |
| 30-60k | 13,905 | 8.5% |
| 60-90k | 9,922 | 13.2% |
| 90-120k | 3,087 | 17.6% |
| 120-150k | 638 | 20.7% |
| 150k+ | 183 | 22.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 25,107 | 10.0% |
| Diesel | 6,029 | 13.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,074 | 8.3% |
| 2022 | 6,184 | 9.3% |
| 2023 | 6,207 | 10.5% |
| 2024 | 6,319 | 12.4% |
| 2025 | 6,352 | 13.1% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Vitara
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 5.7% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (5.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.6% 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 (3.4% 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
How many 2015 Suzuki Vitaras pass their MOT?
89.3% of the 31,136 2015 Suzuki Vitara MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Suzuki Vitara?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.7% of tests, followed by tyres (4.6%).
Does the 2015 Vitara get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.2% in the 0-30k band to 22.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 31,136 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.