2017 Suzuki Vitara — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 62,921 MOT tests, the 2017 Suzuki Vitara recorded a 90.7% pass rate. Against small SUVs of a similar age (11.8% fail rate), the 2017 Vitara comes out 2.5pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.1%) and tyres (4.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, stop lamp and wipers — tread depth alone was recorded 3,233 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 17.0% once past 150k — 3.1× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 9.1% fail against 11.8% for diesel, a 2.8-point gap across 62,921 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 21.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 6.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 11.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.1% | 3,812 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.7% | 2,983 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.0% | 1,920 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.7% | 1,703 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.6% | 371 |
| 6 | Steering | 0.3% | 155 |
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 | 3,233 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 1,927 |
| 3 | Wipers | 1,873 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 1,457 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 1,067 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 992 |
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 | 21.9% | 13,751 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.8% | 11,168 |
| 3 | Other defects | 8.4% | 5,296 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.5% | 2,168 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.9% | 1,222 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.3% | 827 |
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 | 17,276 | 5.4% |
| 30-60k | 32,292 | 9.3% |
| 60-90k | 11,038 | 13.8% |
| 90-120k | 1,973 | 16.6% |
| 120-150k | 289 | 20.1% |
| 150k+ | 53 | 17.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 57,276 | 9.1% |
| Diesel | 5,645 | 11.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 12,328 | 6.9% |
| 2022 | 12,559 | 8.3% |
| 2023 | 12,675 | 9.7% |
| 2024 | 12,612 | 10.3% |
| 2025 | 12,747 | 11.2% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Vitara
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 6.1% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (6.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.7% 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.
- Visibility (3.0% 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.
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 2017 Suzuki Vitaras pass their MOT?
90.7% of the 62,921 2017 Suzuki Vitara MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Suzuki Vitara?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.1% of tests, followed by tyres (4.7%).
Does the 2017 Vitara get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.4% in the 0-30k band to 17.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 62,921 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.