Suzuki Grand Vitara common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 18,206 initial MOT tests on the Suzuki Grand Vitara in Great Britain, and 62.3% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Suzuki Grand Vitara at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 18,206
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 62.3%
Failed at firstIncluding 6.9% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 37.7%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 6.7%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 12,342 off the road (SORN): 15,615

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

Failure areas

Where the Grand Vitara fails its MOT

The share of initial tests in 2025 with at least one fail or PRS item in each part of the MOT. A test can fail in more than one area, so these do not add up to the fail rate.

1Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
17.3%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
2Suspension
13.7%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
3Body, chassis and structure
10.1%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
4Brakes
9.6%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
5Noise, emissions and leaks
6.3%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
6Visibility
5.9%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
7Tyres
3.6%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
8Seat belts and airbags
3.1%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
9Steering
0.9%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
10Registration plates and VIN
0.6%
Number plates and the vehicle identification numberAll cars and vans: 0.3%

This modelAll cars and vans

Parts

The parts that fail most

Share of initial tests with a fail or PRS item on each part, 2025.

Position lampsLamps and electrics6.7%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks6.1%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics4.8%
Anti-roll barsSuspension4.6%
Brake performanceBrakes4.4%
Component mounting prescribed areasSuspension4.4%
Suspension armsSuspension4.1%
TransmissionBody and structure4.0%

By age

Pass rate by year first used

Older cars fail more often, so compare a car with others of its year. Cars up to 25 years old; years with fewer than 250 tests are left out.

First used	Tests	Passed first time	Dangerous defect
2014	500	81.2%	3.6%
2013	1,109	76.3%	5.3%
2012	1,047	68.0%	6.6%
2011	1,341	65.5%	5.8%
2010	1,583	64.7%	6.8%
2009	1,541	63.5%	5.8%
2008	1,758	58.6%	7.3%
2007	1,834	59.6%	7.1%
2006	1,475	55.4%	7.2%
2005	1,792	58.3%	7.3%
2004	1,636	59.7%	7.5%
2003	1,085	59.7%	6.6%
2002	733	59.6%	6.8%
2001	398	59.5%	8.0%

Mileage

Grand Vitara mileage by age

The median reading at the test: half the cars of that age had covered more, half less. Estimated from 1,000-mile bands, for cars up to 25 years old.

A car well above or below the typical figure is not a problem in itself, but the readings should rise steadily from one MOT to the next. A fall, or a long gap, is worth asking about.

Check a car's mileage record

Age at test	Median mileage	Readings
10 years	58,300 miles	271
11 years	64,300 miles	843
12 years	72,000 miles	1,056
13 years	78,800 miles	1,150
14 years	83,600 miles	1,525
15 years	89,600 miles	1,588
16 years	91,900 miles	1,501
17 years	94,300 miles	1,969
18 years	99,000 miles	1,629
19 years	98,500 miles	1,624
20 years	98,600 miles	1,657
21 years	100,700 miles	1,369
22 years	99,400 miles	895
23 years	103,300 miles	534
24 years	97,300 miles	276

Checking a particular Grand Vitara?

Averages tell you what to look at. The registration tells you about this car: every MOT since 2005 with its failures and advisories, each mileage reading, and whether it is taxed.

Questions

Suzuki Grand Vitara: common questions

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Suzuki Grand Vitara?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Suzuki Grand Vitara was lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 17.3% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 10.8% for all cars and vans. Next came suspension (13.7%) and body, chassis and structure (10.1%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the Suzuki Grand Vitara?

62.3% of 18,206 initial MOT tests on the Suzuki Grand Vitara in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 6.9% passed after small repairs made at the test station within the hour (PRS). Across all cars and vans, 72.1% passed first time.

Does a lower pass rate mean the Suzuki Grand Vitara is unreliable?

Not on its own. MOT results depend on age, mileage and upkeep as much as on design, so a model with many older cars on the road will usually fail more often. The table by year compares cars of a similar age. What matters most is the record of the car you are looking at, so check its MOT history before you buy.

What counts as a dangerous defect?

One the tester judges to be a direct and immediate risk to road safety, or to have a serious impact on the environment. The car fails and should not be driven until it is repaired. 6.7% of initial tests on the Suzuki Grand Vitara found at least one, against 7.3% for all cars and vans.

Where do these figures come from?

From DVSA's anonymised MOT test data for 2025, published under the Open Government Licence. We count initial tests on cars and light vans in Great Britain, as DVSA does in its own statistics: retests, appeals and abandoned tests are left out, and so are advisories and minor defects.

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