Pass rate, every year
75.4% Around average
77,753 tests across 16 model years, 2000–2015.
−5.6 pts vs the national average
Suzuki Grand Vitara MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics
Best year to buy
2014 89.8%
The strongest of the 16 years on record. See the 2014 page →
Worst year to buy
2002 71.4%
18.4 points below the 2014 peak. See the 2002 page →
The Suzuki Grand Vitara MOT pass rate is 75.4%, −5.6 percentage points below the UK average. That is 77,753 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2000 and 2015. This page lists the most common Suzuki Grand Vitara MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.
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MOT pass rates are national — type your postcode to see how Suzuki Grand Vitara MOT pass rates does in your corner of the country.
Suzuki Grand Vitara MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average
The Suzuki Grand Vitara passed on its first attempt in 69.4%, and its overall record sits −5.6 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Suzuki Grand Vitara in the 2023–2025 data: 77,753 tests across 16 model years (2000–2015). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 77,753 |
| Overall pass rate | 75.4% |
| Passed on first attempt | 69.4% |
| Average mileage at test | 88,501 mi |
| Model years covered | 2000–2015 (16 years) |
| Versus UK national average | −5.6 pts below |
Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.
Most Common Suzuki Grand Vitara MOT Problems by Failure Category
Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Suzuki Grand Vitara, the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.
| Inspection section | Share of failures |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 42% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 22% |
| Suspension | 16% |
| Visibility | 12% |
| Brakes | 5% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 2% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 1% |
| Tyres | 0% |
Shares are over the Suzuki Grand Vitara's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Around 42% of the recorded Suzuki Grand Vitara failures fall in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (5.1%), "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (4.1%), "Position lamp not working" (3.8%) among the Suzuki Grand Vitara's lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment faults.
Body, chassis, structure
Around 22% of the recorded Suzuki Grand Vitara failures fall in the Body, chassis, structure section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (4.0%), "Joints constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (2.7%), "Exhaust system has a major leak of exhaust gases" (0.8%) among the Suzuki Grand Vitara's body, chassis, structure faults.
Suspension
Around 16% of the recorded Suzuki Grand Vitara failures fall in the Suspension section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" (2.8%), "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (2.1%), "Coil spring fractured or broken" (0.7%) among the Suzuki Grand Vitara's suspension faults.
Top Recorded Suzuki Grand Vitara DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Suzuki Grand Vitara, each with how many of the model's 77,753 tests it was noted on.
- "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 3,950 Suzuki Grand Vitara tests, 5.1% of the model's MOT record.
- "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (Minor) — noted on about 3,204 Suzuki Grand Vitara tests, 4.1% of the model's MOT record.
- "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 3,120 Suzuki Grand Vitara tests, 4.0% of the model's MOT record.
- "Position lamp not working" (Major) — noted on about 2,947 Suzuki Grand Vitara tests, 3.8% of the model's MOT record.
- "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 2,537 Suzuki Grand Vitara tests, 3.3% of the model's MOT record.
- "Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" (Major) — noted on about 2,162 Suzuki Grand Vitara tests, 2.8% of the model's MOT record.
What Grand Vitara fails on more than most
6 failure items are recorded at least 1.5 times the UK rate on this model.
| Failure item | This model | UK | × UK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chassis corroded | 4.3% | 0.5% | 8.6× | £180–£450 |
| Component mounting: prescribed area excessively corroded | 7.1% | 1.1% | 6.5× | £180–£450 |
| Integral structure corroded | 3.6% | 0.6% | 6.0× | £180–£450 |
| Transmission oil leaks leaking excessively from transmission | 4.1% | 0.7% | 5.9× | £200–£700 |
| Brake hose ferrule corroded | 4.1% | 1.0% | 4.1× | £25–£70 |
| Shock absorbers damaged to the extent that it does not function | 1.4% | 0.4% | 3.5× | £30–£75 |
Rates are a share of this model's own tests (77,753 for the top row), so a big seller cannot outrank a rare one. The UK figure is the same item's share of every test in our data. Items Grand Vitara records at or below the UK rate are not listed — this is where it is unusual, not a full inventory. All failure items · parts and costs
Best and Worst Suzuki Grand Vitara Model Years by Pass Rate
The strongest Suzuki Grand Vitara model year on record is 2014 (89.8% across 1,650 tests), and the weakest is 2002 (71.4%). The gap between them is 18.4 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.
Suzuki Grand Vitara reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 2.6 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 Grand Vitara | 162 | 89.5% |
| 2014 Grand Vitara | 1,650 | 89.8% |
| 2013 Grand Vitara | 3,839 | 85.5% |
| 2012 Grand Vitara | 3,848 | 80.8% |
| 2011 Grand Vitara | 5,110 | 79.9% |
| 2010 Grand Vitara | 6,268 | 78.0% |
| 2009 Grand Vitara | 6,439 | 77.6% |
| 2008 Grand Vitara | 7,564 | 74.5% |
| 2007 Grand Vitara | 8,474 | 74.2% |
| 2006 Grand Vitara | 7,032 | 72.1% |
| 2005 Grand Vitara | 8,377 | 71.8% |
| 2004 Grand Vitara | 7,665 | 71.6% |
| 2003 Grand Vitara | 5,157 | 72.4% |
| 2002 Grand Vitara | 3,511 | 71.4% |
| 2001 Grand Vitara | 1,856 | 73.1% |
| 2000 Grand Vitara | 801 | 72.5% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Suzuki Grand Vitara Owners
These checks follow this Suzuki Grand Vitara's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Suzuki Grand Vitara.
-
the lights — “registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources”
Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.
-
the windscreen — “windscreen damaged”
Check the driver’s side of the screen within the swept area for chips and cracks; anything larger than 10mm in the driver’s central view is a fail. Most chips can be resin-repaired for far less than a new screen.
-
corrosion — “component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength”
Look under the sills, around the jacking points and where the suspension mounts meet the body. Flaking, holed or crumbly metal fails; a brown stain on sound metal does not.
Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Suzuki Grand Vitara. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions: Suzuki Grand Vitara MOT & Reliability
What is the Suzuki Grand Vitara MOT pass rate?
75.4% of the 77,753 recorded Suzuki Grand Vitara MOT tests ended in a pass, −5.6 percentage points below the national average. 69.4% of those passed on the first attempt.
Which Suzuki Grand Vitara model years pass the MOT most often?
2014 is the strongest Suzuki Grand Vitara year on record at 89.8%, while 2002 is the weakest at 71.4%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
What are the most common Suzuki Grand Vitara MOT failures?
The most recorded Suzuki Grand Vitara failures are "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" and "Headlamp lens slightly defective" — together around 9% of tests, mostly in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section.