Suzuki SX4 MOT failure rate and common faults
42,456 Suzuki SX4 cars aged 3 to 20 took their MOT in 2025, and 28.2% failed at the first attempt. An average car of the same age failed 28.9% of the time, which makes the Suzuki SX4 about as likely to fail than the typical car on the road. Here is what fails, and which years to look for.
28.2%
failed first time
42,456 MOT tests in 2025
-2%
vs same age average
average car of this age mix: 28.9%
116 of 208
age adjusted rank
among cars; 1 fails least
107.0
dangerous defects per 1,000
same age average: 106.2
What fails on a Suzuki SX4 MOT
Failure items recorded per 1,000 tests, by part of the car, set against an average car with exactly the same spread of ages. A figure well above average is a weak spot worth checking before you buy.
The most common Suzuki SX4 MOT failures
The individual failure items testers recorded most often, per 1,000 tests.
| Failure item | Area | Per 1,000 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Coil spring: fractured or broken | Suspension | 47.5 |
| Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 46.8 |
| Ball joint excessively worn | Suspension | 39.1 |
| Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded | Brakes | 38.9 |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 34.4 |
| Position lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 33.5 |
| Stop lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 25.3 |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick | Brakes | 19.5 |
| Service brake performance: excessively binding | Brakes | 16.2 |
| Parking brake efficiency: efficiency below requirements | Brakes | 16.1 |
Suzuki SX4 MOT failure rate by year
Every car fails more often as it ages, so each registration year is compared with the average for all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 500 tests are left out.
| First registered | Tests | Failed | Same age average | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2,705 | 6.9% | 11.4% | 23,300 |
| 2021 | 1,726 | 10.1% | 12.8% | 30,400 |
| 2020 | 894 | 10.0% | 14.1% | 32,800 |
| 2019 | 2,027 | 13.0% | 16.5% | 38,500 |
| 2018 | 2,716 | 15.4% | 19.1% | 47,200 |
| 2017 | 3,213 | 17.3% | 21.8% | 54,700 |
| 2016 | 3,369 | 19.9% | 25.1% | 65,100 |
| 2015 | 3,709 | 22.9% | 28.1% | 71,700 |
| 2014 | 6,341 | 29.2% | 31.4% | 77,300 |
| 2013 | 3,274 | 34.8% | 34.3% | 76,400 |
| 2012 | 1,899 | 40.6% | 36.6% | 79,500 |
| 2011 | 2,113 | 44.2% | 38.8% | 85,200 |
| 2010 | 1,902 | 45.1% | 40.7% | 89,900 |
| 2009 | 1,710 | 47.2% | 41.8% | 90,900 |
| 2008 | 2,123 | 47.7% | 42.9% | 95,400 |
| 2007 | 1,987 | 50.9% | 42.7% | 99,000 |
| 2006 | 748 | 52.8% | 43.0% | 97,600 |
Advisories to look for in a Suzuki SX4's MOT history
An advisory is a tester's warning that something is wearing but has not failed yet. These are the ones written most often on the Suzuki SX4, per 1,000 tests. If the car you are looking at has one of these, ask whether it has been fixed since.
- Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge296.2
- Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material181.7
- Tyres: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing125.4
- Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened114.6
- Brake pads: wearing thin90.3
- Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement71.1
Checking a used Suzuki SX4 before you buy
Against cars of the same age, the Suzuki SX4 fails more often than average on brakes. Start there.
Brakes
Look through the wheel spokes at the discs for a deep lip or scoring, check the handbrake holds the car on a slope, and feel for a pull to one side when braking hard.
Averages only take you so far. The specific car's MOT history shows whether it has already failed on any of these, how often advisories were ignored, and whether the mileage climbs steadily from test to test. Read our guide to reading a car's MOT history before you go to view it.
Fuel mix of the Suzuki SX4 cars tested: Petrol 77%, Diesel 12%, Hybrid 11%. Average age at test 10.6 years, average recorded mileage 67,900.
Suzuki SX4 MOT questions
What is the Suzuki SX4 MOT failure rate?
28.2% of Suzuki SX4 cars failed their first MOT test of 2025, from 42,456 tests on vehicles aged 3 to 20. An average car with the same age mix failed 28.9% of the time, so the Suzuki SX4 was about as likely to fail.
What fails most often on a Suzuki SX4 MOT?
Suspension caused the most failure items, at 160 per 1,000 tests. The single most common failure item was "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded 47.5 times per 1,000 tests.
Which Suzuki SX4 year has the best MOT record?
Measured against cars of the same age, 2022 registrations did best: 6.9% failed against an average of 11.4% for cars that age. Older cars always fail more often, so compare a year with its age group rather than with newer cars.
Does this tell me whether a particular Suzuki SX4 will pass?
No. These are averages across every Suzuki SX4 tested in 2025. The car in front of you has its own record: its full MOT history shows every pass, failure and advisory it has had, and it is free to view by registration.
Other Suzuki models
- Suzuki Swift27.7% failed
- Suzuki Vitara15.2% failed
- Suzuki Alto35.0% failed
- Suzuki Ignis17.0% failed
- Suzuki Celerio17.1% failed
Ranked close to the Suzuki SX4
- Volkswagen Touranrank 113
- Mitsubishi Outlanderrank 114
- Ford Mondeorank 115
- Citroen C1rank 117
How these figures are calculated
Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 release. We count first tests of cars and small vans (class 4) aged 3 to 20, so a car that fails and is retested is counted once. A failure includes faults fixed and passed within the same visit. The same age average weights the national failure rate for each age by how many Suzuki SX4 cars of that age were tested, so a model is never penalised for having an older fleet. Make and model are as recorded at the test; trim levels are combined. Full method and rankings.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.