Suzuki Alto: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Suzuki Alto fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 2.7 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 48,329 individual Suzuki Alto tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 74% first-time pass rate means roughly 26 in every 100 Suzuki Altos presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average Suzuki Alto tested had covered 59,198 miles and was built around 2012.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Suzuki Alto sits 2.7 points below the national average, ranked 1,645 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Suzuki Alto rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see the median recorded closing bid for a damaged Suzuki Alto: £200 at UK salvage auction, from 5 ended listings, not independently confirmed sales.

Most common MOT failures on a Suzuki Alto

1. Audible warning inoperative, 1.7% of tests (6.03x the national rate for this defect)
2. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 6.4% of tests (5.94x the national rate for this defect)
3. A wheel bearing excessively rough, 1.5% of tests (4.83x the national rate for this defect)
4. Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 4.2% of tests (3.06x the national rate for this defect)
5. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 3.9% of tests (2.03x the national rate for this defect)
6. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 3.3% of tests (1.48x the national rate for this defect)
7. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 1.5% of tests (1.42x the national rate for this defect)
8. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 2.5% of tests (1.38x the national rate for this defect)
9. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 2.2% of tests (1.28x the national rate for this defect)
10. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 1.9% of tests (1.23x the national rate for this defect)

From 48,291 DVSA-tracked Suzuki Alto tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 3.69% of these flagged Suzuki Alto defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Suzuki Alto

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Suzuki Alto before it actually fails on it.

1. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 31.2% of tests (5.04x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
2. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 21.9% of tests (4.63x the national rate for this advisory)
3. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 2.6% of tests (2.34x the national rate for this advisory)
4. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 12% of tests (2.31x the national rate for this advisory)
5. A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded, 2.5% of tests (1.97x the national rate for this advisory)
6. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 3.9% of tests (1.95x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
7. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 24.7% of tests (1.85x the national rate for this advisory)
8. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 2.8% of tests (1.82x the national rate for this advisory)
9. A tyre seriously damaged, 18.6% of tests (1.21x the national rate for this advisory)
10. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 25.8% of tests

From 48,291 DVSA-tracked Suzuki Alto tests, 2024.

Suzuki Alto pass rate by model year

From its 2003 to its 2015 model year, the Suzuki Alto's first-time pass rate has risen 31.6 points, from 48.8% to 80.4%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Suzuki Alto year:

• 2003 Suzuki Alto - 48.8% first-time pass, 391 tests
• 2004 Suzuki Alto - 55.5% first-time pass, 885 tests
• 2005 Suzuki Alto - 58.1% first-time pass, 1,007 tests
• 2006 Suzuki Alto - 56.8% first-time pass, 629 tests
• 2009 Suzuki Alto - 69.9% first-time pass, 5,202 tests
• 2010 Suzuki Alto - 70.6% first-time pass, 4,408 tests
• 2011 Suzuki Alto - 74.3% first-time pass, 4,508 tests
• 2012 Suzuki Alto - 74.3% first-time pass, 4,592 tests
• 2013 Suzuki Alto - 76.4% first-time pass, 11,742 tests
• 2014 Suzuki Alto - 79.4% first-time pass, 12,751 tests
• 2015 Suzuki Alto - 80.4% first-time pass, 1,826 tests

Other Suzuki models

• Suzuki Swift - 77.3%
• Suzuki Vitara - 88.6%
• Suzuki Sx4 - 75%
• Suzuki Celerio - 90%
• Suzuki Jimny - 72.9%
• Suzuki Ignis - 79.8%
• Suzuki Grand Vitara - 68.2%
• Suzuki Splash - 68.4%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Perodua Myvi - 74.2%
• Toyota Landcruiser Estate - 74.1%
• Mazda 6 - 74%
• Fiat Motorhome - 74%
• Renault R5 - 74%
• SEAT Toledo - 73.9%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate