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Suzuki Grand Vitara Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Suzuki Grand Vitara car check

Is the Suzuki Grand Vitara reliable? We analysed 1,025,634 real MOT tests across 67,699 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 1,025,634 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
76.2%
Typical Mileage
67,542mi
Annual Mileage
5,400mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
28yrs

The Suzuki Grand Vitara is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, brake pipe excessively corroded and windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Suzuki Grand Vitara.

Suzuki Grand Vitara Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Suzuki Grand Vitara. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Suzuki Grand Vitara MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Suzuki Grand Vitara to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

87.6%
2015
88.2%
2014
84.8%
2013
82.3%
2012
81.2%
2011
80.3%
2010
79.2%
2009
78.1%
2008
77.7%
2007
76.9%
2006
77%
2005
76.8%
2004
75.8%
2003
73.9%
2002
72.6%
2001
71.4%
2000
71.2%
1999
70.8%
1998
60.8%
1997

Suzuki Grand Vitara Problems — What Goes Wrong?

The most common reasons a Suzuki Grand Vitara fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 23,442
Brake pipe excessively corroded 22,487
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 17,776
position lamp(s) not working 14,500
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 11,293
brake binding 11,225
constant velocity joint gaiter damaged to the extent that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc 7,253
Registration plate lamp not working 7,214
Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded 6,997
Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases 6,470

Suzuki Grand Vitara Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Suzuki Grand Vitara owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
3,164 mi/yr
Typical
5,400 mi/yr
Average
6,332 mi/yr
Heavy usage
8,279 mi/yr

Suzuki Grand Vitara MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Suzuki Grand Vitara year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2015 498 87.6% 29,780 44,245 62,884
2014 5,646 88.2% 24,681 38,957 59,530
2013 14,450 84.8% 28,418 45,180 67,064
2012 16,002 82.3% 31,348 50,122 73,397
2011 23,769 81.2% 34,435 55,678 80,088
2010 33,592 80.3% 36,837 58,372 82,793
2009 41,856 79.2% 39,662 62,009 86,896
2008 57,799 78.1% 40,523 63,243 88,175
2007 83,472 77.7% 41,413 64,274 89,090
2006 89,447 76.9% 42,175 65,673 91,466
2005 107,336 77.0% 41,328 64,919 91,109
2004 128,986 76.8% 43,253 67,261 94,022
2003 122,135 75.8% 44,127 67,953 94,088
2002 107,489 73.9% 48,211 70,449 95,097
2001 92,647 72.6% 52,351 72,950 96,314
2000 49,225 71.4% 57,276 77,312 100,916
1999 32,597 71.2% 64,896 85,758 109,118
1998 16,896 70.8% 70,629 91,635 114,720
1997 51 60.8% 47,051 91,382 118,455

How Long Does a Suzuki Grand Vitara Last?

Based on 67,699 Suzuki Grand Vitara vehicles on UK roads.

Average
14.1 years
Median
14.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
28 years

Suzuki Grand Vitara Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Suzuki Grand Vitara MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
67,542 mi
75th Percentile
93,055 mi
95th Percentile
132,166 mi
Max Recorded
999,408 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Suzuki Grand Vitara

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
2014

88.2% MOT pass rate from 5,646 tests

Year to avoid
1997

60.8% MOT pass rate from 51 tests

The best year to buy a used Suzuki Grand Vitara is 2014, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 88.2% across 5,646 tests. The 1997 model year has the lowest pass rate at 60.8% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Suzuki Grand Vitara Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Suzuki Grand Vitara THIS CAR 76.2% 1,025,634 67,542 mi 28 yrs
Suzuki Swift 76.1% 2,247,517 51,601 mi 31 yrs
Suzuki Alto 74% 1,154,186 41,167 mi 28 yrs
Suzuki Vitara 76.3% 810,456 53,809 mi 36 yrs
Volkswagen Bora 71.9% 807,643 97,539 mi 27 yrs

Compared to the Suzuki Swift (76.1% pass rate) and the Suzuki Alto (74.0% pass rate), the Suzuki Grand Vitara outperforms both on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Suzuki Grand Vitara?

The Suzuki Grand Vitara has an overall MOT pass rate of 76.2% across 1,025,634 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.

The most common problems on the Suzuki Grand Vitara are tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (23,442 recorded failures), brake pipe excessively corroded (22,487), and windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (17,776). These are the faults most likely to cause an MOT failure on this model, so check for them carefully on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection. Many are wear-and-tear items that can be budgeted for, but a car that's already failing on multiple fronts may signal neglected maintenance.

A typical Suzuki Grand Vitara owner drives around 5,400 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

In terms of longevity, most Suzuki Grand Vitara models stay on UK roads for around 28 years — a strong showing that suggests solid build quality and readily available parts. If you're buying one that's already approaching that window, the data suggests it has plenty of life left provided it's been maintained.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Suzuki Grand Vitara — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Suzuki Grand Vitara reliable?
Based on 1,025,634 MOT tests, the Suzuki Grand Vitara has a 76.2% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Suzuki Grand Vitara?
The most common MOT failures are tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, brake pipe excessively corroded, and windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Suzuki Grand Vitara do per year?
The typical Suzuki Grand Vitara does around 5,400 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Suzuki Grand Vitara last?
Most Suzuki Grand Vitara models stay on UK roads for around 28 years based on our analysis of 67,699 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Suzuki Grand Vitara?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.
What is the best year to buy a Suzuki Grand Vitara?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Suzuki Grand Vitara is 2014 with a 88.2% pass rate across 5,646 tests.