Suzuki Swift Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Suzuki Swift fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 208,236 MOT tests across 24 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: small family car | Fuel: Petrol, Hybrid, Diesel
81%
Suzuki Swift pass rate
82%
Suzuki average
82%
All-model average
The Suzuki Swift has an average MOT pass rate of 81%, which is 1 point below the Suzuki average and 1 point below the average across all models in our data. Newer Suzuki Swifts pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 16 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Suzuki Swift Fails Its MOT On
Of the 35,558 MOT tests on the Suzuki Swift that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Lights and electrics
46%Cars and vans the same age: 40% · Typical repair £15-£200
Suspension
33%Cars and vans the same age: 35% · Typical repair £150-£600
Brakes
31%Cars and vans the same age: 23% (the Swift fails on this more often) · Typical repair £80-£450
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
19%Cars and vans the same age: 15% · Typical repair £10-£350
Tyres
18%Cars and vans the same age: 21% · Typical repair £50-£300
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Position lamp: not working (18% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Stop lamp: not working (15% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively (11% of failed tests, windscreen, wipers and mirrors)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Suzuki Swift Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each Swift year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Suzuki Swift Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Petrol | 1.2L | 99% | 1% | - |
| 2020 | Hybrid | 1.2L | 95% | 5% | 92% (+3) |
| 2019 | Petrol | 1.2L | 92% | 8% | 91% (+1) |
| 2018 | Petrol | 1.2L | 90% | 9% | 89% (+1) |
| 2017 | Petrol | 1.6L | 89% | 10% | 87% (+2) |
| 2016 | Petrol | 1.6L | 88% | 11% | 86% (+2) |
| 2015 | Petrol | 1.6L | 87% | 13% | 84% (+3) |
| 2014 | Petrol | 1.6L | 85% | 15% | 82% (+3) |
| 2013 | Petrol | 1.6L | 83% | 16% | 80% (+3) |
| 2012 | Petrol | 1.6L | 81% | 18% | 79% (+2) |
| 2011 | Diesel | 1.2L | 78% | 21% | 77% (+1) |
| 2010 | Petrol | 1.6L | 74% | 26% | 75% (-1) |
| 2009 | Petrol | 1.5L | 71% | 28% | 75% (-4) |
| 2008 | Petrol | 1.5L | 69% | 30% | 74% (-5) |
| 2007 | Petrol | 1.6L | 69% | 30% | 73% (-4) |
| 2006 | Petrol | 1.5L | 67% | 31% | 73% (-6) |
| 2005 | Petrol | 1.5L | 68% | 32% | 73% (-5) |
| 2003 | Petrol | 1.0L | 73% | 25% | - |
| 2002 | Petrol | 1.0L | 69% | 31% | - |
| 2001 | Petrol | 1.0L | 73% | 27% | - |
| 2000 | Petrol | 1.0L | 75% | 25% | - |
| 1999 | Petrol | 1.3L | 72% | 27% | - |
| 1998 | Petrol | 1.3L | 80% | 20% | - |
| 1996 | Petrol | 1.0L | 85% | 15% | - |
Suzuki Swift Running Costs
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Suzuki Swift FAQ
What are the most common Suzuki Swift problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Suzuki Swift that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (46% of the 35,558 failed tests), suspension (33%) and brakes (31%). The single most common fault was "Position lamp: not working" (18%). Across 208,236 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 81% ended in a pass.
Is the Suzuki Swift reliable?
The Suzuki Swift has an average MOT pass rate of 81%, from 208,236 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed about as often as other cars of the same age.
Which Suzuki Swift years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2006 (67% of 8,309 tests passed, against 73% for all 2006 cars), the 2008 (69% of 14,871 tests passed, against 74% for all 2008 cars) and the 2005 (68% of 2,653 tests passed, against 73% for all 2005 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. The years that passed most often for their age were the 2015 (87% of 19,751 tests passed, against 84% for all 2015 cars), the 2014 (85% of 16,455 tests passed, against 82% for all 2014 cars) and the 2013 (83% of 14,658 tests passed, against 80% for all 2013 cars). A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Suzuki Swift faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Suzuki Swift typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Suzuki Models
Common problems pages for other Suzuki models