Car statistics by year

2004 Suzuki Alto

Suzuki Alto cars first registered in 2004: how they did at their 2025 MOT, what failed them, how far they have been driven and how many are still on the road. Compared with every car first registered in 2004, so like is set against like.

A year of the Suzuki Alto. “2004” is the year of first registration.

Last updated
Records analysed
640 MOT tests of 2004 Suzuki Alto cars
Methodology
View methodology
  • MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 50.0% All 2004 cars 57.9%
  • Typical mileage at the MOT 53,500 miles; all 2004 cars 101,100
  • Left at the end of 2025 1,112 16.1% of the 6,920 at the end of 2014
  • Tests finding a dangerous defect 12.8% All 2004 cars 9.6%
  • Tests with an advisory 75.5% All 2004 cars 70.0%
  • MOT tests in 2025 640 normal tests in Great Britain

How do 2004 Suzuki Altos do at their MOT?

In 2025, at about 21 years old, 50.0% of 2004 Suzuki Alto MOT tests were passed first time, against 57.9% for all cars first registered in 2004. 2004 Suzuki Altos did worse than average for their age, by 7.9 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 47.9% of the time (all 2004 cars 56.5%).

MOT pass rate by year of first registration: Suzuki Alto vs all cars

Each pair of bars is one year of first registration, tested in 2025. Older cars pass less often, so compare each Suzuki Alto bar with the all-cars bar beside it.

MOT first-time pass rate in 2025 by year of first registration, Suzuki Alto compared with all cars
First registered Suzuki AltoAll cars
’04 50.0%57.9%
’05 48.2%57.7%
’06 47.9%56.9%
’09 61.1%58.2%
’10 60.2%59.3%
’11 63.1%61.5%
’12 64.7%63.6%
’13 66.8%66.0%
’14 68.3%69.1%
’15 68.7%72.6%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT failures on the 2004 Suzuki Alto

Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt was the most common single reason a 2004 Suzuki Alto failed, on 19.4% of about 300 failed tests. By area of the car, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment failed most often (42.8% of failed tests; all 2004 cars 49.2%). 12.8% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 9.6% for all cars first registered in 2004. A failed test can have several defects, so shares add up to more than 100%.

Most common reasons for failure

Share of failed tests with each defect. The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.

Most common specific MOT defects on failed 2004 Suzuki Alto tests, 2025
Defect Share of failed tests
Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Body, chassis, structure 19.4%
Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks 16.6%
Service brake imbalance: across an axle Brakes 15.9%
Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 14.7%
Stop lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 14.1%
Suspension arms: ball joint excessively worn Suspension 12.8%
Steering rack: gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Steering 9.7%
Service brake performance: excessively binding Brakes 8.1%
Service brake performance: efficiency below requirements Brakes 7.8%
Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility 7.2%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Failure categories: Suzuki Alto vs all 2004 cars

The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.

Share of failed 2004 Suzuki Alto MOT tests with a defect in each category, with all 2004 cars for comparison
Category Share of failed tests
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 42.8%
Brakes 37.8%
Suspension 36.6%
Body, chassis, structure 32.5%
Noise, emissions and leaks 23.1%
Tyres 14.4%
Visibility 14.4%
Steering 12.5%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT advisories on the 2004 Suzuki Alto

An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 75.5% of 2004 Suzuki Alto tests had at least one (all 2004 cars 70.0%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.

Most common advisories

Most common MOT advisories on 2004 Suzuki Alto tests, 2025
Advisory Share of tests
Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material Brakes 26.4%
Coil spring: corroded Suspension 19.7%
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres 17.0%
Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres 16.3%
Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks 15.9%
Suspension arm: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension 9.8%
Exhaust system: minor leak of exhaust gases Body, chassis, structure 9.4%
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes 9.1%
Service brake performance: binding but not excessively Brakes 6.7%
Component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive Suspension 6.4%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

What mileage is normal for a 2004 Suzuki Alto?

Half of the 2004 Suzuki Altos tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 53,500 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 36,100 and a quarter more than 72,300. For all cars first registered in 2004, the middle figure was 101,100 miles, so 2004 Suzuki Altos have been driven 47.1% less far than average.

Mileage at the 2025 MOT

Odometer readings at each car’s latest MOT of the year. The bar covers the middle half of cars; the line the middle 80%.

Odometer readings at the 2025 MOT, 2004 Suzuki Alto and all 2004 cars, by percentile
10% 25% Median 75% 90% Cars
2004 Suzuki Alto 25,700 36,100 53,500 72,300 91,700 615
All 2004 cars 51,600 73,300 101,100 133,200 166,100 309,169
miles

Half of the 2004 Suzuki Altos tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 53,500 miles.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

How many 2004 Suzuki Altos are left?

At the end of 2014, 6,920 2004 Suzuki Altos were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom (these counts start in 2014). By the end of 2025, 1,112 were: 559 licensed and 553 declared off the road (SORN). That is 16.1% still on the record, against 25.3% for all cars first registered in 2004.

Share still on the record since 2014

Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2014. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.

2004 Suzuki Altos on the DVLA record at each year end as a share of the number at the end of 2014, compared with all 2004 cars
Year end 2004 Suzuki AltoAll 2004 cars
2014 100.0%100.0%
2015 92.5%94.1%
2016 84.1%87.1%
2017 71.2%77.1%
2018 58.5%66.7%
2019 47.9%57.2%
2020 39.5%49.7%
2021 31.6%42.3%
2022 26.3%37.0%
2023 22.5%32.8%
2024 18.9%28.5%
2025 16.1%25.3%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated

Recalls that may affect cars built around 2004

2 of the Suzuki Alto’s 6 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 2004. 2 have no build dates, so could apply to any year.

The 2004 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2004 may have been built in 2003, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.

Suzuki Alto recalls whose build dates include 2004
Launched Concern Built Vehicles
14 Jun 2004 Incorrect specification metal brake pipes may be fitted to rear braking system 1 May 2002 to 1 May 2004 8,743
25 Feb 2004 Handbrake control button faulty 1 Feb 2004 1,101

Every Suzuki Alto recall · Check a specific car on GOV.UK · How we match recalls

Recall details come from manufacturers through DVSA. “Vehicles” is the number the manufacturer reported; “all models” means the figure covers everything in the recall. A recall listed here may not apply to a particular car: only the manufacturer or GOV.UK can say for its VIN.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis January 1992 to September 2026 Updated

Other years of the Suzuki Alto

10 years of the Suzuki Alto, by year of first registration, have their own page with MOT results, common faults, mileage and how many are left. Against all cars of the same age, the 2009 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (61.1% passed first time) and the 2005 cars worst (48.2%).

Suzuki Altos by year of first registration
Year Registered Left Pass rate All cars
2004 1,112 50.0% 57.9%
2005 1,135 48.2% 57.7%
2006 616 47.9% 56.9%
2009 4,854 61.1% 58.2%
2010 3,969 60.2% 59.3%
2011 4,106 63.1% 61.5%
2012 4,452 64.7% 63.6%
2013 11,436 66.8% 66.0%
2014 13,994 12,675 68.3% 69.1%
2015 1,955 1,775 68.7% 72.6%

Registered: cars on the DVLA record at the end of the year they were first registered (these counts start in 2014, so older years show a dash). Left: licensed or declared SORN at the end of 2025. Both cover the United Kingdom. Pass rate: first-time passes at normal MOT tests in Great Britain in 2025; all cars: every car first registered the same year.

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
MOT results and mileage Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Derived statistics UK Motoring
2025 640 MOT tests of 2004 Suzuki Alto cars 15 September 2026
Cars on the record Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of 2025 1,112 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) 15 September 2026
  • MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of Suzuki Alto cars first registered in 2004; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2004.
  • Year of first registration is DVSA’s first-use date: when the car was first registered, in the UK or abroad.
  • Defects and advisories are DVSA’s descriptions made readable. Where on the car a defect was found (side, front or rear) is ignored, so the same fault on any wheel counts once per test.
  • Mileage is the odometer reading at each car’s latest normal MOT of the year, as recorded by the tester. A few readings are in kilometres or mistyped; percentiles are not thrown by a handful of outliers.
  • Cars on the record come from DfT table VEH0124 and cover the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland; MOT figures cover Great Britain only.
  • DVSA records the model name typed in at the test. We match those names to DVLA’s generic models, so a handful of tests may be counted under a close relative.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.