2025 MOT results
Suzuki Wagon R+ common problems
The most common reason a Suzuki Wagon R+ fails its MOT is a sidelight out, on 12.8% of its 2,838 failed tests in 2025. Against other cars of the same age, 4 faults stand out, the widest gaps being: a worn steering or suspension joint at 10.7% of failures against 5.0% expected; corroded brake pipes at 9.5% of failures against 4.7% expected; a weak or uneven footbrake at 5.9% of failures against 3.0% expected.
- Tests in 2025 6,452 Cars aged three and over
- Failed first time 44.0% 2,838 tests
- Found a dangerous defect 12.2% Unsafe to drive away
- Ended with an advisory 74.2% A problem to watch, not a failure
What fails a Suzuki Wagon R+ MOT
Each bar is the share of failed Suzuki Wagon R+ tests with that defect. Where we can compare it with cars of the same registration years, the marker shows what an average car of those ages records (12 of the 12 items below).
Most common reasons for failure
A test can fail for more than one defect, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 12.8% |
| Suspension arms: ball joint excessively worn Suspension | 10.7% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility | 9.8% |
| Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Body, chassis, structure | 9.7% |
| Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded Brakes | 9.5% |
| Stop lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 8.1% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks | 7.2% |
| Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play Steering | 7.1% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 6.2% |
| Service brake imbalance: across an axle Brakes | 5.9% |
| Component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength Suspension | 5.5% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 5.0% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
-
Sidelight out
12.8% of failures 12.2% expected about as expected
A sidelight, also called a position lamp, not working. It marks the width of the car at night.
Walk round the car with the lights on and the hazards going; these are the cheapest failures to avoid.
-
Worn steering or suspension joint
10.7% of failures 5.0% expected 2.1 times as often
Play in a steering or suspension joint, where a worn ball and socket lets the wheel move where it should not.
A knock at low speed over rough ground, or vague steering, is the usual warning.
-
Wiper blades that do not clear the screen
9.8% of failures 7.5% expected somewhat more often
Wiper blades that leave the windscreen smeared or streaked across the area the driver looks through.
Look for split or hardened rubber, and lift each blade to see whether it still sits flat.
-
Split joint boot
9.7% of failures 6.9% expected somewhat more often
A split rubber boot on a joint or driveshaft. The joint may still be sound, but dirt and water get in once the boot is open.
Turn the wheels to full lock and look behind them for greasy splits in the rubber concertina.
-
Corroded brake pipes
9.5% of failures 4.7% expected 2 times as often
Corroded or damaged brake pipework. It is a safety item, and on older cars the rear pipes go first.
Look along the pipes under the sills with a torch; flaking rust rather than surface staining is the problem.
-
Brake light out
8.1% of failures 9.3% expected about as expected
A brake light not working, from a bulb, a poor earth, or the switch on the pedal.
Reverse up to a wall or window at dusk and press the pedal to see all three lamps light.
Which parts of the car fail
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment is the area that most often fails a Suzuki Wagon R+, on 36.9% of failed tests. The widest gap against cars of the same registration years is tyres, on 19.9% against 14.7% expected.
Failure categories
DVSA's own sections of the test. The marker is what cars of the same registration years record.
| Defect category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 36.9% |
| Suspension | 36.8% |
| Brakes | 29.1% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 21.2% |
| Tyres | 19.9% |
| Visibility | 18.4% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 14.5% |
| Steering | 12.1% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What testers warn about
74.2% of Suzuki Wagon R+ tests ended with at least one advisory: a fault the tester found that did not fail the test. On Suzuki Wagon R+ cars, these are the items to ask about on a car you are viewing, because they are what the last tester expected to go next.
Most common advisories
Share of all tests, passes included.
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material Brakes | 26.6% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 16.8% |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 15.9% |
| Play in steering rack inner joint(s) Non-component advisories | 14.1% |
| Coil spring: corroded Suspension | 13.3% |
| Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 12.3% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 9.3% |
| Suspension arm: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension | 6.8% |
| Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle | 6.7% |
| Exhaust system: mounting defective Body, chassis, structure | 6.1% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 5.9% |
| Component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive Suspension | 5.3% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Suzuki Wagon R+ problems: common questions
What is the most common problem with a Suzuki Wagon R+?
Of the faults that fail an MOT, “Position lamp: not working” is the most common: it appears on 12.8% of failed Suzuki Wagon R+ tests. Across categories, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment is the area that most often fails one, on 36.9% of failed tests.
How often does a Suzuki Wagon R+ fail its MOT?
44.0% of Suzuki Wagon R+ tests in 2025 were not passed first time, from 6,452 tests of cars aged three and over. Allowing for the age and mileage of the cars tested, that gives it a UK Motoring Reliability Score of 41 out of 100, where 50 is as expected.
Does anything fail more often on a Suzuki Wagon R+ than on other cars?
Yes. “Suspension arms: ball joint excessively worn” appears on 10.7% of its failures against 5.0% for cars of the same age, and “Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded” appears on 9.5% of its failures against 4.7% for cars of the same age. Where an item is missing from the national figures for a year, we use the smallest share those figures show, so the comparison never overstates the difference.
Are these the same as breakdowns or known faults?
No. These are the items a tester recorded at the MOT, which covers condition and safety: lamps, brakes, tyres, suspension, corrosion and emissions. A gearbox that is unpleasant, an infotainment screen that has died, or a car that will not start on a cold morning are not part of the test, so they are not in these figures.
Where do the figures come from?
Every normal MOT test of a Suzuki Wagon R+ aged three and over in Great Britain in 2025, from DVSA's anonymised MOT results. Retests are excluded, and the same fault on more than one wheel counts once.
Data stories to read next
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT defects and advisories | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 6,452 MOT tests | 19 September 2026 |
- Shares for defects are of failed tests; shares for advisories are of all tests. A test can carry several defects, so shares add to more than 100%.
- The expected share is what an average car of the same registration years records, weighted by where this model’s failures fall. Where an item is outside the national figures for a year, the smallest share those figures show is used in its place, which is an upper bound, so the comparison never overstates a model’s problems. No expectation is published where less than 80% of the model’s failures can be compared.
- Great Britain only: DVSA does not run MOT testing in Northern Ireland. Cars under three years old are not tested.
- The descriptions of what each part does are general and the same on every model. Every figure comes from the MOT data.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.