Car guides

Suzuki Vitara: common problems, best years and what to check

Light, frugal small SUV with optional 4x4. Covers 2015–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.

Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide

Is the Suzuki Vitara a good used buy?

Best buy

1.4 BoosterJet AllGrip

Avoid

none notable

Who it suits: Buyers wanting a small, reliable SUV with real 4x4.

What's good

  • Reliable
  • 4x4 option
  • Light and frugal
  • Good value

What's not

  • Hard plastics
  • Small boot
  • Noisy at speed
  • Dated infotainment

By the numbers

  • #108 most common model on UK roads, with about 78k licensed (DfT).
  • The biggest surviving year is 2019: 12.4k cars still licensed.
  • 2015 cars survive 6% better than comparable cars of that year.

Suzuki Vitara common problems by generation and engine

Suzuki Vitara LY (2015–) · small SUV; AllGrip 4x4

How to spot it: 15 plate onwards. Square, Range Rover-like profile with clamshell bonnet.

1.4 BoosterJet / 1.6 (K14C / M16A, petrol (mild hybrid from 2020), 2015–)

Reliable

Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.

Best and worst Suzuki Vitara years

How many Suzuki Vitaras from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.

survives better than similar carsabout averagesurvives worse

Years that outlast similar cars: 2015, 2016, 2017. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.

Suzuki Vitara MOT pass rate and common failures

First-time pass rate (2025)

85%

Average UK car of the same age

81%all makes, same ages as these Suzuki Vitaras

MOT tests analysed (2015+ cars)

62,572

Suzuki Vitaras pass their MOT first time 4 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (85% vs 81%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.

First registeredPass rateAverage UK car that ageMedian mileage
201579%72%70k miles
201679%75%64k miles
201781%78%56k miles
201883%81%48k miles
201988%84%40k miles
202091%86%34k miles
202193%87%28k miles
202293%89%21k miles

Pass rate by fuel

Petrol

83% 46,281 tests

Hybrid

93% 9,598 tests

Diesel

74% 3,888 tests

Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.

Most common MOT failures

  1. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm3.8 per 100
  2. Position lamp: not working2.95 per 100
  3. Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively2.39 per 100
  4. Stop lamp: not working2.23 per 100
  5. Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1.51 per 100
  6. Tyres: has a cut1.12 per 100
  7. Headlamp aim: too high1.04 per 100
  8. Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded0.68 per 100

Most common advisories

  1. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm24.88 per 100
  2. Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick9.35 per 100
  3. Tyres: has a tear8.65 per 100
  4. Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened8.08 per 100
  5. Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded4.25 per 100
  6. Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt3.31 per 100
  7. Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn3.05 per 100
  8. Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm2.84 per 100

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Does the Suzuki Vitara have a timing belt or chain?

EngineTypeWhenCost
All engineschaindurable£600–£1,000

Suzuki Vitara running costs

Road tax (from April 2017)

£200 a year; +£440 for years 2–6 if the list price was over £40,000 (£50,000 for electric cars).

Road tax (before April 2017)

CO2 band tax: £20 (band A–B, up to 110g/km) to £790 (band M). Most petrol and diesel versions sit in bands B–E, £20–£200 a year.

Insurance groups

12–18

Real-world economy

1.4 BoosterJet: 42–48
1.6: 40–46

Servicing (independent)

Minor £150–£210 · Major £250–£360

Tyres

215/55 R17 · set of four £360–£520

Warranty when new

3 years / 60,000 miles; up to 10 years with dealer servicing (from 2025)

Is the Suzuki Vitara ULEZ compliant?

  • Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
  • Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.

Safety and practicality

Euro NCAP

Vitara: ★★★★★ (2015)

Boot

375 litres

Seats

5

Suzuki Vitara vs rivals

ModelOn UK roadsInsuranceBootBest buy
Suzuki Vitara78k12–18375 l1.4 BoosterJet AllGrip
Dacia Duster97k8–20445 l2018+ Mk2 1.3 TCe or Bi-Fuel
Skoda Kamiq44k9–17400 l1.0 TSI 110 manual
Nissan Juke379k11–20422 l2019+ F16 1.0 DIG-T manual
Ford Puma180k11–21456 l2020+ 1.0 EcoBoost mHEV 125 manual
Kia Stonic47k10–15352 l1.0 T-GDi 120 mild hybrid

What to check when buying a used Suzuki Vitara

  • AllGrip 4x4 is a bargain

Suzuki Vitara FAQ

›Is the Suzuki Vitara reliable?

Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 1.4 BoosterJet AllGrip. Avoid: none notable.

›What is the Suzuki Vitara MOT pass rate?

85% of Suzuki Vitaras passed their MOT first time in 2025 (62,572 tests), better than the 81% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm.

›What are the most common Suzuki Vitara problems?

The costliest known faults are . Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.

›Does the Suzuki Vitara have a timing belt or chain?

All engines: chain.

›What is the best year Suzuki Vitara to buy?

By DfT survival data, 2015, 2016, 2017 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.

›How much does a Suzuki Vitara cost to run?

Real-world economy: 1.4 BoosterJet 42–48 mpg; 1.6 40–46 mpg. Insurance groups 12–18. A minor service is about £150–£210 at an independent garage.

›How much is road tax on a Suzuki Vitara?

Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.

›Is the Suzuki Vitara ULEZ compliant?

Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.

How we build this guide

We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.

  • How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
  • MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
  • Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
  • Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
  • Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.

This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.

Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.