Suzuki Vl MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 2,194 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 8.9%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Suzuki Vl MOT Reliability Overview
The Suzuki Vl is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 2,194 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 8 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 91.1% and a failure rate of 8.9%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Suzuki Vl earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Suzuki Vl presents for MOT with approximately 11,709 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2016 models achieve the highest pass rate at 93.4%, while 2001 models have the lowest at 76.7%. This 16.7 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Suzuki Vl is Motorcycle lamps and reflectors, affecting 5.0% of all tests. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. The second most common issue is Motorcycle tyres at 3.1%. Motorcycle brakes rounds out the top three at 2.5%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Best Year to Buy
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
📉 How Age Affects Reliability
MOT failure rate by vehicle age for the Suzuki Vl. The dashed red line marks when the manufacturer warranty typically expires (3 years).
Line chart showing MOT failure rate by vehicle age from 3 to 9 years, with warranty expiry marked at 3 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The Suzuki Vl actually sees a 18% decrease in failure rate after the warranty period. This is likely due to survivorship bias — unreliable cars are already off the road by this age. Peak failure occurs at age 3 (9.6% fail rate).
Note: pass rates may improve for very old vehicles due to survivorship bias — only well-maintained cars remain on the road.
Pass Rate by Manufacture Year
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motorcycle Lamps And Reflectors | 5.0% | 110 |
| 2 | Motorcycle Tyres | 3.1% | 68 |
| 3 | Motorcycle Brakes | 2.5% | 54 |
| 4 | Motorcycle Structure And Attachments | 2.1% | 46 |
| 5 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 1.1% | 24 |
| 6 | Motorcycle Tyres And Wheels | 1.0% | 23 |
| 7 | Motorcycle Lighting And Signalling | 1.0% | 21 |
| 8 | Motorcycle Suspension | 0.6% | 13 |
| 9 | Motorcycle Steering And Suspension | 0.5% | 11 |
| 10 | Motorcycle Fuel And Exhaust | 0.4% | 8 |
| 11 | Motorcycle Audible Warning (Horn) | 0.3% | 7 |
| 12 | Motorcycle Steering | 0.3% | 6 |
| 13 | Non-component Advisories | 0.3% | 6 |
| 14 | Motorcycle Reg Plates And Vin | 0.1% | 3 |
| 15 | Motorcycle Wheels | 0.1% | 2 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 11,709 miFor every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle lamps and reflectors | 4.28 | 5.0% | 110 |
| Motorcycle tyres | 2.65 | 3.1% | 68 |
| Motorcycle brakes | 2.10 | 2.5% | 54 |
| Motorcycle structure and attachments | 1.79 | 2.1% | 46 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.93 | 1.1% | 24 |
| Motorcycle tyres and wheels | 0.90 | 1.0% | 23 |
| Motorcycle lighting and signalling | 0.82 | 1.0% | 21 |
| Motorcycle suspension | 0.51 | 0.6% | 13 |
| Motorcycle steering and suspension | 0.43 | 0.5% | 11 |
| Motorcycle fuel and exhaust | 0.31 | 0.4% | 8 |
| Motorcycle audible warning (Horn) | 0.27 | 0.3% | 7 |
| Motorcycle steering | 0.23 | 0.3% | 6 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.23 | 0.3% | 6 |
| Motorcycle reg plates and vin | 0.12 | 0.1% | 3 |
| Motorcycle wheels | 0.08 | 0.1% | 2 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Suzuki Vl has 11,709 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The Suzuki Vl has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 7.60% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Suzuki Vl MOT Data
The Suzuki Vl is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 2,194 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 8 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 91.1% and a failure rate of 8.9%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Suzuki Vl owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on motorcycle lamps and reflectors and motorcycle tyres for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific Vl is likely to perform.
Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 5.0% of failures
Motorcycle lamps and reflectors issues account for 5.0% of MOT failures on the Suzuki Vl. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.
Motorcycle tyres — 3.1% of failures
Motorcycle tyres issues account for 3.1% of MOT failures on the Suzuki Vl. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. Typical repair costs: £50–200 per tyre. Pre-MOT check: Check tread depth with a 20p coin — if the outer band is visible, the tyre is too worn. Look for bulges, cuts, or embedded objects. Ensure all tyres match the recommended size and load rating.
Motorcycle brakes — 2.5% of failures
Motorcycle brakes issues account for 2.5% of MOT failures on the Suzuki Vl. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. Typical repair costs: £150–400. Pre-MOT check: Listen for squealing or grinding noises. Check brake pedal feel — if it feels spongy or goes to the floor, have the system inspected immediately. Look at brake pad thickness through the wheel spokes (minimum 3mm).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Suzuki Vl?
Based on 2,194 MOT tests in our database, the Suzuki Vl has an overall pass rate of 91.1% (8.9% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Suzuki Vl?
The top 3 reasons a Suzuki Vl fails its MOT are: 1. Motorcycle lamps and reflectors (5.0%), 2. Motorcycle tyres (3.1%), 3. Motorcycle brakes (2.5%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Suzuki Vl reliable?
With a 8.9% MOT failure rate, the Vl is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Suzuki Vl?
Based on failure data, focus on: Motorcycle lamps and reflectors (5.0%); Motorcycle tyres (3.1%); Motorcycle brakes (2.5%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.