Used buying checklist

Suzuki Ignis reliability, common problems and used buying checks

A used Suzuki Ignis looks better than average for reliability in UK MOT data: 16.0% of 27,169 tests failed, compared with 18.7% across all indexed models. A good example should have a clean MOT history for corrosion and structure, suspension and steering, and lights and electrical.

Sources used: DVSA MOT tests (Apr 2026); vehicle recalls (Apr 2026); MOT fault wording (May 2025). MOT data does not capture every reliability issue, especially intermittent engine, gearbox or infotainment faults that do not appear during the test.

• 16.0% MOT failure rate
• Median tested mileage 36,079 miles
• 4,338 failed MOT tests analysed

Most useful finding

Corrosion and structure is the clearest area to check

Corrosion and structure is the clearest named problem area in this model's MOT history (40.2 MOT notes per 100 tests). Example MOT phrases from this area include excessively corroded, corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced, and corroded and seriously weakened.

Example MOT phrases to search in the car's history:

• excessively corroded
• corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced
• corroded and seriously weakened
• prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength
• ball joint excessively worn
• Play in steering rack inner joint(s)
• ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated
• ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt
• has a product on the lens so that the light output is severely reduced
• light intensity severely reduced

Before you view one

Focus on corrosion and structure, suspension and steering, and lights and electrical

The model's recorded failure rate is 16.0%, -2.7 percentage points compared with the average across all models. Use the seller questions below to check whether repeat MOT notes have actually been repaired.

• MOT tests analysed27,169 tests
• Median tested mileage36,079 miles
• Failed MOT tests4,338

Used buyer verdict

Should you buy a used Suzuki Ignis?

84.0% of the MOT tests we analysed for this model passed. The model's recorded failure rate is 16.0%, -2.7 percentage points compared with the average across all models. This is a buying brief for the exact car in front of you: clean repeat history matters more than badge reputation.

Better than average in our MOT data

Green light if The car has a tidy MOT pattern, recent repairs for corrosion and structure, suspension and steering, and lights and electrical, matching tyres, and paperwork for service or recall work.

Renegotiate if The latest MOT mentions corrosion and structure, suspension and steering, and lights and electrical, consumables are due together, or the seller cannot show what was fixed after advisories.

Walk away if Dangerous defects, corrosion near structural areas, warning lights, or the same component family keep returning without clear repair evidence.

• Repeat unresolved MOT notes for corrosion and structure, suspension and steering, and lights and electrical
• corrosion and structure appearing across more than one MOT
• Any dangerous MOT failure on the exact car, especially if the same area appears again later
• No paperwork showing applicable recall work has been completed
• A seller who cannot explain MOT wording such as "excessively corroded"

What should I check first?

Start with corrosion and structure, suspension and steering, lights and electrical, and windscreen, wipers, and mirrors. The checklist on this page explains why each area is being recommended, what to inspect, and what to ask the seller. Each item shows whether it comes from MOT results, recall notices, or a standard used-car check.

• Corrosion and structure Seen in MOT results

  Corrosion and structure is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (40.2 MOT notes per 100 tests).

  What to check: Inspect sills, subframes, mounting points, arches, and underside corrosion advisories.

  • Ask the seller: Has any sill, subframe, mounting-point, chassis, or structural corrosion advisory been repaired properly?
  • Example MOT wording: excessively corroded; corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced; corroded and seriously weakened
  • Where it shows up: seen across most mileage ranges
• Suspension and steering Seen in MOT results

  Suspension and steering is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (18.4 MOT notes per 100 tests).

  What to check: Listen for knocks, check uneven tyre wear, and inspect steering play.

  • Ask the seller: Has any suspension, steering, ball-joint, spring, or wheel-bearing advisory been repaired?
  • Example MOT wording: ball joint excessively worn; Play in steering rack inner joint(s); ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated
  • Where it shows up: seen across most mileage ranges
• Lights and electrical Seen in MOT results

  Lights and electrical is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (10.4 MOT notes per 100 tests).

  What to check: Check every lamp, warning light, horn, battery condition, and dashboard messages.

  • Ask the seller: Have any lighting, warning-light, horn, battery, or electrical MOT notes come back more than once?
  • Example MOT wording: has a product on the lens so that the light output is severely reduced; light intensity severely reduced; inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps
  • Where it shows up: seen across most mileage ranges
• Windscreen, wipers, and mirrors Seen in MOT results

  Windscreen, wipers, and mirrors is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (7.8 MOT notes per 100 tests).

  What to check: Check windscreen damage, wiper operation, washers, mirrors, and demisting.

  • Ask the seller: Have windscreen, wiper, washer, mirror, or demisting faults appeared in recent MOT history?
  • Example MOT wording: provides insufficient washer liquid; does not clear the windscreen effectively; Items removed from drivers view prior to test
  • Where it shows up: most visible around 0-50k and 50-100k miles
• Emissions, engine, and exhaust Seen in MOT results

  Emissions, engine, and exhaust is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (3.9 MOT notes per 100 tests).

  What to check: Check warning lights, smoke, exhaust leaks, recent emissions failures, and service history.

  • Ask the seller: Has the car had repeat emissions, smoke, exhaust, lambda, or engine-warning MOT failures?
  • Example MOT wording: leaking excessively from engine; emissions likely to be affected by an exhaust leak; has a major leak of exhaust gases
  • Where it shows up: most visible around 100-150k, 150-200k, and 200k+ miles
• Tyres and wheels Seen in MOT results

  Tyres and wheels is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (1.4 MOT notes per 100 tests).

  What to check: Check tyre age, tread depth, sidewall damage, wheel condition, and alignment wear.

  • Ask the seller: Have uneven tyre wear, damaged tyres, wheel damage, or alignment issues been corrected?
  • Example MOT wording: Nail in tyre; primary retaining device ineffective; effort inadequate at a wheel

What changes with mileage?

Past 100k miles on the Suzuki Ignis, MOT records most often point to corrosion and structure, suspension and steering, and lights and electrical.

Common MOT problem areas

27,169 MOT tests analysed for this model

22,545 Distinct vehicles represented

16.0% Recorded MOT test failure rate — -2.7 percentage points vs all models

Common faults: what usually fails on this model?

Corrosion and structure is the clearest named problem area in the MOT history (40.2 MOT notes per 100 tests). These counts are issue notes, not failure rates, because a single MOT can list several faults.

Corrosion and structure

• excessively corroded
• corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced

40.2 MOT notes per 100 tests

Suspension and steering

• ball joint excessively worn
• Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

18.4 MOT notes per 100 tests

Lights and electrical

• has a product on the lens so that the light output is severely reduced
• light intensity severely reduced

10.4 MOT notes per 100 tests

Windscreen, wipers, and mirrors

• provides insufficient washer liquid
• does not clear the windscreen effectively

7.8 MOT notes per 100 tests

Emissions, engine, and exhaust

• leaking excessively from engine
• emissions likely to be affected by an exhaust leak

3.9 MOT notes per 100 tests

Tyres and wheels

• Nail in tyre
• primary retaining device ineffective

1.4 MOT notes per 100 tests

Brakes

• remains on when the brakes are released
• ratchet mechanism worn to the extent that the brake may inadvertently release

0.0 MOT notes per 100 tests

Recall-related areas to verify

Official recall areas

Manufacturer recall notices for the Suzuki Ignis mainly involve 6 areas: emissions, engine, and exhaust, lights and electrical, mixed recall notices, and seatbelts and safety systems. Treat each as something to verify on the specific car you are viewing; the recall table below shows the official notice text.

Emissions, engine, and exhaust

• The breather pipe may not be properly welded to the fuel tank
• Fire may occur

2 recalls · 15,488 vehicles

Lights and electrical

• Integrated starter generator belt belt may fail
• Battery may fail to charge which could cause engine to stall and lights to fade

2 recalls · 8,560 vehicles

Mixed recall notices

• Drive shaft may become detached

1 recall · 1,915 vehicles

Seatbelts and safety systems

• Airbag may deploy irregularly

1 recall · 4,008 vehicles

Suspension and steering

• Front suspension fastners may not have be to the correct torque

1 recall · 1,613 vehicles

Brakes

• Brakes may fail

1 recall · 2 vehicles

Mileage and age checks

Mileage changes: what starts showing up after high mileage?

Past 100k miles on the Suzuki Ignis, MOT records most often point to corrosion and structure, suspension and steering, and lights and electrical. On lower-mileage cars, the most common named areas are corrosion and structure, windscreen, wipers, and mirrors, and suspension and steering.

Mileage range	Tests	Vehicles	Failure rate (vs all models)	Median mileage
0-50k	17,231	15,102	10.0%-0.8 percentage points vs all models	24,499 miles
50-100k	6,796	5,121	25.2%+4.5 percentage points vs all models	72,011 miles
100-150k	2,748	1,974	30.0%+3.8 percentage points vs all models	114,635 miles
150-200k	242	183	27.7%+0.4 percentage points vs all models	161,042 miles
200k+	21	14	28.6%+2.0 percentage points vs all models	210,036 miles

Problem areas by mileage

Past 100k miles on the Suzuki Ignis, MOT records most often point to corrosion and structure, suspension and steering, and lights and electrical.

Mileage range	Car areas most often recorded	Specific MOT defect examples
0-50k	Corrosion and structure (10.6 MOT notes per 100 tests) Windscreen, wipers, and mirrors (6.9 MOT notes per 100 tests) Suspension and steering (4.8 MOT notes per 100 tests)	No exact MOT wording is available for this mileage range.
50-100k	Corrosion and structure (86.7 MOT notes per 100 tests) Suspension and steering (34.5 MOT notes per 100 tests) Lights and electrical (21.1 MOT notes per 100 tests)	No exact MOT wording is available for this mileage range.
100-150k	Corrosion and structure (106.1 MOT notes per 100 tests) Suspension and steering (58.6 MOT notes per 100 tests) Lights and electrical (36.4 MOT notes per 100 tests)	No exact MOT wording is available for this mileage range.
150-200k	Corrosion and structure (95.5 MOT notes per 100 tests) Suspension and steering (71.9 MOT notes per 100 tests) Lights and electrical (36.4 MOT notes per 100 tests)	No exact MOT wording is available for this mileage range.
200k+	Corrosion and structure (161.9 MOT notes per 100 tests) Suspension and steering (90.5 MOT notes per 100 tests) Lights and electrical (57.1 MOT notes per 100 tests)	No exact MOT wording is available for this mileage range.

Fair comparisons: is this problem normal for its age?

The MOT failure rate rises from 2.5% at 0-3 years to 26.8% at 15+ years. Compare the car with the nearest age range before treating a fault as normal wear or a warning sign. The average MOT failure rate across all models in the same dataset is 18.7%. The highest failure rate by age is 26.8% for 15+ years cars, based on 9,571 tests.

Age range	Tests	Vehicles	Failure rate (vs all models)	Median age
0-3 years 2023–2026 reg.	274	269	2.5%-5.9 percentage points vs all models	3.0 years
3-6 years 2020–2023 reg.	14,119	12,504	9.3%-1.3 percentage points vs all models	5.0 years
6-10 years 2016–2020 reg.	3,202	2,741	14.1%-2.5 percentage points vs all models	6.2 years
10-15 years 2011–2016 reg.	3	3	0.0%-23.5 percentage points vs all models	15.0 years
15+ years pre-2011 reg.	9,571	7,118	26.8%+0.9 percentage points vs all models	18.4 years

Recall records and data freshness

Recall context: are there safety notices to know about?

6 relevant recall notices appear for this model. Treat them as safety checks to verify for the exact car, not as normal MOT wear.

2021-05-13	THE BREATHER PIPE MAY NOT BE PROPERLY WELDED TO THE FUEL TANK The breather pipe may not be properly welded to the fuel tank. Fuel tank replacement.
2018-03-26	INTEGRATED STARTER GENERATOR BELT BELT MAY FAIL Due to a lack of strength in the Integrated Starter Generator (ISG) Belt may break during usage. If this happens the water pump will become inoperative and the charging light will illuminate. The coolant temperature warning light will also light due to an increase in coolant temperature. In the worst case scenario the engine may stall and not restart. On affected vehicles replace the ISG belt.
2018-03-13	BATTERY MAY FAIL TO CHARGE WHICH COULD CAUSE ENGINE TO STALL AND LIGHTS TO FADE Due to incorrect software in the Engine Control Module (ECM) the ENG A-STOP (Engine Auto Stop Start System) OFF light may blink & the ENG A-STOP system may become inoperative. If the car is driven continuously in this condition the lead-acid battery will not be charged. In the worst case there is a possibility that the lights will dim and the engine may stall and not restart due to low battery voltage. Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and reprogramme the ECM with corrected software.
2015-06-19	FIRE MAY OCCUR Grease applied to the contact points inside the ignition switch may carbonize by heat which is generated from an arcing when the moving side leaves the fixed contact point. The carbonized grease can cause the switch to smoke and in the worst case a fire may occur. Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and fit a new ignition switch.
2007-03-12	AIRBAG MAY DEPLOY IRREGULARLY The airbag may deploy in an irregular fashion and possibly cause the passenger personal injury. Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected to replace the airbag bracket with a countermeasure part.
2007-01-22	BRAKES MAY FAIL Under certain conditions there is a possibility that one of the two brake circuits may fail. Recall the vehicle that are likely to be affected to replace the brake master cylinder.

Related searches

Common ways people look up the Suzuki Ignis. Each link runs the search and lands on the relevant section of this report.

• Suzuki Ignis common problems
• Suzuki Ignis reliability
• Suzuki Ignis after 100k miles
• Suzuki Ignis after 200k miles
• Suzuki Ignis high mileage common problems
• Suzuki Ignis age related problems
• Suzuki Ignis MOT failures
• Suzuki Ignis recalls

Related reliability guides

Sources used: DVSA MOT tests (Apr 2026); vehicle recalls (Apr 2026); MOT fault wording (May 2025). These are patterns from many MOT tests and recall notices. They help you decide what to inspect and what to ask; they do not certify the condition of one specific car.