MOT fail rates by first-use year

2003 Suzuki Jimny MOT fail rate and common faults

How Suzuki Jimny cars first used in 2003 did at their MOTs from 2022 to 2025, against all cars of the same age. From 7,365 DVSA MOT tests of these cars. First use is usually the date the car was first registered.

MOT data updated 28 September 2026

At 22 years, tested in 2025

MOT fail rate at age 22 (n=1,584)38.8%

All cars at 22 years (n=913,980)41.0%

Difference−2.2 pts

MOT tests of 2003 cars, 2022 to 20257,365

What stands out

In 2025, at 22 years old, Suzuki Jimny cars first used in 2003 failed 38.8% of MOTs (1,584 tests), 2.2 points below the 41.0% for all cars that age.
From 2022 to 2025, as these cars went from 19 to 22 years old, the fail rate moved from 38.7% to 38.8%.
Suzuki Jimny cars first used a year earlier, in 2002, failed 38.5% at the same age of 22 years (1,370 tests, in 2024).
The most common fail item that is not a wear item, for the Suzuki Jimny at 22 years, is chassis condition: or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting, at 4.8 per 100 MOTs (all cars: 0.7).

MOT fail rate by test year

Suzuki Jimny cars first used in 2003: share of MOT tests that failed, by test year, against all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.
Test year	Age	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars	Difference
2022	19 years	38.7%	2,099	43.2%	−4.5 pts
2023	20 years	37.6%	1,939	42.8%	−5.1 pts
2024	21 years	38.3%	1,743	42.1%	−3.7 pts
2025	22 years	38.8%	1,584	41.0%	−2.2 pts

Most common faults at 22 years

These figures cover all Suzuki Jimny MOTs at 22 years: cars first used 2000 to 2003, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=4,814). The list uses every first-use year so it has enough tests. Wear items (tyres, brake pads, wipers, bulbs) say more about upkeep than about the design.

MOT fail items

Fail item	Per 100 MOTs	All cars
Side/position light not working Wear	5.0	4.6
Chassis condition: or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting	4.8	0.7
Seat belt prescribed areas: prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced	4.5	1.3
Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded	4.1	2.4
Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits	3.5	1.9
Wipers not clearing screen Wear	3.3	3.5
Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength	3.3	3.5
Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect Wear	3.2	3.2
Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases	3.2	2.2
Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Wear	2.1	2.1

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=4,814). A test with two items counts once for each.

Advisories

Advisory	Per 100 MOTs	All cars
Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material	25.8	15.9
Non-component advisories: Fuel Pipe/s corroded	11.2	0.9
Coil spring: corroded	10.9	8.0
Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Wear	9.8	10.4
Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive	9.1	15.1
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened	5.6	10.1
Wheel bearings: has slight play	5.5	2.2
Integral vehicle structure condition: is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced	5.4	2.4
Exhaust system: has a minor leak of exhaust gases	5.3	5.6
Chassis condition: is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced	5.2	2.2

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=4,814). A test with two items counts once for each.

Fuel type at 22 years

These figures cover all Suzuki Jimny MOTs at 22 years: cars first used 2000 to 2003, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=4,814). Each fuel is set against all cars of the same fuel and age. Fuels with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

Fuel	Share of tests	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars, same fuel	Median mileage
Petrol	100.0%	38.7%	4,809	40.6%	87,162 miles

Fail rate by mileage at 22 years

These figures cover all Suzuki Jimny MOTs at 22 years: cars first used 2000 to 2003, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=4,814). At 22 years, Suzuki Jimny cars at 90,000 to 120,000 miles failed more often (40.5%, n=1,503) than those at 60,000 to 90,000 miles (39.3%, n=1,701). Bands with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

Mileage at test	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars
60,000 to 90,000 miles	39.3%	1,701	39.7%
90,000 to 120,000 miles	40.5%	1,503	43.4%

Car tax rules for a 2003 car

Cars first registered from 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017 are taxed by CO2 emissions band, from band A (the lowest emissions) to band M. The band is set by the CO2 figure on the V5C logbook.

These are the rules, not the amount for a specific car. Car tax check

ULEZ and clean air zones

Many petrol cars first registered from 2001 to 2005 already meet Euro 4, but not all of them. For a 2003 petrol car the Euro standard of that car decides.
The clean air zones in Birmingham and Bristol use the same Euro 4 petrol and Euro 6 diesel standards. The low emission zones in Scotland use them too, but enforce them with fines, not a daily charge.

The Euro standard of the car decides, not the year alone. ULEZ checker

Other years of the Suzuki Jimny

2002 Suzuki Jimny 2004 Suzuki Jimny

Other Suzuki models first used in 2003

Model	Age at test	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars
Suzuki Wagon R+ (2003)	22 years in 2025	44.8%	1,220	41.0%
Suzuki Grand Vitara (2003)	22 years in 2025	39.7%	1,101	41.0%
Suzuki Ignis (2003)	20 years in 2023	43.8%	1,035	42.8%

More on the Suzuki Jimny

Read this with care. A fail rate is not a measure of build quality. How far cars are driven, how they are used and how well owners maintain them all change it, and wear items such as tyres and brake pads are common fails. Compare a model only with cars of the same age. Methodology and limits.

Found one you might buy? Vet the specific car.

These figures describe 2003 Suzuki Jimny cars as a group, not any one car. The VetTheCar Buying Report looks at the car you are buying: its MOT history, what similar cars did next, and what to ask the seller.

See an example Buying Report All car tools

Source

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 28 September 2026.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources

Car tax and clean air zone rules are summarised from GOV.UK and Transport for London guidance. They are general rules and are not drawn from the MOT data.