2005 Suzuki Alto MOT pass rate: 57.3% (3,057 tests)

2005-registered Suzuki Altos passed 57.3% of 3,057 MOT tests in 2023–2025 — 7.1 points worse than same-age cars (64.5%). This is one of the lower-scoring Alto years after correcting for vehicle age — inspect the individual car carefully.

57.3%Pass rate, 2005 cars

92.9Age-adjusted index (100 = average)

3,057Tests analysed

54,851 miMedian mileage at test

Is the 2005 Alto getting worse?

Pass rate of 2005-registered cars across recent test years:

Test year	Pass rate
2023	56.9% -7.3 vs same-age
2024	58.0% -6.2 vs same-age
2025	57.3% -8.0 vs same-age

The raw rate normally falls as cars age. The “vs same-age” figure compares this cohort with all UK cars registered in the same year, so normal ageing is not mistaken for a bad model year.

What fails on a 2005 Alto

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Brakes	1,252	25.8%
2	Suspension	922	19.0%
3	Body, chassis, structure	791	16.3%
4	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	684	14.1%
5	Tyres	362	7.5%
6	Noise, emissions and leaks	357	7.4%

All Alto years compared

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2004	2,610	56.3%	-8.0 pts	54,078
2005 (this page)	3,057	57.3%	-7.1 pts	54,851
2006	1,922	56.8%	-7.6 pts	54,255
2009	15,265	71.2%	+4.8 pts	67,464
2010	12,933	71.4%	+4.0 pts	67,242
2011	13,241	74.3%	+5.1 pts	64,110
2012	13,598	74.7%	+3.5 pts	59,122
2013	34,575	77.1%	+3.8 pts	54,119
2014	37,703	79.3%	+3.4 pts	47,737
2015	5,378	80.0%	+1.3 pts	44,306

Weighing up which year to buy? See the full ranking: Suzuki Alto years to avoid.

Buying a 2005 Alto? Two checks first

Free MOT history checkThe exact car’s failures, advisories and mileage trail — sellers can’t edit it
Topdon OBD2 scannersTopdon diagnostic scanners with full-system readouts
XTOOL diagnostic toolsXTOOL code readers for petrol and diesel cars
Autel UK testersAutel professional-grade diagnostic testers

FAQs

Is a 2005 Suzuki Alto reliable?

2005-registered examples passed 57.3% of their MOT tests (3,057 tests, 2023–2025), -7.1 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 21 years old with a median 54,851 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.

What mileage is too high for a 2005 Alto?

The median tested example shows 54,851 miles. Anything far beyond that isn't automatically bad — a motorway-mile car with consistent service records often beats a low-mileage school-run car — but price accordingly and scrutinise the mileage trail for gaps or drops.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023–2025 extracts (96 million Class 4 initial tests; retests excluded). Only vehicles old enough for a routine first MOT are included. Age-adjusted figures compare the model-year cohort with all vehicles of the same registration year tested in the same calendar year. Contains public sector information licensed under OGL v3.0.