Suzuki Alto
Registered from 1997 to 2015.
About this model
The Suzuki Alto is a kei car produced by Suzuki since 1979. The model, currently in its ninth generation, was first introduced in 1979 and has been built in many countries worldwide. The Alto originated as a commercial vehicle derivative of the Fronte, but over time the Alto nameplate gained in popularity and by 1988 it replaced the Fronte name completely. The Alto badge has often been used on different cars in Japan and in export markets, where it is considered a city car.
From the Wikipedia article Suzuki Alto, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
What fails its inspection
Great Britain's MOT record for the 2014 1.0 petrol. 2,456 of 15,334 tests failed, 16%.
Better than 57% of 2014 cars. The typical one fails 17%, across 870 models with enough tests behind them to say.
| Where | Share of failures | Failed tests |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and electrics | 41% | 997 |
| Tyres and wheels | 30% | 743 |
| Suspension | 27% | 656 |
| Brakes | 23% | 577 |
| Visibility | 22% | 551 |
| Body and structure | 10% | 237 |
The defects inspectors cite
- Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
- Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
- Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
Where it stands out against its peers
- Visibility: failed more often than 93% of 2014 cars — 22% of its 2,456 failed tests, where an ordinary 2014 car has 11%.
Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.
NHTSA's investigations are American; no European regulator publishes an equivalent record, so this section has nothing to draw on for a European car. There is no European equivalent of the service-bulletin register either.
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- Tyres and wheels — 30% of its failures
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
- A tyre seriously damaged
- Suspension — 27% of its failures
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
- Brakes — 23% of its failures
- Lights and electrics — 41% of its failures
- Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- Visibility — 22% of its failures
- Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
- Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
- Body and structure — 10% of its failures
When it starts failing
At 120–140k miles this one fails 26% of its inspections, against the 23% an ordinary car of the same age fails.
| Odometer | Failure rate | Rate | Its age | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–20k miles | 9% | 7% | 1,627 | |
| 20–40k miles | 13% | 11% | 4,785 | |
| 40–60k miles | 17% | 15% | 4,633 | |
| 60–80k miles | 21% | 19% | 2,746 | |
| 80–100k miles | 20% | 21% | 1,042 | |
| 100–120k miles | 23% | 23% | 315 | |
| 120–140k miles | 26% | 23% | 135 |
15,283 British inspections, grouped by the odometer reading recorded at the test.
Half of these have more than 40k miles on them. That is how far people drive this car, not how long it lasts.
Specification
| Year | Measured |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 1.0 petrol · 67 hp · 937 kg · 2360 mm wheelbase · 4.3 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2013 | 1.0 petrol · 67 hp · 938 kg · 2360 mm wheelbase · 4.3 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2012 | 1.0 petrol · 67 hp · 941 kg · 2360 mm wheelbase · 4.5 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2011 | 1.0 petrol · 67 hp · 937 kg · 2279 mm wheelbase · 4.5 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2010 | 1.0 petrol · 934 kg · 2337 mm wheelbase · 4.4 L/100km (NEDC) |