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All models / All cars / Superminis / Suzuki Baleno

Suzuki Baleno

All generations and engines together · 6,602 MOT tests in the 2025 data · typical mileage at age 7: 51k

Reliability verdict
DBy age
CBy miles

Graded against its peers

Worse than most superminis for its age, and about average per mile driven. Watch suspension and brakes. A used buy worth some caution. Check the MOT history for repeating suspension advisories before you go.

First-time failure at age 7
28.0%
Across 1,795 tests. The average for superminis is 23.3%.
First-time failure at 50-60k miles
28.1%
Across 977 tests. The average for superminis is 28.9%.
Rank in its class
14 of 27
1 = lowest failure rate among the 27 superminis we can rank.
Typical mileage at age 7
51k miles
How far the average car has gone by seven years old. Low-mileage models can look better by age than they are.

What owners report

Reported

Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press, with how well each report stands up. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.

Rocker cover and driveshaft seal oil leaks

Emerging

Owners have reported the rocker cover gasket weeping oil, plus at least one suspected gearbox oil leak from a driveshaft seal. Neither is expensive on its own, a rocker cover reseal has been quoted around ninety pounds, but left unchecked either leak will foul other parts and cost more later. Reports so far are from early cars (2016-2017) rather than a specific mileage band.

Reported on 2016-2017 cars · sources: Honest John owner-submitted problem reports

Air conditioning condenser corrosion

Emerging

The AC condenser sits low and exposed at the front of the car, and at least one owner needed a replacement (quoted around four hundred and fifty pounds) after the fins corroded, likely from road salt and stone chips over a UK winter. Symptom is weak or warm air conditioning rather than any warning light. This is a known weak spot on small hatchbacks generally, not unique to Suzuki, but it has been called out specifically on the Baleno.

Reported on a 2017 car · sources: Honest John owner-submitted problem reports

Dashboard warning lights and spurious TPMS alerts

Emerging

A handful of owners have reported dashboard warning lights flashing up briefly with an alarm tone for no traceable reason, and separately, false tyre pressure warnings from the valve-based TPMS system. Dealers have struggled to find a fault in these cases, which points to a sensor or wiring gremlin rather than a genuine mechanical problem. No manufacturer bulletin or recall has been found covering either.

Reported on 2016-2017 cars · sources: Honest John owner-submitted problem reports

Touchscreen infotainment sync glitches

EmergingSZ-T and SZ5 trims only

Cars fitted with the touchscreen (SZ-T and SZ5 trims, the base SZ3 doesn't have one) have shown occasional glitches pairing or syncing phones. Auto Express noted this matches what owners have separately reported, and that a software update usually clears it. Not a wallet-emptying fault, but worth testing at a viewing since a dealer visit is still needed to fix it.

Sources: Auto Express review, Honest John owner reports

Rattle or vibration on deceleration

Disputed

At least one owner described an annoying rattle, tick or vibration from the engine or transmission area when slowing down or sitting stationary, on a relatively new, low-mileage car. It's a single detailed report rather than a repeated pattern, and it's the kind of noise that sometimes turns out to be normal direct-injection engine clatter rather than a fault. Worth listening for on a test drive but not something to walk away over on its own.

Reported on a 2019 1.0 Boosterjet · source: Honest John owner-submitted problem reports

What to check on this car

Ranked from this model’s own MOT record, then from what owners report.

Saveable checklist

From this model’s MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

Brake pipes underneathRuns high on this model Follow the metal brake lines with a torch where they run along the sills and over the rear axle. White crust or flaking metal means they are corroding, and the online MOT history usually shows the same advisory creeping up for years before the fail.Recorded on 29.4% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.9%
Coil springsRuns high on this model Look through the wheel spokes at the bottom coil of each spring; when springs snap it is usually there, and the break is visible. Step back and check the car sits level too. A dropped corner is often a broken spring.Recorded on 29.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.3%
Rubber boots and gaitersRuns high on this model On full steering lock, look in behind each front wheel at the concertina rubber boots on the driveshafts and steering rack. Splits, or grease flung around the arch, mean dirt is getting into a joint that costs far more than the boot protecting it.Recorded on 13.2% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.3%
Underneath, with a torchRuns high on this model Get down and look at the sills, the subframes and the rear suspension mounting points. Flaking scale and bubbling matter; light surface rust does not. On older cars this is the one check that finds the fault that scraps them.Recorded on 2.4% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.6%
Lights and horn walkroundRuns high on this model With a helper, run every light: dipped, main beam, indicators, brake lights including the high-level one, reverse, fog, and the horn. On newer cars a dead LED section can mean replacing the whole lamp unit rather than a bulb.Recorded on 2.2% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.2%
Bushes and ball joints Drive slowly over broken tarmac with the windows down and listen for clonks from either end. Back at the car, have someone rock the steering wheel while you rest a hand on each front wheel; play you can feel through the tyre is a worn joint.Recorded on 2.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 5.9%
A binding brakeRuns high on this model After the test drive, hold the back of your hand near each wheel hub. One wheel running much hotter than the rest is a sticking caliper. A car that slows itself down when you lift off on a flat road is saying the same thing.Recorded on 1.5% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.7%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller’s upkeep rather than the model, and they are where the haggling money is.

Tyres, all four Check the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 26.0% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 20.1%
Pads and discs Look through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 10.6% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 10.1%
Windscreen and wipersRuns high on this model Scan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 3.8% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.7%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the reports above rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

Check around the rocker cover and where the gearbox meets the driveshaft for oil staining or wetness. A leak here means a reseal job is due, budget upwards of ninety pounds.
Run the air conditioning on max cold for a few minutes during the test drive. Weak or warm air can mean a corroded condenser, a few hundred pounds to replace.
Watch the dashboard closely on start-up and while driving, especially the tyre pressure warning. Lights flickering on and off with no clear cause point to an electrical gremlin dealers have struggled to trace.
On SZ-T or SZ5 cars, pair a phone to the touchscreen and let it sit connected. Dropouts or failed pairing suggest the unit needs the software update, ask if it's already been done.
Lift off the throttle at low speed and let the car idle for a moment. Any rattle, tick or vibration as it decelerates or sits still is worth a specialist listen before you commit.
Check the service book for a full three-year, sixty-thousand-mile Suzuki warranty history. The Baleno sold in low numbers in the UK, so there's less owner data than usual, a complete paper trail matters more.
Compare the build date sticker (under the bonnet or on a door shut) against the registration date. A big gap means the car sat in stock a while, which can affect where you are in the warranty and service cycle.

Open the saveable checklist, tick it off at the car

The MOT data

Measured

Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.

How this model wears

Suzuki BalenoClass average, all tracked models

What testers flag

Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.

Faults with the car itself

The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 5,977 tests in this band.

Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
Advisory
29.4%class 1.9%
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
Advisory
29.3%class 1.3%
A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
Fail
13.2%class 0.3%
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
Minor
12.4%class 0.6%
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
Fail
5.8%class 0.2%
A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded
Advisory
2.7%class 0.4%
A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded
Advisory
2.4%class 0.6%
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
Advisory
2.3%class 5.9%
Audible warning inoperative
Fail
2.0%class 0.1%
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
Advisory
2.0%class 2.3%

Wear, upkeep and luck

Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Advisory
28.8%class 22.9%
A tyre seriously damaged
Advisory
12.1%class 11.1%
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
Advisory
10.6%class 10.1%
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
Advisory
7.0%class 8.7%
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Fail
4.6%class 2.3%
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
Fail
3.8%class 1.7%
Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn
Advisory
3.1%class 3.4%
Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt
Advisory
2.6%class 2.2%

Others in its class

Same segment (Superminis), best MOT record first. Compare before you shortlist.

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