Used car guide

2005 Suzuki Liana: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2005 Suzuki Lianas, from 213 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

Small sample: only 213 of these were MOT tested in 2025, so treat the percentages as rough. The known faults below don't depend on it.

213MOT tests in 2025
49%pass first time (all 2005 cars: 58%)
4,700typical miles a year
2.6×the usual rate for drive shaft (cv) joints

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2005 Suzuki Lianas than on all cars registered in 2005.

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints2.6× usual
    Suzuki Liana
    18.8% All 2005 cars
    7.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 9.9%, against 3.2% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: Drive slowly on full steering lock in both directions and listen for clicking. Look for split rubber boots behind the front wheels.

  • Braking performance2.4× usual
    Suzuki Liana
    16.9% All 2005 cars
    6.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 9.9%, against 2.7% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a quiet road, brake firmly from about 30mph. The car should stop straight without pulling.

  • Sub-frame2.4× usual
    Suzuki Liana
    16.4% All 2005 cars
    6.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0%, against 0.3% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

By area

The share of 2005 Suzuki Liana MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    55% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Brakes
    40% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Lights and electrics
    38% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Tyres
    38% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Driveshafts and joints
    19% of testsRough price £60–£350

    At the viewing: On full steering lock, drive slowly and listen for clicking from the front wheels.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    17% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.

Looking at a Suzuki Liana?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2007146Suspension 55%
2006151Suspension 60%
2004205Suspension 54%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2005 Suzuki Lianas registered in 2005. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score