2014 Suzuki Splash 1.0L Petrol · KV14 XAT

Front braking hardware is the defining story of this 2014 Suzuki Splash, with a five-year unbroken run of advisories on the front discs and pads. The March 2026 test passed with both front discs noted as worn, following 2025 and 2024 tests where the discs were recorded as worn, pitted or scored on both sides, and 2024 additionally flagged both front brake pads wearing thin. Earlier, the 2022 test recorded a front brake imbalance that only just met requirements, suggesting the braking system needed adjustment or repair at that point. The trend across 2024 to 2026 is one of persistent, slowly progressing front brake wear rather than resolution, and a buyer should treat the front discs and pads as due, or very nearly due, for replacement. Beyond the brakes the record is otherwise clean: eight consecutive passes with no failures, the only other entries being perishing tyres on three corners in 2021 and defective wiper blades in 2023. At 41,217 miles over roughly twelve years, the car has averaged only around 3,400 miles per year, which is low for its age. The annual March test pattern is consistent with no gaps in the record, so there is no evidence of extended off-road periods. That said, low annual mileage on a small petrol car typically means short journeys, and this usage profile is consistent with what the record shows: brake discs that pit and score through light use and surface corrosion rather than wearing out through heavy braking, and tyres that perished with age in 2021 rather than wearing to the legal limit. The tyre advisories have not reappeared since 2021, which indicates the affected tyres were replaced at some point. On a test drive, the priority is the front braking system. Listen for grinding or scraping under braking, which would indicate the discs have worn past their minimum thickness or the pads are down to the backing plates, and feel for judder or pulsing through the pedal and steering wheel, which points to disc thickness variation or uneven deposits from the recorded pitting and scoring. Check for the car pulling to one side under braking, given the 2022 imbalance advisory, and confirm the pedal feels firm and the handbrake holds securely. A visual inspection through the wheel spokes should reveal the condition of the disc surfaces and remaining pad material; budget for front discs and pads if they have not been renewed since the advisories began. Beyond the brakes, verify that the wiper blades flagged in 2023 clear the screen cleanly, and inspect all four tyres for sidewall cracking given the earlier perishing history, particularly if any of the current tyres date from before 2021. The complete absence of corrosion, suspension, steering, or structural advisories across eight tests is a positive indicator for the underlying chassis, but it does not substitute for a physical inspection of the subframe, brake pipes, and suspension bushes on a ramp before purchase. Overall this is a low-mileage car with a clean pass record but a well-documented, unresolved front brake wear issue that should be factored into the price.