Used Suzuki Splash review and buying guide (2008 to 2014): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Suzuki Splash should you buy?

Buy a Splash whose paperwork shows the brake fluid's been renewed every two years, whichever year from 2008 to 2014 it is. The ABS is what three owners' reports come back to: one found pumps corroding inside at just over three years old where the fluid hadn't been changed, and two others traced the warning light to the brake pressure sensor in the ABS module.

The 1.2 petrol's the safer bet, though only because nothing serious is pinned on it, not because it's proven. The 1.3 diesel carries more baggage: a 2008 service bulletin replaced the head gaskets on a batch of Indian-built engines, and one owner's particulate filter clogged and sent fuel into the oil. Don't take a diesel without proof the gasket work's been done.

Which Splash engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

The 1.2 petrol's the one to go for, but its record is thin rather than spotless. Both reports that name a 1.2 are automatics: one had an ABS warning light, the other a collapsed rear suspension and gasket trouble. Those are single cars, so neither rules the engine out, and it's the diesel that carries the bigger question marks.

The 1.3 DDiS diesel is the riskier choice. A 2008 service bulletin covered new head gaskets for a batch of Indian-built engines, and one owner described the particulate filter partly blocking, the system injecting extra fuel to burn it clear, and that fuel diluting the oil and raising its level. Left undrained, that owner said, it can in extreme cases make the engine run uncontrollably on its own oil.

There's no gearbox to rule out, just a couple of points. The automatic's a 4-speed torque converter with no dipstick for its fluid, so you can't check the level the usual way, and one auto owner had a braking fault that still wasn't fixed after a year. On the manual, one owner complained of a heavy clutch, so feel where it bites on the test drive.

What should you check when viewing a used Splash?

Watch the ABS and ESP warning lights when you turn the key: they should come on and then go out once the engine's running. One that stays lit points at the ABS pump or its pressure sensor, and one owner's dealer quoted £600 to £700 to sort the sensor fault, so don't buy a car with that light showing.

Look at the front discs for a worn lip and listen for grinding under braking, since one owner had to replace both front discs and their pads when the car was 18 months old, at 24,500 miles. Check the car sits level at the back as well, because one owner's 1.2 automatic had its rear suspension collapse.

On a diesel, pull the oil dipstick. A level above the maximum mark is the sign of fuel getting into the sump that one owner described when the particulate filter couldn't clear. Ask to see proof the 2008 head gasket bulletin work was done on a diesel, and receipts for the brake fluid changes on any Splash.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

What does a used Suzuki Splash cost to run?

What do Splash owners like about them?

It's a small car but a tall one, so getting in and out doesn't mean dropping down into the seat, and you sit up high behind the wheel. There are five doors rather than three, so nobody has to clamber past a tipped-forward front seat to reach the back.

The rear seats fold completely flat and the mechanism that does it works well, so the back turns into a level load floor when you need one. Underneath it's the same car as the Vauxhall Agila of those years with different badges, and it's a handy, practical size for town.

• This model is a compact yet tall five-door city car, offering practical dimensions for urban driving.
• The car features a high seating position, which can improve visibility and ease of entry and exit.
• The rear seats have an excellent flat-folding mechanism, enhancing the car's versatility for carrying cargo.
• The model achieved a four-star NCAP rating for adult occupant protection and three stars for child occupant safety.
• In May 2012, this car recorded the highest first-time MoT pass rate among models with over 2,000 examples.