Make overview
Subaru MOT pass rates by model
Data updated
Quick answer
Subaru cars pass 74.4% of MOT tests across 54,836 recorded tests, against a national average of 72.3%. Of the 9 Subaru models with MOT data, the XV has the highest age-adjusted pass rate at 78.6% and the Forester the lowest at 75.1%. The item recorded most often on a failed Subaru is strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired.
- Tests analysed
- 54,836
- Adjusted pass rate
- 77.2%
- Models with data
- 9
Adjusted for age and mileage
Subaru models ranked by pass rate
| Model | Adjusted pass rate | National rank | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subaru XV | 78.6% | 68 of 262 | 6,947 |
| Subaru Impreza | 78.5% | 70 of 262 | 16,713 |
| Subaru Outback | 77.2% | 84 of 262 | 7,512 |
| Subaru Forester | 75.1% | 110 of 262 | 15,055 |
Unadjusted, not ranked
Other Subaru models with MOT data
These models have at least 500 recorded tests, but their tested examples do not span enough ages and mileages to rank fairly. Their failure and advisory patterns are still drawn from real tests.
| Model | Unadjusted pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Subaru Legacy | 64.3% | 4,642 |
| Subaru Wrx | 89.0% | 1,650 |
| Subaru Brz | 83.8% | 917 |
| Subaru Levorg | 87.1% | 814 |
| Subaru Justy | 62.1% | 586 |
Across the range
What Subaru cars fail on most
Share of failed Subaru tests recording each item, summed across every model above.
- 1.The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired13.3%
- 2.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning13.2%
- 3.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn10.4%
- 4.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm9.0%
- 5.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn8.5%
- 6.Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer7.9%
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate for Subaru?
- Across 54,836 recorded MOT tests, 74.4% of Subaru tests ended in a pass, against a national average of 72.3%. Adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the figure is 77.2%. A make-level figure blends very different cars, so the individual model pages are the more useful comparison.
- Which Subaru is the most reliable on MOT evidence?
- Of the Subaru models with enough data to compare fairly, the XV has the highest age-and-mileage-adjusted pass rate at 78.6%, ranking 68 of 262 models nationally. This reflects how often cars meet the MOT standard, not how often they break down.
- What do Subaru cars most often fail their MOT on?
- The most commonly recorded failure item across Subaru tests is "The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired", appearing in 13.3% of failed tests. One failed test can list several items, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
- Why do some Subaru models not have a pass rate ranking?
- A model is only ranked when its tested examples cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages for a fair comparison. 4 of the 9 Subaru models here qualify. For the rest we publish the unadjusted rate and the failure patterns, but not a rank, because comparing unadjusted rates mostly sorts cars by how new they are.
How to read these figures
Why the adjusted rate is the fair one
An unadjusted pass rate is strongly driven by the age and mileage of the cars being tested, not by how well they were built. A model bought mainly as a lightly used second car will look better than an identical car sold to high-mileage drivers. Adjusting for age and mileage compares each model against cars that have lived a similar life.
For a specific car, its own record beats any model average — check that vehicle’s MOT history and read what testers actually recorded against it.
Check any vehicle's MOT history
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