Subaru Outback common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 7,760 initial MOT tests on the Subaru Outback in Great Britain, and 75.7% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Subaru Outback at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 7,760
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 75.7%
Failed at firstIncluding 4.5% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 24.3%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 5.8%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 1,460 off the road (SORN): 9,473

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

Failure areas

Where the Outback fails its MOT

The share of initial tests in 2025 with at least one fail or PRS item in each part of the MOT. A test can fail in more than one area, so these do not add up to the fail rate.

1Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
9.9%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
2Suspension
8.7%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
3Brakes
5.7%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
4Tyres
4.1%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
5Visibility
3.6%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
6Noise, emissions and leaks
3.6%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
7Body, chassis and structure
3.1%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
8Seat belts and airbags
0.5%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
9Steering
0.5%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
10Registration plates and VIN
0.3%
Number plates and the vehicle identification numberAll cars and vans: 0.3%

This modelAll cars and vans

Parts

The parts that fail most

Share of initial tests with a fail or PRS item on each part, 2025.

Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks3.4%
Position lampsLamps and electrics3.4%
Mechanical brake componentsBrakes3.1%
Anti-roll barsSuspension3.1%
Suspension armsSuspension3.1%
ConditionTyres2.9%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics2.7%
HeadlampsLamps and electrics2.1%

By age

Pass rate by year first used

Older cars fail more often, so compare a car with others of its year. Cars up to 25 years old; years with fewer than 250 tests are left out.

First used	Tests	Passed first time	Dangerous defect
2022	599	92.2%	3.5%
2021	612	87.4%	4.4%
2020	259	86.9%	3.9%
2019	595	86.7%	3.5%
2018	650	87.7%	3.4%
2017	473	85.2%	4.7%
2016	757	81.2%	5.0%
2015	753	77.0%	5.2%
2013	252	73.0%	5.6%
2012	291	60.1%	7.2%
2011	437	63.6%	8.2%
2010	387	59.4%	9.3%
2009	267	61.8%	9.4%
2007	314	57.0%	8.9%
2006	322	53.7%	9.0%

Mileage

Outback mileage by age

The median reading at the test: half the cars of that age had covered more, half less. Estimated from 1,000-mile bands, for cars up to 25 years old.

A car well above or below the typical figure is not a problem in itself, but the readings should rise steadily from one MOT to the next. A fall, or a long gap, is worth asking about.

Check a car's mileage record

Age at test	Median mileage	Readings
2 years	24,800 miles	484
3 years	33,100 miles	606
4 years	37,900 miles	334
5 years	44,400 miles	503
6 years	55,700 miles	630
7 years	64,500 miles	469
8 years	76,400 miles	627
9 years	89,100 miles	744
10 years	100,200 miles	438
13 years	116,800 miles	377
14 years	121,900 miles	411
15 years	123,700 miles	370
18 years	124,800 miles	355

Checking a particular Outback?

Averages tell you what to look at. The registration tells you about this car: every MOT since 2005 with its failures and advisories, each mileage reading, and whether it is taxed.

Questions

Subaru Outback: common questions

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Subaru Outback?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Subaru Outback was lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 9.9% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 10.8% for all cars and vans. Next came suspension (8.7%) and brakes (5.7%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the Subaru Outback?

75.7% of 7,760 initial MOT tests on the Subaru Outback in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 4.5% passed after small repairs made at the test station within the hour (PRS). Across all cars and vans, 72.1% passed first time.

Does a lower pass rate mean the Subaru Outback is unreliable?

Not on its own. MOT results depend on age, mileage and upkeep as much as on design, so a model with many older cars on the road will usually fail more often. The table by year compares cars of a similar age. What matters most is the record of the car you are looking at, so check its MOT history before you buy.

What counts as a dangerous defect?

One the tester judges to be a direct and immediate risk to road safety, or to have a serious impact on the environment. The car fails and should not be driven until it is repaired. 5.8% of initial tests on the Subaru Outback found at least one, against 7.3% for all cars and vans.

Where do these figures come from?

From DVSA's anonymised MOT test data for 2025, published under the Open Government Licence. We count initial tests on cars and light vans in Great Britain, as DVSA does in its own statistics: retests, appeals and abandoned tests are left out, and so are advisories and minor defects.

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