Subaru Forester I Xe Prm Ebxr MOT pass rate & common failures
3,905 MOT tests on the Subaru Forester I Xe Prm Ebxr (2019–2023) give it a 94.2% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (9.6% fail rate), the Forester I Xe Prm Ebxr comes out 3.8pp better. Its most common failure areas are tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (2.9%) and visibility (2.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and tread depth — wipers alone was recorded 87 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 3.9% in the 0-30k band and 19.4% in the 90-120k band, a 15.4-point spread — more than double.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 21.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 3.9% of tests failed in 2022 against 7.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Forester I Xe Prm Ebxr model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2,072 | 94.9% | 5.1% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 540 | 92.6% | 7.4% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 1,105 | 93.8% | 6.2% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 167 | 95.2% | 4.8% | Visibility |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 2.9% | 115 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.1% | 84 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.7% | 65 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.7% | 29 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.4% | 14 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.3% | 12 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 0.3% | 11 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.2% | 7 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 87 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 72 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 46 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 37 |
| 5 | Washers | 18 |
| 6 | Brake discs | 16 |
| 7 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 15 |
| 8 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 11 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 21.2% | 829 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.8% | 382 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.7% | 145 |
| 4 | Other defects | 3.3% | 129 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.4% | 94 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.6% | 25 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 2,148 | 3.9% |
| 30-60k | 1,534 | 8.0% |
| 60-90k | 185 | 7.0% |
| 90-120k | 31 | 19.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 493 | 3.9% |
| 2023 | 710 | 4.5% |
| 2024 | 1,249 | 5.3% |
| 2025 | 1,452 | 7.4% |
What to check before buying a Subaru Forester I Xe Prm Ebxr
- Tyres (2.9% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Visibility (2.1% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Lighting & signalling (1.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Subaru Forester I Xe Prm Ebxr?
94.2% of the 3,905 Subaru Forester I Xe Prm Ebxr MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 5.8% fail rate, across model years 2019–2023.
What does the Subaru Forester I Xe Prm Ebxr most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 2.9% of tests, then visibility (2.1%).
How much does mileage affect Forester I Xe Prm Ebxr MOT results?
Fail rates run at 3.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 19.4% for 90-120k, a 15.4-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,905 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.