Subaru Forestr MOT pass rate & common failures
1,282 MOT tests on the Subaru Forestr (1998–2022) give it an 81.3% pass rate. That is 2.2 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 16.5%. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
Suspension dominates the failure mix at 11.7% of all tests — 6.6 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, coil spring and ball joint — pins and bushes alone was recorded 112 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 15.8% in the 0-30k band and 24.5% in the 120-150k band, a 8.7-point spread.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 19.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 15.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 20.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Forestr model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 962 | 82.4% | 17.6% | Suspension |
| 2016 | 218 | 78.0% | 22.0% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 11.7% | 150 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.1% | 66 |
| 3 | Tyres | 3.2% | 41 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.7% | 35 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.0% | 26 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.7% | 22 |
| 7 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.5% | 7 |
| 8 | Steering | 0.4% | 5 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 112 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 66 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 35 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 20 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 19 |
| 6 | Wipers | 18 |
| 7 | Brake pads | 17 |
| 8 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 16 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 19.7% | 253 |
| 2 | Tyres | 19.7% | 252 |
| 3 | Brakes | 18.3% | 234 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.3% | 81 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 3.0% | 38 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.5% | 32 |
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 | 82 | 15.8% |
| 30-60k | 436 | 14.2% |
| 60-90k | 461 | 20.0% |
| 90-120k | 229 | 24.4% |
| 120-150k | 53 | 24.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 1,182 | 18.5% |
| Petrol | 96 | 21.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 254 | 15.3% |
| 2022 | 257 | 17.1% |
| 2023 | 253 | 17.4% |
| 2024 | 271 | 22.9% |
| 2025 | 247 | 20.6% |
What to check before buying a Subaru Forestr
- Suspension (11.7% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (5.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (3.2% 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.
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 Forestr?
81.3% of the 1,282 Subaru Forestr MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 18.7% fail rate, across model years 1998–2022.
What does the Subaru Forestr most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 11.7% of tests, then lighting & signalling (5.1%).
How much does mileage affect Forestr MOT results?
Fail rates run at 15.8% for cars in the 0-30k band and 24.5% for 120-150k, a 8.7-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,282 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.