2002 Subaru Impreza — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 6,812 MOT tests, the 2002 Subaru Impreza recorded a 79.1% pass rate. That is 7.1 percentage points better than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 28.0%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (11.8%) and suspension (10.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, catalyst emissions and headlamp aim — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 668 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 26.2% once past 150k — 3.4× the risk.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 26.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 22.9% in 2021 to 18.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.8% | 806 |
| 2 | Suspension | 10.7% | 729 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 8.1% | 554 |
| 4 | Brakes | 5.7% | 390 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.5% | 371 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.3% | 227 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 668 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 554 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 342 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 301 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 227 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 174 |
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 | 26.7% | 1,818 |
| 2 | Brakes | 22.9% | 1,557 |
| 3 | Tyres | 15.8% | 1,080 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.7% | 1,000 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 10.1% | 687 |
| 6 | Other defects | 7.3% | 500 |
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 | 103 | 7.8% |
| 30-60k | 467 | 15.0% |
| 60-90k | 1,475 | 18.3% |
| 90-120k | 2,384 | 20.9% |
| 120-150k | 1,628 | 23.3% |
| 150k+ | 738 | 26.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,662 | 22.9% |
| 2022 | 1,514 | 21.8% |
| 2023 | 1,340 | 21.3% |
| 2024 | 1,192 | 18.8% |
| 2025 | 1,104 | 18.3% |
What to check before buying a 2002 Impreza
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 11.8% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (11.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (10.7% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (8.1% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2002 Subaru Imprezas pass their MOT?
79.1% of the 6,812 2002 Subaru Impreza MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2002 Subaru Impreza?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.8% of tests, followed by suspension (10.7%).
Does the 2002 Impreza get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.8% in the 0-30k band to 26.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,812 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.