2006 Subaru Impreza — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2006 Subaru Impreza passed 80.0% of its 10,652 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail 27.5% of the time, so this is 7.5pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (10.6%) and emissions & environmental (9.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, component mounting prescribed areas and position lamp — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 986 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 26.0% versus 5.3%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 23.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 20.5% in 2021 to 17.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.6% | 1,133 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 9.3% | 985 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.6% | 912 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.3% | 566 |
| 5 | Brakes | 4.8% | 509 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.9% | 312 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 986 |
| 2 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 538 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 513 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 449 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 345 |
| 6 | Joints | 305 |
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 | 23.2% | 2,475 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.3% | 2,165 |
| 3 | Tyres | 17.0% | 1,810 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.3% | 1,520 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 9.3% | 988 |
| 6 | Other defects | 6.2% | 659 |
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 | 207 | 5.3% |
| 30-60k | 1,076 | 13.7% |
| 60-90k | 3,270 | 18.1% |
| 90-120k | 3,646 | 21.5% |
| 120-150k | 1,751 | 23.5% |
| 150k+ | 677 | 26.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,504 | 20.5% |
| 2022 | 2,312 | 19.8% |
| 2023 | 2,144 | 21.6% |
| 2024 | 1,933 | 19.7% |
| 2025 | 1,759 | 17.7% |
What to check before buying a 2006 Impreza
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 10.6% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (10.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (9.3% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Suspension (8.6% 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.
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 2006 Subaru Imprezas pass their MOT?
80.0% of the 10,652 2006 Subaru Impreza MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2006 Subaru Impreza?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.6% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (9.3%).
Does the 2006 Impreza get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.3% in the 0-30k band to 26.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 10,652 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.