2008 Subaru Impreza — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2008 Subaru Impreza passed 80.0% of its 6,595 recorded MOT tests. That is 6.3 percentage points better than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 26.3%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (10.4%) and suspension (8.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, position lamp and pins and bushes — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 594 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 25.4% once past 150k — 4.2× the risk.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 31.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.4% | 687 |
| 2 | Suspension | 8.6% | 570 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 8.2% | 538 |
| 4 | Brakes | 5.1% | 335 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.8% | 252 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.4% | 222 |
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 | 594 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 358 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 254 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 252 |
| 5 | Washers | 150 |
| 6 | Exhaust system | 140 |
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 | 31.4% | 2,068 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.9% | 1,313 |
| 3 | Tyres | 19.0% | 1,254 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.1% | 733 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 7.3% | 482 |
| 6 | Other defects | 6.9% | 457 |
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 | 83 | 6.0% |
| 30-60k | 714 | 16.0% |
| 60-90k | 2,369 | 18.9% |
| 90-120k | 2,152 | 20.3% |
| 120-150k | 929 | 24.5% |
| 150k+ | 330 | 25.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,567 | 20.7% |
| 2022 | 1,394 | 18.4% |
| 2023 | 1,358 | 20.5% |
| 2024 | 1,205 | 20.4% |
| 2025 | 1,071 | 20.0% |
What to check before buying a 2008 Impreza
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 10.4% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (10.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- 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.
- Emissions & environmental (8.2% 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 2008 Subaru Imprezas pass their MOT?
80.0% of the 6,595 2008 Subaru Impreza MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2008 Subaru Impreza?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.4% of tests, followed by suspension (8.6%).
Does the 2008 Impreza get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.0% in the 0-30k band to 25.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,595 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.