2015 Subaru Impreza — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2015 Subaru Impreza passed 89.1% of its 1,252 recorded MOT tests. That is 4.7 percentage points better than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 15.5%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.5%) and tyres (3.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, stop lamp and wipers — position lamp alone was recorded 40 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 18.8% once past 120-150k — 3.1× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 16.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 8.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 13.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.5% | 81 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.8% | 48 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.8% | 35 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.8% | 35 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.7% | 34 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.2% | 15 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 40 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 32 |
| 3 | Wipers | 29 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 21 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 18 |
| 6 | Catalyst emissions | 17 |
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 | 16.4% | 206 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.9% | 187 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.7% | 122 |
| 4 | Other defects | 3.9% | 49 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.7% | 46 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.0% | 38 |
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 | 201 | 6.0% |
| 30-60k | 502 | 9.0% |
| 60-90k | 360 | 13.3% |
| 90-120k | 120 | 16.7% |
| 120-150k | 48 | 18.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 254 | 8.3% |
| 2022 | 245 | 8.2% |
| 2023 | 260 | 10.8% |
| 2024 | 247 | 13.8% |
| 2025 | 246 | 13.4% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Impreza
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 6.5% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (6.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (3.8% 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.
- Brakes (2.8% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
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 2015 Subaru Imprezas pass their MOT?
89.1% of the 1,252 2015 Subaru Impreza MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Subaru Impreza?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.5% of tests, followed by tyres (3.8%).
Does the 2015 Impreza get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.0% in the 0-30k band to 18.8% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,252 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.