2017 Subaru Impreza — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 702 MOT tests, the 2017 Subaru Impreza recorded a 91.6% pass rate. That is 3.4 percentage points better than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 11.8%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (3.4%) and tyres (3.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, wipers and catalyst emissions — position lamp alone was recorded 12 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2017 Impreza fails 4.7% of the time in the 0-30k band and 8.2% at 90-120k, a spread of only 3.5 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 18.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 7.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 3.4% | 24 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.0% | 21 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.0% | 14 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 1.6% | 11 |
| 5 | Brakes | 1.4% | 10 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.9% | 6 |
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 | 12 |
| 2 | Wipers | 11 |
| 3 | Catalyst emissions | 8 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 7 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 7 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 7 |
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 | 18.8% | 132 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.4% | 80 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.0% | 42 |
| 4 | Other defects | 3.4% | 24 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.7% | 19 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.8% | 13 |
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 | 211 | 4.7% |
| 30-60k | 221 | 10.4% |
| 60-90k | 144 | 9.7% |
| 90-120k | 85 | 8.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 153 | 7.2% |
| 2022 | 145 | 6.2% |
| 2023 | 138 | 5.1% |
| 2024 | 130 | 11.5% |
| 2025 | 136 | 12.5% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Impreza
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 3.4% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (3.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (3.0% 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.
- Visibility (2.0% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 2017 Subaru Imprezas pass their MOT?
91.6% of the 702 2017 Subaru Impreza MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Subaru Impreza?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 3.4% of tests, followed by tyres (3.0%).
Does the 2017 Impreza get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.7% in the 0-30k band to 8.2% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 702 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.