2019 Subaru Impreza — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2019 Subaru Impreza passed 87.7% of its 991 recorded MOT tests. Against small family cars of a similar age (9.2% fail rate), the 2019 Impreza comes out 3.1pp worse. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.5%) and lighting & signalling (4.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, wipers and brake pads — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 28 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 17.5% versus 6.3%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 19.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 12.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.5% | 45 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.3% | 43 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.5% | 25 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.5% | 25 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.0% | 20 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.6% | 16 |
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 | 28 |
| 2 | Wipers | 22 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 21 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 18 |
| 5 | Rear fog lamp | 16 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 15 |
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 | 19.1% | 189 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.1% | 140 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.0% | 40 |
| 4 | Other defects | 3.7% | 37 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.5% | 35 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.3% | 23 |
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 | 384 | 6.3% |
| 30-60k | 254 | 15.3% |
| 60-90k | 189 | 19.1% |
| 90-120k | 92 | 8.7% |
| 120-150k | 31 | 25.8% |
| 150k+ | 40 | 17.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 115 | 12.2% |
| 2022 | 214 | 8.4% |
| 2023 | 239 | 13.0% |
| 2024 | 205 | 10.7% |
| 2025 | 218 | 17.0% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Impreza
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.5% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (4.5% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (4.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (2.5% 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 2019 Subaru Imprezas pass their MOT?
87.7% of the 991 2019 Subaru Impreza MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Subaru Impreza?
Tyres, recorded in 4.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (4.3%).
Does the 2019 Impreza get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.3% in the 0-30k band to 17.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 991 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.