2010 Subaru Legacy — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2010 Subaru Legacy passed 77.3% of its 2,932 recorded MOT tests. Against large family cars of a similar age (24.0% fail rate), the 2010 Legacy comes out 1.3pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 15.2% of tests against 8.8% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, pins and bushes and headlamp aim — position lamp alone was recorded 268 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 10.0% in the 0-30k band and 29.0% in the 150k+ band, a 19.0-point spread — more than double.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 22.7% of the time against 22.8% for diesel.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 34.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 21.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 24.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 15.2% | 446 |
| 2 | Suspension | 8.8% | 257 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.8% | 229 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 5.8% | 170 |
| 5 | Tyres | 5.5% | 160 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.2% | 123 |
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 | 268 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 136 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 122 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 113 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 93 |
| 6 | Rigid brake pipes | 82 |
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 | 34.1% | 999 |
| 2 | Brakes | 26.7% | 784 |
| 3 | Tyres | 24.1% | 706 |
| 4 | Other defects | 11.7% | 343 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.8% | 316 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 10.4% | 304 |
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 | 30 | 10.0% |
| 30-60k | 246 | 15.4% |
| 60-90k | 688 | 19.5% |
| 90-120k | 948 | 24.2% |
| 120-150k | 679 | 24.0% |
| 150k+ | 338 | 29.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 1,596 | 22.8% |
| Petrol | 1,336 | 22.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 680 | 21.9% |
| 2022 | 615 | 19.4% |
| 2023 | 603 | 23.7% |
| 2024 | 545 | 25.3% |
| 2025 | 489 | 24.1% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Legacy
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 15.2% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (15.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (8.8% 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.
- Brakes (7.8% 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 2010 Subaru Legacys pass their MOT?
77.3% of the 2,932 2010 Subaru Legacy MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 22.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Subaru Legacy?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 15.2% of tests, followed by suspension (8.8%).
Does the 2010 Legacy get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.0% in the 0-30k band to 29.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,932 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.