2012 Subaru Legacy — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 1,555 MOT tests, the 2012 Subaru Legacy recorded a 79.5% pass rate. Large family cars of a similar age fail 21.7% of the time, so this is 1.2pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.5% of tests against 7.4% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, catalyst emissions and pins and bushes — position lamp alone was recorded 129 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 30-60k one: 34.9% versus 12.8%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 26.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 16.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 24.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 12.5% | 194 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.4% | 115 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.7% | 104 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 6.2% | 96 |
| 5 | Tyres | 4.9% | 76 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.4% | 53 |
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 | 129 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 79 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 63 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 46 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 45 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 44 |
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 | 26.0% | 404 |
| 2 | Tyres | 25.1% | 391 |
| 3 | Brakes | 23.1% | 359 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 11.5% | 178 |
| 5 | Other defects | 10.7% | 167 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.4% | 99 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 281 | 12.8% |
| 60-90k | 517 | 20.1% |
| 90-120k | 437 | 21.1% |
| 120-150k | 229 | 24.9% |
| 150k+ | 83 | 34.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1,074 | 20.0% |
| Diesel | 481 | 21.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 308 | 16.6% |
| 2022 | 319 | 20.7% |
| 2023 | 314 | 19.8% |
| 2024 | 309 | 21.0% |
| 2025 | 305 | 24.3% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Legacy
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 12.5% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (12.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.4% 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.
- Suspension (6.7% 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.
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 2012 Subaru Legacys pass their MOT?
79.5% of the 1,555 2012 Subaru Legacy MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Subaru Legacy?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.5% of tests, followed by brakes (7.4%).
Does the 2012 Legacy get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.8% in the 30-60k band to 34.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,555 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.