Subaru Outback MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 28 model years and 42,577 tests, the Subaru Outback passes its MOT 82.2% of the time. Large family cars of a similar age fail 19.9% of the time, so this is 2.1pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
Best and worst Outback years
Ranked across Outback years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Not every year is equal — 92.0% of 2018 examples pass against 70.9% of 2004 ones.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (9.9%) and suspension (7.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, headlamp aim and pins and bushes — position lamp alone was recorded 1,755 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 28.6% once past 150k — 5.4× the risk.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 17.8% of the time against 17.8% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 26.8% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Outback model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 143 | 74.8% | 25.2% | Suspension |
| 2004 | 1,443 | 70.9% | 29.1% | Suspension |
| 2005 | 2,050 | 71.2% | 28.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 2,954 | 72.9% | 27.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 2,631 | 72.9% | 27.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 1,568 | 73.3% | 26.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 2,175 | 74.8% | 25.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 2,930 | 77.4% | 22.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 3,046 | 79.3% | 20.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 1,571 | 79.0% | 21.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 1,495 | 82.1% | 17.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 1,338 | 84.4% | 15.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 4,504 | 86.0% | 14.0% | Suspension |
| 2016 | 4,250 | 88.8% | 11.3% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 2,553 | 91.2% | 8.8% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 3,522 | 92.0% | 8.0% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 2,599 | 92.0% | 8.0% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 840 | 92.6% | 7.4% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 930 | 93.2% | 6.8% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 9.9% | 4,203 |
| 2 | Suspension | 7.4% | 3,174 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.5% | 2,359 |
| 4 | Tyres | 3.6% | 1,556 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.4% | 1,447 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.4% | 1,432 |
| 7 | Visibility | 3.3% | 1,387 |
| 8 | Steering | 0.4% | 170 |
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 | 1,755 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 1,537 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 1,403 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 1,229 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 978 |
| 6 | Ball joint | 944 |
| 7 | Wipers | 928 |
| 8 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 776 |
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 | 26.8% | 11,409 |
| 2 | Brakes | 22.9% | 9,729 |
| 3 | Tyres | 21.8% | 9,293 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.6% | 3,646 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 8.4% | 3,567 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.9% | 2,932 |
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 | 4,156 | 5.3% |
| 30-60k | 8,878 | 9.3% |
| 60-90k | 9,190 | 15.7% |
| 90-120k | 9,300 | 22.1% |
| 120-150k | 6,668 | 26.5% |
| 150k+ | 4,366 | 28.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 26,936 | 17.8% |
| Diesel | 15,630 | 17.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8,576 | 18.2% |
| 2022 | 8,827 | 18.0% |
| 2023 | 8,602 | 17.5% |
| 2024 | 8,491 | 17.4% |
| 2025 | 8,081 | 17.8% |
What to check before buying a Subaru Outback
- Lighting & signalling (9.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (7.4% 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 (5.5% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Subaru Outback?
82.2% of the 42,577 Subaru Outback MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 17.8% fail rate, across model years 1998–2025.
What does the Subaru Outback most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.9% of tests, then suspension (7.4%).
Which Outback years are best and worst for MOT results?
2018 has the best pass rate at 92.0% and 2004 the weakest at 70.9%, from 3,522 and 1,443 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Outback MOT results?
Fail rates run at 5.3% for cars in the 0-30k band and 28.6% for 150k+, a 23.3-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Outback more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 17.8% of the time against 17.8% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 42,577 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.