Subaru Wrx MOT pass rate & common failures
The Subaru Wrx appears in 9,003 MOT tests spanning model years 1993–2023, and 92.4% of them passed. All cars of a similar age fail 16.8% of the time, so this is 9.2pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are emissions & environmental, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — emissions & environmental (2.9%) and lighting & signalling (2.8%) 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 headlamp aim — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 351 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 4.2% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 12.1% once past 150k — 2.9× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 13.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 6.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 8.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Wrx model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 46 | 80.4% | 19.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 60 | 86.7% | 13.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 44 | 93.2% | 6.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 30 | 83.3% | 16.7% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2010 | 364 | 86.5% | 13.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 653 | 88.1% | 11.9% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2012 | 291 | 84.5% | 15.5% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2013 | 50 | 90.0% | 10.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 1,850 | 92.9% | 7.1% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2015 | 1,480 | 93.3% | 6.7% | Tyres |
| 2016 | 1,742 | 93.3% | 6.7% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2017 | 1,620 | 95.1% | 4.9% | Visibility |
| 2018 | 498 | 96.2% | 3.8% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2019 | 46 | 87.0% | 13.0% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2020 | 31 | 87.1% | 12.9% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emissions & environmental | 2.9% | 262 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.8% | 251 |
| 3 | Tyres | 2.1% | 190 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.5% | 135 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.3% | 114 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.0% | 89 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.7% | 61 |
| 8 | Other defects | 0.4% | 33 |
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 | 351 |
| 2 | Wipers | 88 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 88 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 85 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 78 |
| 6 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 58 |
| 7 | Position lamp | 51 |
| 8 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 47 |
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 | 13.2% | 1,191 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.9% | 892 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.5% | 499 |
| 4 | Other defects | 3.4% | 310 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.3% | 296 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.5% | 225 |
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 | 2,475 | 4.2% |
| 30-60k | 3,885 | 6.9% |
| 60-90k | 1,846 | 10.7% |
| 90-120k | 562 | 13.4% |
| 120-150k | 175 | 19.4% |
| 150k+ | 58 | 12.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,824 | 6.5% |
| 2022 | 1,840 | 7.7% |
| 2023 | 1,809 | 7.9% |
| 2024 | 1,769 | 7.9% |
| 2025 | 1,761 | 8.2% |
What to check before buying a Subaru Wrx
- Emissions & environmental (2.9% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Lighting & signalling (2.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (2.1% 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.
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 Wrx?
92.4% of the 9,003 Subaru Wrx MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 7.6% fail rate, across model years 1993–2023.
What does the Subaru Wrx most often fail its MOT on?
Emissions & environmental, recorded in 2.9% of tests, then lighting & signalling (2.8%).
How much does mileage affect Wrx MOT results?
Fail rates run at 4.2% for cars in the 0-30k band and 12.1% for 150k+, a 7.9-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 9,003 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.