Subaru Xv MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 12 model years and 31,582 tests, the Subaru Xv passes its MOT 87.2% of the time. Against small SUVs of a similar age (14.7% fail rate), the Xv comes out 1.9pp better. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
Best and worst Xv years
Ranked across Xv 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 — 93.3% of 2019 examples pass against 78.3% of 2012 ones.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.3%) and suspension (4.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, ball joint and position lamp — brake pads alone was recorded 893 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 26.2% versus 5.7%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 10.5% fail against 17.7% for diesel, a 7.2-point gap across 31,561 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 19.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 10.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 15.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Xv model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 3,169 | 78.3% | 21.6% | Suspension |
| 2013 | 3,476 | 81.5% | 18.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 3,685 | 83.4% | 16.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 3,639 | 86.7% | 13.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 4,164 | 87.2% | 12.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 3,371 | 89.0% | 11.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 5,855 | 92.7% | 7.3% | Brakes |
| 2019 | 3,729 | 93.3% | 6.7% | Brakes |
| 2020 | 212 | 91.5% | 8.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 267 | 92.1% | 7.9% | Visibility |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.3% | 1,994 |
| 2 | Suspension | 4.9% | 1,544 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.0% | 1,258 |
| 4 | Tyres | 2.6% | 823 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.5% | 803 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.9% | 274 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 265 |
| 8 | Steering | 0.3% | 85 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 893 |
| 2 | Ball joint | 854 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 774 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 716 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 701 |
| 6 | Wipers | 666 |
| 7 | Headlamp aim | 543 |
| 8 | Tread depth | 461 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 19.1% | 6,029 |
| 2 | Tyres | 18.8% | 5,936 |
| 3 | Suspension | 17.8% | 5,630 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.8% | 1,818 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.0% | 942 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.8% | 895 |
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 | 7,717 | 5.7% |
| 30-60k | 11,533 | 10.4% |
| 60-90k | 7,583 | 16.6% |
| 90-120k | 3,444 | 23.0% |
| 120-150k | 1,041 | 26.7% |
| 150k+ | 263 | 26.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 21,565 | 10.5% |
| Diesel | 9,996 | 17.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,402 | 10.1% |
| 2022 | 6,352 | 11.1% |
| 2023 | 6,497 | 12.7% |
| 2024 | 6,654 | 14.1% |
| 2025 | 6,677 | 15.4% |
What to check before buying a Subaru Xv
- Lighting & signalling (6.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (4.9% 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 (4.0% 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 Xv?
87.2% of the 31,582 Subaru Xv MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 12.8% fail rate, across model years 2011–2022.
What does the Subaru Xv most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.3% of tests, then suspension (4.9%).
Which Xv years are best and worst for MOT results?
2019 has the best pass rate at 93.3% and 2012 the weakest at 78.3%, from 3,729 and 3,169 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Xv MOT results?
Fail rates run at 5.7% for cars in the 0-30k band and 26.2% for 150k+, a 20.5-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Xv more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 10.5% of the time against 17.7% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 31,582 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.