MOT data by first-use year
2005 Subaru Forester: MOT fail rate and common problems
DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 2,471 MOT tests · Updated
37.8% of 2005 Subaru Forester cars failed their MOT at 18 years; measured against vehicles the same age and test year, about the same as the 2004 and 2006 cars (2,471 MOT tests) [1].
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- −5.6 to −5.5 points: the gap to all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year, from 17 to 18 years, 2,471 MOT tests
- 120,000 to 150,000 miles: 41.1% of Subaru Forester cars first used 2004–2007 failed at 18 years, against 38.3% at 90,000 to 120,000 miles, 2,141 MOT tests
- At 18 years (tested 2023): 37.8% failed, against 43.3% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 18 years in 2023, 1,162 MOT tests
Engine, fuel and mileage decide where one vehicle sits within these figures. Check the reg first.
Figures are for 2005 Subaru Forester cars as a group, not for one car.
- Fail rate at 18 years (2023)
- 37.8%
- vs 43.3% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 18 years in 2023
- 1,162 MOT tests
- Gap to all class 4, same age and year
- −5.5 pts
- over ages 17–18: −5.5 to −5.5 pts
- 2,471 MOT tests
- Against the 2004 and 2006 cars
- −1.8 pts
- 95% range −5.8 to +2.3 pts, same ages, each against its own test year
- 2,471 MOT tests
- MOT tests of 2005 cars
- 2,471
- tested 2022–2023, 2 ages with 1,000+ tests
- 2,471 MOT tests
About the same as the 2004 and 2006 cars: −1.8 points at the same ages (17–18), each year against all class 4 vehicles the same age tested in its own year; 95% range −5.8 to +2.3, from 2,471 MOT tests of 2005 cars and 2,066 of the 2004 and 2006 cars. Not adjusted for mileage.
Every Subaru Forester year against all class 4 vehicles the same age
2005 Subaru Forester fail rate at each MOT
From 2022 to 2023, as these cars went from 17 to 18 years old, the fail rate went from 38.3% to 37.8%, and the gap to all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year from −5.6 to −5.5 points. The widest gap was at 17 years (−5.6 points, 1,309 MOT tests).
| Test year | Age | Fail rate | 95% range | MOT tests | All class 4, same age and year | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 17 years | 38.3% | 35.8%–41.0% | 1,309 | 43.9% | −5.6 pts |
| 2023 | 18 years | 37.8% | 35.0%–40.6% | 1,162 | 43.3% | −5.5 pts |
All class 4: every class 4 vehicle (cars and light vans) tested at that age in the same test year.
2005 against the 2004 and 2006 cars, age by age
| Age | 2005 | Years either side |
|---|---|---|
| 17 years | 38.3% 1,309 MOT tests, tested 2022 | 2006: 41.7% (1,027, tested 2023) |
| 18 years | 37.8% 1,162 MOT tests, tested 2023 | 2004: 38.3% (1,039, tested 2022) |
Each year was tested in a different calendar year; the verdict compares each against all class 4 vehicles the same age tested in its own year.
What fails on a Subaru Forester at 18 years
All Subaru Forester MOTs at 18 years, cars first used 2004–2007 (3,894 MOT tests; DVSA item counts are not split by first-use year). The most common fail items: engine warning lamp at the petrol emissions check: not working or showing a fault (6.2 per 100 MOT tests), side/position light not working (6.1 per 100 MOT tests, a wear item) and component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength (5.1 per 100 MOT tests).
No item fails at a clearly different rate from all class 4 vehicles the same age across 3 or more ages.
Mileage and the fail rate at 18 years
Subaru Forester cars first used 2004–2007 at 120,000 to 150,000 miles failed 41.1% of MOTs at 18 years (1,034 MOT tests), against 38.3% at 90,000 to 120,000 miles (1,107 MOT tests). All class 4 vehicles: 47.5% and 46.3%.
Road tax for a 2005 Subaru Forester
The Vehicle Certification Agency lists 8 petrol versions of the Subaru Forester in its data from May 2004 to May 2006, from 200 to 261 g/km CO2 [3]. A car first registered from 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017 is taxed by CO2 band, so that is bands J and K: from £410 to £445 a year at the 2026/27 rates [2].
| Band | 12 months | CO2 g/km | Versions listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| J | £410 | 200 | 1 |
| K | £445 | 204–261 | 7 |
Versions listed, not cars sold: this does not say how common each band is. The CO2 figure on the car's V5C log book decides its band. Car tax calculator for a 2005 car
Car tax and ULEZ for a 2005 car
A car first registered in the UK in 2005 was issued a 54 (January–February), 05 (March–August) or 55 (September–December) plate, unless it was registered in Northern Ireland (no age identifier) or has since moved to a private plate. An imported one is plated when first registered here, so its plate can be newer than its first-use year. 05 plates
A 2005 car is taxed by its CO2 emissions band (A to M), shown on the V5C logbook. [2]
For the London ULEZ, a 2005 petrol may or may not meet Euro 4, and a 2005 diesel usually does not meet Euro 6. The Euro standard of the car decides, not the year alone. Hybrids follow the rule for their petrol or diesel engine. [4] ULEZ checker
Buying a Subaru Forester? Check that exact car before the viewing.
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- Model risks for this year and fuel
- What similar cars did at their next MOT
- Repairs ahead
- Viewing checklist
Questions people ask
What is the MOT fail rate of a 2005 Subaru Forester?
37.8% at 18 years (tested 2023), from 1,162 MOT tests, against 43.3% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 18 years in 2023.
Does the 2005 Subaru Forester fail more MOTs than the 2004 and 2006?
1.8 percentage points apart at the same ages (17–18), each against all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year, from 2,471 MOT tests (95% range −5.8 to +2.3), so about the same.
At what ages were 2005 Subaru Forester cars MOT tested in the data?
2 ages with at least 1,000 MOT tests: 17–18 years, tested 2022–2023, 2,471 MOT tests in all.
What fails most on a Subaru Forester at 18 years?
6.2 in 100 MOT tests failed on engine warning lamp at the petrol emissions check: not working or showing a fault, the most common fail item. From 3,894 MOT tests of Subaru Forester cars first used 2004–2007, not only 2005.
Sources
- Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 2,471 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- GOV.UK, Vehicle tax rates. Rules, not drawn from the MOT data.
- Vehicle Certification Agency, Car fuel and emissions data. VCA data, Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Transport for London, Ultra Low Emission Zone. Rules, not drawn from the MOT data.
Cars tested at 18 years are compared with every class 4 vehicle tested at 18 years in the same test year. These rates are not adjusted for mileage. Breakdowns and non-MOT faults are not in this data. How we compare