MOT data by first-use year
2006 Subaru Forester: MOT fail rate and common problems
DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 2,152 MOT tests · Updated
41.7% of 2006 Subaru Forester cars failed their MOT at 17 years; measured against vehicles the same age and test year, about the same as the 2005 cars (1,027 MOT tests) [1].
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- −0.3 to −1.7 points: the gap to all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year, from 16 to 17 years, 2,152 MOT tests
- At 17 years (tested 2023): 41.7% failed, against 43.4% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 17 years in 2023, 1,027 MOT tests
- At 16 years (tested 2022): 43.3% failed, against 43.6% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 16 years in 2022, 1,125 MOT tests
Engine, fuel and mileage decide where one vehicle sits within these figures. Check the reg first.
Figures are for 2006 Subaru Forester cars as a group, not for one car.
- Fail rate at 17 years (2023)
- 41.7%
- vs 43.4% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 17 years in 2023
- 1,027 MOT tests
- Gap to all class 4, same age and year
- −1.0 pts
- over ages 16–17: −1.7 to −0.3 pts
- 2,152 MOT tests
- Against the 2005 cars
- +3.8 pts
- 95% range −0.2 to +7.8 pts, same ages, each against its own test year
- 1,027 MOT tests
- MOT tests of 2006 cars
- 2,152
- tested 2022–2023, 2 ages with 1,000+ tests
- 2,152 MOT tests
About the same as the 2005 cars: +3.8 points at age 17, each year against all class 4 vehicles the same age tested in its own year; 95% range −0.2 to +7.8, from 1,027 MOT tests of 2006 cars and 1,309 of the 2005 cars. Not adjusted for mileage.
Every Subaru Forester year against all class 4 vehicles the same age
2006 Subaru Forester fail rate at each MOT
From 2022 to 2023, as these cars went from 16 to 17 years old, the fail rate went from 43.3% to 41.7%, and the gap to all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year from −0.3 to −1.7 points. The widest gap was at 17 years (−1.7 points, 1,027 MOT tests).
| Test year | Age | Fail rate | 95% range | MOT tests | All class 4, same age and year | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 16 years | 43.3% | 40.4%–46.2% | 1,125 | 43.6% | −0.3 pts |
| 2023 | 17 years | 41.7% | 38.7%–44.7% | 1,027 | 43.4% | −1.7 pts |
All class 4: every class 4 vehicle (cars and light vans) tested at that age in the same test year.
2006 against the 2005 cars, age by age
| Age | 2006 | Years either side |
|---|---|---|
| 17 years | 41.7% 1,027 MOT tests, tested 2023 | 2005: 38.3% (1,309, 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 17 years
All Subaru Forester MOTs at 17 years, cars first used 2005–2008 (3,716 MOT tests; DVSA item counts are not split by first-use year). The most common fail items: side/position light not working (6.1 per 100 MOT tests, a wear item), engine warning lamp at the petrol emissions check: not working or showing a fault (5.9 per 100 MOT tests) 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.
Road tax for a 2006 Subaru Forester
The Vehicle Certification Agency lists 8 petrol versions of the Subaru Forester in its data from May 2005 to May 2007, 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 4 bands from J to M: from £410 to £790 a year at the 2026/27 rates [2]. These are the bands for a car registered from 23 March 2006. 5 of the listed versions are over 225 g/km: a car like that registered before 23 March 2006 pays band K (£445 a year) instead.
| Band | 12 months | CO2 g/km | Versions listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| J | £410 | 200 | 1 |
| K | £445 | 204–220 | 2 |
| L | £760 | 230–254 | 4 |
| M | £790 | 261 | 1 |
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 2006 car
Car tax and ULEZ for a 2006 car
A car first registered in the UK in 2006 was issued a 55 (January–February), 06 (March–August) or 56 (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. 06 plates
A 2006 car is taxed by its CO2 emissions band (A to M), shown on the V5C logbook. [2]
For the London ULEZ, a 2006 petrol usually meets Euro 4, and a 2006 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 2006 Subaru Forester?
41.7% at 17 years (tested 2023), from 1,027 MOT tests, against 43.4% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 17 years in 2023.
Does the 2006 Subaru Forester fail more MOTs than the 2005?
3.8 percentage points apart at age 17, each against all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year, from 1,027 MOT tests (95% range −0.2 to +7.8), so about the same.
At what ages were 2006 Subaru Forester cars MOT tested in the data?
2 ages with at least 1,000 MOT tests: 16–17 years, tested 2022–2023, 2,152 MOT tests in all.
What fails most on a Subaru Forester at 17 years?
6.1 in 100 MOT tests failed on side/position light not working, the most common fail item (a wear item); the most common non-wear item was engine warning lamp at the petrol emissions check: not working or showing a fault (5.9 in 100). From 3,716 MOT tests of Subaru Forester cars first used 2005–2008, not only 2006.
Sources
- Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 2,152 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 17 years are compared with every class 4 vehicle tested at 17 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