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Subaru Outback MOT fail rate by age and year

DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 28,958 MOT tests · Updated

At 7 years, 13.4% of Subaru Outback MOT tests ended in a fail (adjusted to typical mileage), against 20.8% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 7 (2,688 MOT tests) [1].

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  • Mileage: median 63,048 miles at 7 years against 52,953 for all class 4 vehicles, 2,688 MOT tests
  • Before the mileage adjustment: 14.4% of MOT tests at 7 years ended in a fail, 2,688 MOT tests
  • All ages: 28,958 MOT tests from 2022 to 2025, ages 3 to 18

Which engine and year a car has decides which of these apply. Check the reg first.

Figures are for the model, not one car, and compare with all class 4 vehicles tested at 7 in the same test year.

Fail rate at 7 years, typical mileage
13.4%
vs 20.8% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 7
2,688 MOT tests
Fail rate at 7 years, raw
14.4%
vs 20.8% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 7
2,688 MOT tests
Median mileage at 7 years
63,048 mi
vs 52,953 mi for all class 4 vehicles
2,688 MOT tests

Subaru Outback MOT fail rate by age

Each line follows the cars first used in one year across the ages they were tested at from 2022 to 2025, so a line never mixes a 2005 car with a 2015 one. 29k DVSA MOT tests in all (28,958).

At 7 years and typical mileage that is 36% fewer fails than all class 4 vehicles tested at 7 (2,688 MOT tests).

Subaru Outback: share of MOT tests that failed, by age. Only ages with at least 1,000 MOT tests. 'Typical mileage' is n/a where the model's mileage bands cover less than 80% of the national mix.
AgeMOT testsRawTypical mileageAll class 4Difference
32,0608.1%8.0%12.0%−4.0 pts
42,12310.6%10.9%13.3%−2.5 pts
51,97611.3%11.2%15.3%−4.2 pts
62,47514.1%13.8%17.9%−4.1 pts
72,68814.4%13.4%20.8%−7.4 pts
82,25816.8%14.5%23.7%−9.2 pts
92,06121.4%18.3%26.6%−8.3 pts
101,58924.9%20.6%29.9%−9.3 pts
111,35531.8%27.8%34.4%−6.6 pts
121,63734.1%29.6%36.9%−7.4 pts
131,67036.5%32.7%38.7%−6.0 pts
141,53837.6%34.9%40.3%−5.4 pts
151,40340.8%37.5%41.9%−4.4 pts
161,43941.7%39.3%43.1%−3.7 pts
171,38343.7%40.1%43.7%−3.6 pts
181,30343.7%40.9%43.9%−3.0 pts

Lower MOT fail rate than average: 14.4% raw · 13.4% at typical mileage, against 20.8% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 7, 2,688 MOT tests. Which years? See the full verdict

What fails on a Subaru Outback at 7 years

No part fails clearly more or less often than on cars the same age at 3 or more ages up to 18 years, so each is shown as about average.

What failed at 7 years, per 100 MOT tests (2,688 MOT tests), against all class 4 vehicles tested at 7. A test that fails on two parts counts for both.
PartPer 100All class 4ComparedMost common fail
Tyres4.46.0about average for cars the same ageTyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (MOT fail)
Suspension3.34.4about average for cars the same ageCoil spring fractured or broken (MOT fail)
Lights and electrics2.95.8about average for cars the same age
Brakes2.74.1about average for cars the same ageBrake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (MOT fail)
Visibility2.63.4about average for cars the same ageWindscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (MOT fail)
Emissions and leaks0.91.7about average for cars the same age

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Check one Subaru Outback, not the average

The figures here describe Subaru Outback cars as a group. A registration shows one car's own DVSA record: its MOT tests, the mileage at each test and the recall flag.

More Subaru Outback data

Mileage at MOT

At 7 years, 14.4% of MOT tests ended in a fail as tested. Weighted to the mileage mix of all class 4 vehicles that age, the rate is 13.4%, so mileage explains part of the gap.

Subaru Outback MOT fail rate by mileage bandFail rate in each mileage band at the reference age, this model against all class 4 vehicles.0%15%30%Subaru Outback, <30k miles: 6.4%All class 4 vehicles, <30k miles: 12.7%<30kSubaru Outback, 30-60k miles: 12.4%All class 4 vehicles, 30-60k miles: 19.2%30-60kSubaru Outback, 60-90k miles: 13.4%All class 4 vehicles, 60-90k miles: 24.2%60-90kSubaru Outback, 90-120k miles: 24.6%All class 4 vehicles, 90-120k miles: 28.0%90-120k
Subaru Outback all class 4 vehicles
By mileage at the test, 7 years.
MilesMOT testsSubaru OutbackAll class 4
<30k2036.4%12.7%
30-60k1,01612.4%19.2%
60-90k1,01513.4%24.2%
90-120k35824.6%28.0%

Subaru Outback recalls

15 DVSA recalls list this model by name [2]. Vehicles are DVSA's count of affected Subaru Outback vehicles. The latest:

  • R/2024/391 Also covers the Subaru Outback: SRT 351 - Malfunction of inhibitor switch on CVT (116 vehicles of this model), built Feb 2021 to Sep 2022. From the recall's stated risk: “On affected vehicles the reverse lamp may not illuminate and / or the rear-view monitor may not display an image from the rear-view camera.”
  • R/2022/260 Also covers the Subaru Outback: The electronic park brake connector may disconnect (4,769 vehicles of this model), built May 2014 to Nov 2018. From the recall's stated risk: “The electronic park brake connector may disconnect.”
  • R/2022/053 Also covers the Subaru Outback: The eyesight logic may cause an un-necessary activation of the pre-collision braking (152 vehicles of this model), built Nov 2020 to Jun 2021. From the recall's stated risk: “The Eyesight logic may cause un-necessary activation of the pre-collision braking.”

Ask the seller for proof the work was done. Check any car on GOV.UK

Subaru Outback against similar cars at 7 years

Same class and fuel, all tested at 7 years, at typical mileage.

ModelFail rate95% rangeMOT tests
Subaru Outback13.4%12.1% to 14.8%2,688
Volvo V60 MOT fail rate17.6%16.9% to 18.3%14,299
Dacia Logan MOT fail rate27.3%26.5% to 28.2%10,144
Volvo V90 MOT fail rate15.0%14.0% to 16.0%7,350
Volvo V70 MOT fail rate16.0%14.6% to 17.5%2,819
Volvo XC70 MOT fail rate16.5%15.0% to 18.1%2,678

Other Subaru models

More Subaru Outback data

Running costs

By part

Problems, recalls and costs

Questions people ask

How often does a Subaru Outback fail its MOT at 7 years?

13.4% of MOT tests at 7 years ended in a fail at typical mileage (14.4% as tested), from 2,688 MOT tests, against 20.8% for all class 4 vehicles the same age; the Volvo V60 was at 17.6%.

What fails most on a Subaru Outback at 7 years?

4.4 in 100 MOT tests at 7 years failed on tyres, most often "tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords", then suspension (3.3) and lights and electrics (2.9), from 2,688 MOT tests.

How does the Subaru Outback compare with the Volvo V60?

At 7 years the Subaru Outback failed 13.4% of MOT tests at typical mileage, the Volvo V60 17.6% and the Dacia Logan 27.3%, from 2,688, 14,299 and 10,144 MOT tests.

Sources

  1. Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 28,958 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
  2. Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Vehicle safety recalls data. DVSA recall data. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.

Cars tested at 7 years are compared only with vehicles tested at 7 years in the same year, adjusted to typical mileage. Breakdowns and non-MOT faults are not in this data.