Repair costs
Subaru repair costs by model and MOT fail item
DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 185,865 MOT tests · Updated
2 of 4 Subaru models need at least one repair clearly more or less often than class 4 vehicles the same age, from 185,865 MOT tests [1].
Buying Report £14.99 incl. VAT · one car · no subscription · Not a mechanical inspection.
Prices are national; what differs by model is how often MOTs call for a repair.
Repairs Subaru models need more or less often
| Repair | Models more often | Models less often |
|---|---|---|
| Emissions fail repair cost | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension arm bush replacement cost | 1 | 0 |
Subaru models one by one
Subaru Impreza
Subaru Impreza common problems 66,952 MOT tests
- Subaru Impreza emissions fail repair: fails 1.7–1.8× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
Subaru Forester
Subaru Forester common problems 64,837 MOT tests
- Subaru Forester suspension arm bush replacement: fails 1.9–2.0× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
Subaru Outback
Subaru Outback common problems 28,958 MOT tests
No repair differs clearly from class 4 vehicles of the same ages and fuel.
Subaru XV
Subaru XV common problems 25,118 MOT tests
No repair differs clearly from class 4 vehicles of the same ages and fuel.
Which repairs is one car heading for?
The prices here are for the job, not for one car. A car's MOT history, by registration, lists the advisories its testers recorded, which are often the next repairs.
- Check a Subaru's MOT history Every MOT test, fail item, advisory and mileage reading DVSA holds for that registration.
Questions people ask
Which repair do Subaru models need more often than other cars?
1 Subaru model fails on the items emissions fail repair fixes clearly more often than class 4 vehicles of the same ages and fuel.
Do Subaru repairs cost more?
2 repairs are listed here with national prices: the price does not change by make in this data, only how often MOTs call for the repair.
Buying Report £14.99 incl. VAT · one car · no subscription · Not a mechanical inspection.
Sources
- Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 185,865 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
Rates are per 100 MOT tests of class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans) at each age. Model comparisons are against all class 4 vehicles of the same ages and fuel, pooled over 2022 to 2025 tests: they are not matched on test year or on mileage. Advisory figures count pairs of consecutive MOT tests of the same vehicle: "next MOT" means its next test 300 to 500 days (about 10 to 16 months) later, and the no-advisory comparison is standardised to the advised vehicles' age bands. Repairs between MOTs and breakdowns are not in this data. How we compare