Subaru Impreza MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Subaru Impreza MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Subaru Impreza passed on its first attempt in 78.5%, and its overall record sits +0.2 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Subaru Impreza in the 2023–2025 data: 54,707 tests across 22 model years (2000–2021). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.

Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.

Most Common Subaru Impreza MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Subaru Impreza, the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.

Shares are over the Subaru Impreza's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Subaru Impreza DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Subaru Impreza, each with how many of the model's 54,707 tests it was noted on.

• "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 2,363 Subaru Impreza tests, 4.3% of the model's MOT record.
• "Catalyst emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits" (Major) — noted on about 1,417 Subaru Impreza tests, 2.6% of the model's MOT record.
• "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 1,417 Subaru Impreza tests, 2.6% of the model's MOT record.
• "Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" (Major) — noted on about 1,402 Subaru Impreza tests, 2.6% of the model's MOT record.
• "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 1,391 Subaru Impreza tests, 2.5% of the model's MOT record.
• "Position lamp not working" (Major) — noted on about 1,189 Subaru Impreza tests, 2.2% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Subaru Impreza Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Subaru Impreza model year on record is 2018 (91.8% across 660 tests), and the weakest is 2001 (79.3%). The gap between them is 12.5 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.

Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Subaru Impreza Owners

These checks follow this Subaru Impreza's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Subaru Impreza.

• the lights — “registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources”

  Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.

• the exhaust and emissions — “catalyst emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits”

  Listen for a blow at idle and have someone rev it gently. Then look at the tailpipe smoke: blue is oil, white when warm is coolant, black is over-fuelling. Any of those and the emissions test is the least of it.

• corrosion — “component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength”

  Look under the sills, around the jacking points and where the suspension mounts meet the body. Flaking, holed or crumbly metal fails; a brown stain on sound metal does not.

Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Subaru Impreza. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Subaru Impreza MOT & Reliability