Subaru Legacy R MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Pass rate, every year

65.7% Below average

67 tests across 1 model years, 2006–2006.

−15.3 pts vs the national average

MOT PASS RATES

How the Subaru Legacy R really fares

65.7% of its MOTs pass — over 67 class-4 tests, 2023–2025

Pass rates

Every figure on this page comes from the DVSA's MOT test record.

The Subaru Legacy R MOT pass rate is 65.7%, −15.3 percentage points below the UK average. That is 67 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2006 and 2006. This page lists the most common Subaru Legacy R MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.

Check your postcode

MOT pass rates are national — type your postcode to see how Subaru Legacy R MOT pass rates does in your corner of the country.

How one model's pass rate varies by postcode →

Subaru Legacy R MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Subaru Legacy R passed on its first attempt in 50.0%, and its overall record sits −15.3 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Subaru Legacy R in the 2023–2025 data: 67 tests across 1 model years (2006–2006). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.

MeasureThis model
Tests analysed67
Overall pass rate65.7%
Passed on first attempt50.0%
Average mileage at test122,984 mi
Model years covered2006–2006 (1 years)
Versus UK national average−15.3 pts below

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

Most Common Subaru Legacy R MOT Problems by Failure Category

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

Inspection section Share of failures Est. recorded instances
Suspension 29% 8
Noise, emissions and leaks 21% 6
Brakes 14% 4
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 11% 3
Visibility 11% 3
Body, chassis, structure 7% 2
Tyres 7% 2

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

Suspension

Around 29% of the recorded Subaru Legacy R failures fall in the Suspension section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn" (6.0%), "Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (3.0%), "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (3.0%) among the Subaru Legacy R's suspension faults.

Noise, emissions and leaks

Around 21% of the recorded Subaru Legacy R failures fall in the Noise, emissions and leaks section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Malfunction indicator lamp inoperative or indicates a malfunction" (9.0%) among the Subaru Legacy R's noise, emissions and leaks faults.

Brakes

Around 14% of the recorded Subaru Legacy R failures fall in the Brakes section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Brake pads worn down to wear indicator" (3.0%), "Brake performance not tested unable to be tested" (3.0%) among the Subaru Legacy R's brakes faults.

Top Recorded Subaru Legacy R DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Subaru Legacy R, each with how many of the model's 67 tests it was noted on.

  • "Malfunction indicator lamp inoperative or indicates a malfunction" (Major) — noted on about 6 Subaru Legacy R tests, 9.0% of the model's MOT record.
  • "Pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn" (Major) — noted on about 4 Subaru Legacy R tests, 6.0% of the model's MOT record.
  • "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (Minor) — noted on about 3 Subaru Legacy R tests, 4.5% of the model's MOT record.
  • "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 3 Subaru Legacy R tests, 4.5% of the model's MOT record.
  • "Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (Major) — noted on about 2 Subaru Legacy R tests, 3.0% of the model's MOT record.
  • "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 2 Subaru Legacy R tests, 3.0% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Subaru Legacy R Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Subaru Legacy R model year on record is 2006 (65.7% across 67 tests), and the weakest is 2006 (65.7%). Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Year Tests Pass rate First attempt Avg mileage Most common failure
2006 Legacy R 67 65.7% 50.0% 122,984 mi Malfunction indicator lamp inoperative or indicates

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

Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Subaru Legacy R Owners

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

  • the lights — “malfunction indicator lamp inoperative or indicates a malfunction”

    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 suspension joints — “pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn”

    With the car parked on level ground, rock the top of each front wheel in and out while someone watches the suspension arm. Clunks, or rubber boots split and greasy, are what testers record here.

  • the windscreen — “windscreen damaged”

    Check the driver’s side of the screen within the swept area for chips and cracks; anything larger than 10mm in the driver’s central view is a fail. Most chips can be resin-repaired for far less than a new screen.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Subaru Legacy R MOT & Reliability

What is the Subaru Legacy R MOT pass rate?

65.7% of the 67 recorded Subaru Legacy R MOT tests ended in a pass, −15.3 percentage points below the national average. 50.0% of those passed on the first attempt.

Which Subaru Legacy R model years pass the MOT most often?

2006 is the strongest Subaru Legacy R year on record at 65.7%, while 2006 is the weakest at 65.7%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.

What are the most common Subaru Legacy R MOT failures?

The most recorded Subaru Legacy R failures are "Malfunction indicator lamp inoperative or indicates a malfunction" and "Pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn" — together around 15% of tests, mostly in the Noise, emissions and leaks section.