Subaru Outback MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Subaru Outback MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Subaru Outback passed on its first attempt in 79.3%, and its overall record sits +1.4 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Subaru Outback in the 2023–2025 data: 25,430 tests across 20 model years (2003–2022). 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 Outback MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Subaru Outback, 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 Outback's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Subaru Outback DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Subaru Outback, each with how many of the model's 25,430 tests it was noted on.

• "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 1,023 Subaru Outback tests, 4.0% of the model's MOT record.
• "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 874 Subaru Outback tests, 3.4% of the model's MOT record.
• "Position lamp not working" (Rectified) — noted on about 733 Subaru Outback tests, 2.9% of the model's MOT record.
• "Pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn" (Major) — noted on about 465 Subaru Outback tests, 1.8% of the model's MOT record.
• "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (Minor) — noted on about 416 Subaru Outback tests, 1.6% of the model's MOT record.
• "Ball joint excessively worn" (Major) — noted on about 338 Subaru Outback tests, 1.3% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Subaru Outback Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Subaru Outback model year on record is 2021 (93.2% across 960 tests), and the weakest is 2004 (71.2%). The gap between them is 22.0 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 Outback Owners

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

• 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 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.

• 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.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Subaru Outback MOT & Reliability