15,913 tests in 2025
Subaru Impreza reliability and MOT pass rate
79.6% passed first time. The 20.4% fail rate is 2.2 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 20 years old with 98,204 miles.
Pass rate
79.6%
22.6% of all cars failed; 20.4% of these did.
Fixed on the day
4.6%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
98,204 mi
20 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 75 | — |
| 6-9 years | 655 | 13.9% |
| 10-13 years | 433 | 14.8% |
| 14+ years | 14,747 | 20.9% |
What the Impreza fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Suspension228 dangerous44.5%
- Noise, emissions and leaks4 dangerous39.8%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment16 dangerous38.2%
- Brakes319 dangerous23.9%
- Body, chassis, structure46 dangerous22.3%
- Visibility3 dangerous13.6%
- Tyres389 dangerous11.1%
- Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems7.4%
Is the Impreza getting worse?
The fail rate fell 1.8 points to 20.5% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about -0.2 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 20,257 | 17 | 22.3% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 18,976 | 18 | 22.2% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 15,850 | 19 | 21.2% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 15,607 | 20 | 20.5% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Impreza at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a Impreza in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength513 tests
- 2Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits471 tests
- 3Position lamp: not working367 tests
- 4Catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits347 tests
- 5Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction274 tests
- 6Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt239 tests
- 7Emissions not tested: unable to be completed216 tests
- 8Catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits198 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Impreza collects 3.04 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1,387 tests
- 2Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn1,259 tests
- 3Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened1,161 tests
- 4Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded1,001 tests
- 5Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure846 tests
- 6Sub-frame: corroded and seriously weakened801 tests
- 7Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine785 tests
- 8Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick744 tests
Questions
What is the Subaru Impreza MOT pass rate?
79.6% of the 15,913 Subaru Impreza first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 20.4% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 4.6% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Subaru Impreza usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength", recorded on 513 failed tests, followed by "Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits" and "Position lamp: not working". By section, suspension appears in 44.5% of failures, noise, emissions and leaks appears in 39.8% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 38.2% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 13.3%; at 14+ years it was 20.9%. The median Subaru Impreza tested in 2025 was 20 years old with 98,204 miles.
Is the Subaru Impreza getting less reliable?
The fail rate fell 1.8 points to 20.5% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about -0.2 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every Impreza trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 14 safety recalls naming the Subaru Impreza: Subaru Impreza recalls.
Other Subaru models
Checking a particular Impreza?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.