6,413 tests in 2025
Subaru Xv reliability and MOT pass rate
84.3% passed first time. The 15.7% fail rate is 6.9 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 8 years old with 53,005 miles.
Pass rate
84.3%
22.6% of all cars failed; 15.7% of these did.
Fixed on the day
3.4%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
53,005 mi
8 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 1,184 | 5.2% |
| 6-9 years | 3,088 | 12.2% |
| 10-13 years | 2,129 | 26.5% |
| 14+ years | 1 | — |
What the Xv 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.
- Suspension20 dangerous44.1%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment1 dangerous33.9%
- Brakes209 dangerous26%
- Tyres144 dangerous18.1%
- Visibility11.4%
- Body, chassis, structure4 dangerous6.7%
- Noise, emissions and leaks6.3%
- Steering5 dangerous2.3%
Is the Xv getting worse?
The fail rate rose 5.6 points to 17.9% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 7.5 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 5,693 | 6 | 12.3% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 5,723 | 7 | 14.5% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 5,001 | 8 | 16.5% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 5,298 | 9 | 17.9% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Xv 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 Xv in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn197 tests
- 2Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick139 tests
- 3Position lamp: not working117 tests
- 4Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn117 tests
- 5Stop lamp: not working85 tests
- 6Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively74 tests
- 7Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm64 tests
- 8Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords60 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Xv collects 2.61 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.
- 1Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn1,039 tests
- 2Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm782 tests
- 3Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick605 tests
- 4Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened542 tests
- 5Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure513 tests
- 6Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn233 tests
- 7Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded140 tests
- 8Non-component advisories: Play in steering rack inner joint(s)117 tests
Questions
What is the Subaru Xv MOT pass rate?
84.3% of the 6,413 Subaru Xv first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 15.7% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 3.4% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Subaru Xv usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn", recorded on 197 failed tests, followed by "Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick" and "Position lamp: not working". By section, suspension appears in 44.1% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 33.9% of failures, brakes appears in 26% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 5.2%; at 10-13 years it was 26.5%. The median Subaru Xv tested in 2025 was 8 years old with 53,005 miles.
Is the Subaru Xv getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 5.6 points to 17.9% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 7.5 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 Xv 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 7 safety recalls naming the Subaru Xv: Subaru Xv recalls.
Other Subaru models
Checking a particular Xv?
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.