Subaru Forester
From 21,817 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Foresters fare better: 2020 models pass at 81.4% vs 68.4% for 2003.
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired and the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 1,708 failures in 2024. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 1,708 |
| the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired | 603 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 475 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 442 |
| engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction | 373 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 344 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 340 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 332 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 328 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 328 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 24.8% of Forester failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 38.8% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £138.
Subaru Forester on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 1,087 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 934 newly registered, a net loss of 153. Now at 86.3% of its peak (22,840 in 2016 Q4).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 16,082 | 3,636 | +208 | -248 | -40 |
| 2025 Q2 | 16,129 | 3,629 | +196 | -290 | -94 |
| 2025 Q1 | 16,263 | 3,589 | +320 | -327 | -7 |
| 2024 Q4 | 16,312 | 3,547 | +210 | -222 | -12 |
| 2024 Q3 | 16,268 | 3,603 | +193 | -278 | -85 |
| 2024 Q2 | 16,370 | 3,586 | +122 | -234 | -112 |
| 2024 Q1 | 16,517 | 3,551 | +239 | -300 | -61 |
| 2023 Q4 | 16,662 | 3,467 | +102 | -218 | -116 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forester I Xe Prm Ebxr Awd Cvt | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 2,073 | 20% |
| Forester Xc Boxer D Symm Awd | Diesel | 984 | 9% |
| Forester | Petrol | 800 | 8% |
| Forester I Xt Symm Awd Cvt | Petrol | 738 | 7% |
| Forester I Xe Prem Sym Awd Cvt | Petrol | 640 | 6% |
| Forester Xc Boxer Diesel | Diesel | 455 | 4% |
| Forester I Xt Symm-Cal Awd Cvt | Petrol | 450 | 4% |
| Forester I Sport Ebxr Awd Cvt | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 435 | 4% |
| Forester I Xe Symm-Cal Awd Cvt | Petrol | 424 | 4% |
| Forester X All Weather | Petrol | 421 | 4% |
| Forester X | Petrol | 405 | 4% |
| Forester Xe Prem Symm Awd Cvt | Petrol | 362 | 3% |
| Forester Trng Ebxr Sym Awd Cvt | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 349 | 3% |
| Forester I Xe E Boxer Awd Cvt | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 336 | 3% |
| Forester Xs Auto | Petrol | 294 | 3% |
| Forester X Boxer Diesel | Diesel | 287 | 3% |
| Forester X Auto | Petrol | 285 | 3% |
| Forester Xc Pre Boxerd Sym Awd | Diesel | 283 | 3% |
| Forester Xe Symm-Cal Awd Cvt | Petrol | 281 | 3% |
| Forester Xt Turbo | Gas | 267 | 3% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 81.4% | wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, an obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2019 | 88.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2018 | 88.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2017 | 85.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
19 earlier years
| 2016 | 81.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2015 | 79.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2014 | 76.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2013 | 74.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2012 | 70.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2011 | 71.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2010 | 67.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction |
| 2009 | 69.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2008 | 72.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2007 | 71.5% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2006 | 70.3% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2005 | 72% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2004 | 71.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 2003 | 68.4% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2002 | 74.3% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2001 | 69.5% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2000 | 66.8% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 1999 | 72.9% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 1998 | 69.6% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
Typical mileage
Half of all Foresters tested had between 79,638 and 145,110 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 107,342 median miles, the Forester has 0.023 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Subaru models
| Subaru Impreza | 80.4% |
| Subaru Outback | 80.5% |
| Subaru Xv | 83.9% |
| Subaru Legacy | 71.2% |
| Subaru Wrx | 91.1% |
Common questions
What is the Subaru Forester MOT pass rate?
The Subaru Forester has a 75.4% MOT pass rate based on 21,817 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Subaru Forester?
The most common MOT failure on the Subaru Forester is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 1,708 failures. Other common issues include the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired.
How many Subaru Foresters are on UK roads?
There are 16,082 Subaru Foresters currently licensed on UK roads, with 3,636 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Subaru Forester at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Subaru Forester is 107,342 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 79,638 and 145,110 miles.
Buying a used Forester?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 75.4% pass rate and an average repair bill of £138 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.