Subaru Xv
From 9,005 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Xvs fare better: 2021 models pass at 89.7% vs 76.3% for 2012.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, a lamp missing and inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 416 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 416 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 191 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 130 |
| stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 116 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 92 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 78 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 76 |
| brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn | 75 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 52 |
| a wheel bearing excessively rough | 51 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 59.5% of Xv failures are safety items (worn brakes, tyre damage, steering play). The car still drives, but you shouldn't. Only 0% are the kind that would actually strand you. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £109.
Fuel type matters
Petrol versions pass at 85.9% while Diesel versions pass at 78%, a 8 percentage point gap.
Subaru Xv on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 126 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 4 newly registered, a net loss of 122. At this rate, roughly 77.8 years until none remain.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 7,029 | 127 | +0 | -60 | -60 |
| 2025 Q2 | 7,099 | 117 | +1 | -56 | -55 |
| 2025 Q1 | 7,160 | 111 | +0 | -10 | -10 |
| 2024 Q4 | 7,189 | 92 | +3 | -0 | +32 |
| 2024 Q3 | 7,171 | 78 | +0 | -0 | +3 |
| 2024 Q2 | 7,158 | 88 | +0 | -6 | -6 |
| 2024 Q1 | 7,167 | 85 | +14 | -80 | -66 |
| 2023 Q4 | 7,240 | 78 | +59 | -20 | +39 |
13 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xv I Se Premium Sym Awd Cvt | Petrol | 1,688 | 25% |
| Xv I Se Symmetrical Awd Cvt | Petrol | 1,360 | 20% |
| Xv I Se Prem E Boxer Awd Cvt | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 1,324 | 20% |
| Xv D Se Symmetrical Awd | Diesel | 872 | 13% |
| Xv I Se Symmetrical Awd | Petrol | 386 | 6% |
| Xv I Se E Boxer Awd Cvt | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 318 | 5% |
| Xv D Se Premium Symmetricalawd | Diesel | 287 | 4% |
| Xv I Se Premium Symmetricalawd | Petrol | 180 | 3% |
| Xv D Se Premium Sym Awd Box-D | Diesel | 86 | 1% |
| Xv D S D Symmetrical Awd | Diesel | 78 | 1% |
| Xv D Se Lux Premium Sy-Cal Awd | Diesel | 68 | 1% |
| Xv I Se Lux Prem Sycal Awd Cvt | Petrol | 66 | <1% |
| Xv I S Symmetrical Awd | Petrol | 52 | <1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 89.7% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2019 | 91.3% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn |
| 2018 | 91.8% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2017 | 84.2% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
5 earlier years
| 2016 | 82.1% | 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 |
| 2015 | 80% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn |
| 2014 | 77% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2013 | 75.9% | 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 |
| 2012 | 76.3% | 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 |
Typical mileage
Half of all Xvs tested had between 33,376 and 71,781 miles on the clock.
At 54,761 median miles, the Xv has 0.029 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Subaru models
| Subaru Impreza | 80.4% |
| Subaru Forester | 75.4% |
| Subaru Outback | 80.5% |
| Subaru Legacy | 71.2% |
| Subaru Wrx | 91.1% |
Common questions
What is the Subaru Xv MOT pass rate?
The Subaru Xv has a 83.9% MOT pass rate based on 9,005 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Subaru Xv?
The most common MOT failure on the Subaru Xv is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 416 failures. Other common issues include a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm.
How many Subaru Xvs are on UK roads?
There are 7,029 Subaru Xvs currently licensed on UK roads, with 127 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Subaru Xv at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Subaru Xv is 54,761 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 33,376 and 71,781 miles.
Buying a used Xv?
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 83.9% pass rate and an average repair bill of £109 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.