Subaru Brz: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Subaru Brz passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 12.2 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 882 individual Subaru Brz tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 88.9% first-time pass rate means roughly 11 in every 100 Subaru Brz presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average Subaru Brz tested had covered 49,212 miles and was built around 2016.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Subaru Brz sits 12.2 points above the national average, ranked 882 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Subaru Brz rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see recorded closing bids for damaged Subaru Brz at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Subaru Brz

1. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 2.8% of tests
2. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.8% of tests
3. A tyre seriously damaged, 1.8% of tests
4. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 1.6% of tests
5. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 1.1% of tests
6. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 0.9% of tests
7. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 0.7% of tests
8. Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer, 0.7% of tests (1.34x the national rate for this defect)
9. A tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative, 0.7% of tests (2.49x the national rate for this defect)
10. Emissions levels exceed default limits, 0.7% of tests (1.93x the national rate for this defect)

From 880 DVSA-tracked Subaru Brz tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 7.03% of these flagged Subaru Brz defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Subaru Brz

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Subaru Brz before it actually fails on it.

1. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 2.7% of tests (1.36x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
2. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 20.8% of tests, also fails
3. A tyre seriously damaged, 14.7% of tests, also fails
4. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 9.1% of tests
5. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 6.4% of tests
6. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 1.8% of tests
7. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 1.7% of tests
8. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 1.4% of tests
9. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 1.4% of tests
10. Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution., 1.1% of tests (1.34x the national rate for this advisory)

From 880 DVSA-tracked Subaru Brz tests, 2024.

Other Subaru models

• Subaru Impreza - 78%
• Subaru Forester - 73.5%
• Subaru Outback - 79.2%
• Subaru Xv - 83.6%
• Subaru Legacy - 68.8%
• Subaru Wrx - 90.8%
• Subaru Forester I Xe Prm Ebxr Awd Cvt - 93.8%
• Subaru Levorg - 88.4%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Audi Q3 S Line 35 Tdi S-A - 88.9%
• Audi A5 S Line Ed 1 40 Tfsi Mhev Sa - 88.9%
• MG Zs Excite T-Gdi Auto - 88.9%
• Mercedes-Benz C 300 Amg Line Ed Prem D A - 88.9%
• BMW 220d Xdrive Luxury Auto - 88.9%
• Peugeot 5008 Allure Premium P-Tech S/S - 88.9%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

Embed this data

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate