Diesel Subaru Legacy: MOT pass rate
64.1% of diesel Subaru Legacies pass the MOT first time, measured across 761 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 114,746.
Diesel against the other Subaru Legacy versions
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 70.3% | 4,363 |
| Diesel | 64.1% | 761 |
| All Subaru Legacy | 69.4% | 5,139 |
Why the fuel type changes the number
Diesels carry DPFs, EGR valves and stricter smoke limits, so emissions and exhaust faults account for failures petrol cars never see.
On the Subaru Legacy specifically, petrol is the strongest at 70.3%, and this diesel version sits 5.3 points below the 69.4% model average.
What it means if you are buying one
The diesel Subaru Legacy fails more often than the model average, so budget for the items that catch this fuel type and treat a fresh MOT as worth paying for. Check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.
Mileage is part of the answer
The average diesel Subaru Legacy had covered 114,746 miles at test, against 112,035 for the petrol. That is high mileage, so timing belts, clutches, suspension bushes and corrosion are the items worth budgeting for rather than the MOT itself.
Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the Subaru Legacy page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.
Other Subaru Legacy fuel types
- Petrol Subaru Legacy - 70.3%