Diesel Subaru Outback: MOT pass rate

78.4% of diesel Subaru Outbacks pass the MOT first time, measured across 2,478 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 100,067.

Diesel against the other Subaru Outback versions

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 Outback specifically, petrol is the strongest at 80.2%, and this diesel version sits 1.2 points below the 79.6% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The diesel Subaru Outback 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. Buying a damaged one? run it through the analyzer, check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.

Mileage is part of the answer

The average diesel Subaru Outback had covered 100,067 miles at test, against 82,966 for the petrol. That is above average and into the range where cambelts and water pumps are due if they have not already been done, so ask for the service history rather than take the mileage on trust.

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 Outback page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a diesel Subaru Outback

1. Headlamp levelling device inoperative, 1.2% of tests (8.58x the national rate for this defect)
2. ESC MIL indicates a system malfunction, 1.5% of tests (7.56x the national rate for this defect)
3. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 2.7% of tests (2.14x the national rate for this defect)
4. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 4.1% of tests (1.86x the national rate for this defect)
5. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 8.5% of tests (1.7x the national rate for this defect)
6. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 3% of tests (1.39x the national rate for this defect)
7. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 2.2% of tests (1.2x the national rate for this defect)
8. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 1.3% of tests (1.2x the national rate for this defect)
9. A tyre seriously damaged, 2.7% of tests
10. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 2.5% of tests

From 2,487 DVSA-tracked diesel Subaru Outback tests, 2024, split out from the Subaru Outback's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 3.65% of these flagged defects as "dangerous", against 5.11% nationally. See which fuel type fails on the most dangerous defects nationally for how that compares across the whole fleet.

Most common MOT advisories on a diesel Subaru Outback

Flagged but doesn't fail the car, a different list from the failures above.

1. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 35.3% of tests (2.64x the national rate for this defect), also fails
2. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 15% of tests (1.61x the national rate for this defect), also fails
3. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 1.6% of tests (1.49x the national rate for this defect)
4. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 7.2% of tests (1.39x the national rate for this defect)
5. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 8.4% of tests (1.35x the national rate for this defect), also fails
6. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 14.7% of tests (1.2x the national rate for this defect)
7. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 26.5% of tests
8. A tyre seriously damaged, 10.8% of tests, also fails
9. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 5% of tests
10. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 4.7% of tests, also fails

From 2,487 DVSA-tracked diesel Subaru Outback tests, 2024.

Other Subaru Outback fuel types

• Petrol Subaru Outback - 80.2%

All Subaru Outback MOT data · Every model