Subaru Wrx: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Subaru Wrx passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 14.1 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 1,690 individual Subaru Wrx tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate90.8%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+14.1 points
Tests analysed1,690
Average mileage at test52,384 miles
Average year of manufacture2015
Reliability rank576 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 90.8% first-time pass rate means roughly 9 in every 100 Subaru Wrx 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 Wrx tested had covered 52,384 miles and was built around 2015.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. On a Subaru Wrx bought as a 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 Wrx 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 what damaged Subaru Wrx actually sold for at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Subaru Wrx

  1. Emissions levels exceed default limits, 1.3% of tests (4.28x the national rate for this defect)
  2. Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits, 0.7% of tests (3.19x the national rate for this defect)
  3. Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer, 0.6% of tests (1.47x the national rate for this defect)
  4. 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, 0.5% of tests (1.45x the national rate for this defect)
  5. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 0.8% of tests
  6. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 0.6% of tests
  7. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 0.5% of tests
  8. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 0.4% of tests
  9. A tyre seriously damaged, 0.4% of tests
  10. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 0.3% of tests

From 3,277 DVSA-tracked Subaru Wrx tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 3.98% of these flagged Subaru Wrx defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.

Subaru Wrx pass rate by model year

Pass rates fall steadily as cars age, so the model year matters as much as the model. First-time pass rate for each Subaru Wrx year:

Other Subaru models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

Embed this data

Run a site about the Subaru Wrx? Embed the real DVSA pass-rate badge free, linked back to this page.

Subaru Wrx MOT pass rate badge: 90.8%

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/subaru-wrx"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/subaru-wrx.svg" width="340" height="92" alt="Subaru Wrx MOT Pass Rate: 90.8% - Salvage Prophet"></a>

All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate