Subaru Forester reliability and MOT data

Time Period & Model

Time period snapshot: Last 5 years

Manufacturer: Subaru

Model: Forester

Model reliability rank
52
MOT-based rank from 95,143 selected-period tests.
View More models
Overall MOT pass rate
75.6%
Share of this model's 95,143 selected-period MOT tests that pass.
View manufacturers
Efficiency, emissions & tax
Average MPG
39.7 mpg
CO2 emission
173 g/km
Euro emissions
Euro 6
Tax cost
£210/yr
Average vehicle miles
106,804
Solid average mileage for this model.
Life expectancy miles
114,583
Moderate mature-fleet mileage expectation.
Average vehicle age
15.2
Older average age in the represented fleet.
Market share
0.03%
0.03% share within the active represented vehicle pool.
Vehicles represented
11,926
11,925 valid MOT, 1 under 3 years.
Tests analysed
95,143
95,143 MOT tests in the selected period.
Rarity ranking
Based on Make & Model
Scarce
11,926On the road
Insight summary

Subaru Forester is a scarce model in this snapshot, with 11,926 represented vehicles and 0.03% of the active UK pool tracked by AutoRank. For the last 5 years, it has a pass rate of 75.6% from 95,143 MOT tests, with a reliability score of 52. The current pool shows an average of 106,804 miles and an average age of 15.2 years, while mature-fleet mileage is estimated at 114,583 miles. Petrol leads the fuel split, followed by diesel, and the most frequent defect themes are windscreen damage, engine warning light and lighting. The practical read is that the Subaru Forester looks like a solid used-car baseline rather than a rare find, with age, mileage and common wear items doing most of the explaining.

Fuel type breakdown (by model)
FuelVehicles
PETROL8,482
DIESEL3,413
LPG20
HYBRID ELECTRIC (CLEAN)6
OTHER4
GAS BI-FUEL1
PETROL71.1%8,482 vehicles
Euro NCAP Safety
NCAP rating
5 / 5
Adult
83%
Children
89%
Pedestrian
86%
Safety systems
72%
Top 25 most common defects (by model)
DefectCount
Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))2,028
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))1,794
Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))1,399
Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))1,388
Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))1,172
Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))1,130
Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))1,074
Offside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))783
Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))684
Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))677
Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))674
Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))671
Offside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))662
Offside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))655
Offside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))651
Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))640
Battery insecure but not likely to fall from carrier (4.13 (a) (i))636
Nearside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))560
Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))493
Offside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))482
Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))482
Nearside Front Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))469
Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))466
Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))459
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.2.2 (g))454
All 25 defects ranked by recorded countShowing 20,583 defects across this top 25 set
01
Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))
9.9% of displayed top 25
2,028
02
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))
8.7% of displayed top 25
1,794
03
Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))
6.8% of displayed top 25
1,399
04
Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))
6.7% of displayed top 25
1,388
05
Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))
5.7% of displayed top 25
1,172
06
Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))
5.5% of displayed top 25
1,130
07
Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))
5.2% of displayed top 25
1,074
08
Offside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))
3.8% of displayed top 25
783
09
Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))
3.3% of displayed top 25
684
10
Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))
3.3% of displayed top 25
677
11
Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))
3.3% of displayed top 25
674
12
Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))
3.3% of displayed top 25
671
13
Offside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))
3.2% of displayed top 25
662
14
Offside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))
3.2% of displayed top 25
655
15
Offside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))
3.2% of displayed top 25
651
16
Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))
3.1% of displayed top 25
640
17
Battery insecure but not likely to fall from carrier (4.13 (a) (i))
3.1% of displayed top 25
636
18
Nearside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))
2.7% of displayed top 25
560
19
Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))
2.4% of displayed top 25
493
20
Offside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))
2.3% of displayed top 25
482
21
Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))
2.3% of displayed top 25
482
22
Nearside Front Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))
2.3% of displayed top 25
469
23
Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))
2.3% of displayed top 25
466
24
Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))
2.2% of displayed top 25
459
25
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.2.2 (g))
2.2% of displayed top 25
454