Subaru
1,712 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Brzs pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 11.6 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
89.1%
Pass-after-fix
2.8%
Fail
7.2%
Avg miles
48,985
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Petrol cars first registered from January 2006 meet Euro 4 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 1,639 tests
Pass rate climbs 1.0 points across the cohorts — newer Brz examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
88.5%
Fail
7.3%
PRS
3.0%
Avg mileage at test
54,644 mi
Pass
89.5%
Fail
8.4%
PRS
2.1%
Avg mileage at test
30,083 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 938 MOT tests, the Brz returns 90.3% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is windscreen damage. A number-plate lamp out and tyre tread under the limit round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 45,587, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
ABI Insurance Group
Above average — worth comparing quotes before buying. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
26–34
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Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
29 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
23 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
22 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
17 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
16 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
15 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
14 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
Wiper blade defective
12 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
A tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative
10 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
10 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£128–£225
If every one of this Brz's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 1.0-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy Subaru Brz makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
89.5%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 89.5% — a 1.0-point improvement. Tests in this band average 30,083 miles — roughly 25K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, has ply or cords exposed — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. The stricter post-2018 MOT test rules meant manufacturers had to tighten up emissions and electrical checks, but this band still shows far fewer major failures on suspension and bodywork than the older fleet.
Band to be cautious about
88.5%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 88.5% pass rate against a fleet average of 89.5% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: inoperative in the case of multiple lamps…, damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, and tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Average mileage on test for this band is 54,644 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (89.5% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (88.5% pass). That's a 1.0-point spread across 1,353 older tests and 286 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
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Motor World Subaru Impreza 2007- Car Floor Mat Set
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Click Mechanic · affiliate
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Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
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Recall history
The Brz has 3 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Brz and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.
