Subaru
10,107 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where Legacys pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 6.8 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
70.7%
Pass-after-fix
5.4%
Fail
23.1%
Avg miles
111,872
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 10,054 tests
Pass rate climbs 8.4 points across the cohorts — newer Legacy examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
70.4%
Fail
23.4%
PRS
5.4%
Avg mileage at test
112,426 mi
Pass
78.9%
Fail
17.1%
PRS
4.0%
Avg mileage at test
94,193 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 7,324 MOT tests, the Legacy returns 69.7% first-time pass — well below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a number-plate lamp out. A defective headlamp lens and a lamp out round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 111,913, 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
Around the UK fleet average for insurance cost. 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 →
20–30
out of 50
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A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
448 occurrences · 4.4% of tests
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
409 occurrences · 4.0% of tests
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
335 occurrences · 3.3% of tests
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
291 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
247 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
238 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
202 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
200 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
193 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
191 occurrences · 1.9% 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 2 failures
£18–£115
If every one of this Legacy'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 8.4-point gap between bands means the year you buy Subaru Legacy has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.
Best band to buy
78.9%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 78.9% — a 8.4-point improvement. Tests in this band average 94,193 miles — roughly 18K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: lens slightly defective, constant velocity boot split or insecure, no… — 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
70.4%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 70.4% pass rate against a fleet average of 78.9% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: inoperative in the case of multiple lamps…, lens slightly defective, and not working. Average mileage on test for this band is 112,426 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (78.9% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (70.4% pass). That's a 8.4-point spread across 9,803 older tests and 251 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
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
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
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Recall history
The Legacy has 13 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 Legacy 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.
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