The picture
Wrx: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 1,821 MOT tests, the Wrx returns 89.7% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a number-plate lamp out. Emissions levels exceed default limits and lambda coefficient outside the default limits round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 48,870, 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.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
33 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
- 02
Emissions levels exceed default limits
21 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
- 03
Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
21 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
- 04
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
19 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 05
Wiper blade defective
19 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 06
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
19 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 07
Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits
19 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 08
A tyre cords visible or damaged
18 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 09
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps
17 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 10
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
10 occurrences · 0.5% 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
£28–£80
If every one of this Wrx'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 →
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Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
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
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
Buying or keeping a Wrx?
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 Wrx 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.