Does the Subaru Outback fail the MOT on lamps, reflectors and electrics more than it should?

The Subaru Outback records 22.14 lamps, reflectors and electrics failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 18.14 expected for a car of the same age mix: more than expected for its class and age (+4.00, 95% interval +3.56 to +4.44). It ranks 167 of 729 models on lamps, reflectors and electrics (1 = most failures above expected).

Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on lamps, reflectors and electrics · check a Subaru Outback by registration

What exactly fails on lamps, reflectors and electrics?

The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Subaru Outback is “A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources”, recorded 1,746 times in 2019–2024.

Subaru Outback: most frequent lamps, reflectors and electrics defect wordings, 2019–2024 (30+ items each)
DVSA defect wording	Items	Per 100 tests
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources	1,746	3.96
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning	1,366	3.10
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements	1,179	2.68
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective	897	2.04
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning	832	1.89

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 44,070 (initial tests) · Method: failure items (major and minor) grouped by DVSA's defect tree; wordings with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV

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Does the Subaru Outback fail the MOT on lamps, reflectors and electrics more than it should?

What exactly fails on lamps, reflectors and electrics?

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