Does the Subaru Outback fail the MOT on suspension more than it should?
The Subaru Outback records 17.07 suspension failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 15.74 expected for a car of the same age mix: more than expected for its class and age (+1.33, 95% interval +0.95 to +1.72). It ranks 217 of 701 models on suspension (1 = most failures above expected).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on suspension · check a Subaru Outback by registration
What exactly fails on suspension?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Subaru Outback is “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn”, recorded 3,907 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 3,907 | 8.87 |
| A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated | 854 | 1.94 |
| A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 663 | 1.50 |
| 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 | 495 | 1.12 |
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 388 | 0.88 |
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
If a Subaru Outback gets a suspension advisory, how often does it fail next time?
20.7% of Subaru Outback MOTs with a suspension advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12 months and 5,966 miles later (7,690 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 7,690 (advisories followed) · Method: the same vehicles followed to their next ordinary MOT · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
Other pages for this model
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