Subaru Forester MOT pass rates & common failures

Every completed first-attempt MOT on a Subaru Forester in Great Britain in 2025 — 15,623 tests. Figures cover every Forester first-tested in 2025, all trims grouped. How the Forester ages, what it fails on, and what mileage is normal, computed directly from the official DVSA record of every test.

Pass rate 2025
70.8%
1.5 points below the class-4 average (72.3%); unadjusted for age — the age-matched comparison is below
Tests analysed
15,623
first tests, 2025
Arrived with a dangerous fault
5.3%
of Forester first tests; national 7.3%
Typical mileage at 10 years
78,750
middle half: 58,750–101,250 miles (2,500-mile-band midpoints)

How many Subaru Forester cars are still on the road?

At the end of 2025, DVLA's register held 20,104 Subaru Forester cars that were taxed or on SORN: 16,285 taxed and 3,819 on SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification — kept, but declared off the road by the keeper). The MOT figures above count tests; these count cars, across the whole United Kingdom, cars only. Subaru Forester vans, where they exist, are counted by DVLA as goods vehicles and are not in these figures.

Still taxed, end of 2025
16,285
81.0% of the 20,104 Forester cars taxed or on SORN; 70 model variants grouped
On SORN, end of 2025
3,819
declared off the road by their keepers — 19.0% of that total

How the numbers are moving

The number of taxed Forester cars peaked at 21,478 at the end of 2016 and has since fallen by 5,193 (24.2%) to 16,285 at the end of 2025. Cars on SORN went from 943 at the end of 2014 to 3,819 at the end of 2025, up 305.0%. A car leaves the taxed count when it is scrapped, exported or declared off the road; the year-end counts do not say which.

Taxed Forester cars, year by year

Cars of this model taxed and on the road at the end of each year, 2014–2025.

05k10k15k20k25k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)Taxed Forester cars, year 2014: 21kTaxed Forester cars, year 2015: 21kTaxed Forester cars, year 2016: 21kTaxed Forester cars, year 2017: 21kTaxed Forester cars, year 2018: 20kTaxed Forester cars, year 2019: 20kTaxed Forester cars, year 2020: 19kTaxed Forester cars, year 2021: 18kTaxed Forester cars, year 2022: 18kTaxed Forester cars, year 2023: 17kTaxed Forester cars, year 2024: 17kTaxed Forester cars, year 2025: 16k16k
View this chart as a table
YearTaxed Forester cars
201421,466
201521,383
201621,478
201720,775
201820,200
201919,833
202018,847
202118,443
202217,523
202316,952
202416,595
202516,285

Forester cars on SORN, year by year

Cars of this model declared off the road at the end of each year, 2014–2025. Its own scale — SORN counts are a fraction of the taxed count.

01k2k3k4k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)Forester cars on SORN, year 2014: 943Forester cars on SORN, year 2015: 1kForester cars on SORN, year 2016: 2kForester cars on SORN, year 2017: 2kForester cars on SORN, year 2018: 2kForester cars on SORN, year 2019: 3kForester cars on SORN, year 2020: 3kForester cars on SORN, year 2021: 3kForester cars on SORN, year 2022: 3kForester cars on SORN, year 2023: 4kForester cars on SORN, year 2024: 4kForester cars on SORN, year 2025: 4k4k
View this chart as a table
YearForester cars on SORN
2014943
20151,317
20161,685
20172,047
20182,344
20192,671
20203,020
20213,134
20223,327
20233,560
20243,632
20253,819

Which model years survive

Taxed Forester cars at the end of 2025 by year of manufacture, and each year's share of the 16,285 taxed in all. Every build year holding at least 1% has its own row; the rest share one. A build year's count depends on how many were sold that year as well as how many have lasted.

Year of manufacture Taxed, end of 2025Share of taxed Forester cars
20258175.0%
20246634.1%
20235853.6%
20222641.6%
20217094.4%
20202151.3%
20191,0556.5%
20188795.4%
20178405.2%
20161,1517.1%
20151,0896.7%
20141,0606.5%
20137644.7%
20123732.3%
20117234.4%
20105673.5%
20093342.1%
20084242.6%
20076413.9%
20066964.3%
20057544.6%
20046464.0%
20034042.5%
20021961.2%
All other build years (seven years, each under 1%)4362.7%

Population source: Department for Transport / DVLA vehicle licensing statistics, table VEH0124, updated 15 July 2026; counts of the cars on DVLA's register that were taxed or on SORN at the end of each year shown, United Kingdom, cars only, excluding cars recorded with no model name. SortedCars groups DVLA's model name FORESTER under this model. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, DVLA or the Department for Transport.

How the Forester ages

First-time pass rate by vehicle age, Forester vs all cars, 2025.

Subaru ForesterAll cars
50%60%70%80%90%100%3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)Subaru Forester, vehicle age 4: 89.6%Subaru Forester, vehicle age 6: 89.4%Subaru Forester, vehicle age 7: 83.3%Subaru Forester, vehicle age 8: 79.9%Subaru Forester, vehicle age 9: 73.9%Subaru Forester, vehicle age 10: 73.1%Subaru Forester, vehicle age 11: 69.3%Subaru Forester, vehicle age 12: 68.4%Subaru Forester, vehicle age 14: 62.2%Subaru Forester, vehicle age 15: 54.9%Subaru Forester, vehicle age 17: 61.4%Subaru Forester, vehicle age 18: 63.7%Subaru Forester, vehicle age 19: 61%Subaru Forester, vehicle age 20: 61%All cars, vehicle age 3: 88.5%All cars, vehicle age 4: 87.2%All cars, vehicle age 5: 86%All cars, vehicle age 6: 83.5%All cars, vehicle age 7: 80.9%All cars, vehicle age 8: 78.2%All cars, vehicle age 9: 74.9%All cars, vehicle age 10: 71.9%All cars, vehicle age 11: 68.6%All cars, vehicle age 12: 65.8%All cars, vehicle age 13: 63.5%All cars, vehicle age 14: 61.2%All cars, vehicle age 15: 59.3%All cars, vehicle age 16: 58.3%All cars, vehicle age 17: 57.2%All cars, vehicle age 18: 57.4%All cars, vehicle age 19: 57%All cars, vehicle age 20: 57.6%Subaru Forester 61%All cars 57.6%
View this chart as a table
Age (years)Forester testsForester pass rateAll cars
474089.6%87.2%
61,10689.4%83.5%
792383.3%80.9%
890479.9%78.2%
91,21373.9%74.9%
101,13273.1%71.9%
111,12169.3%68.6%
1281068.4%65.8%
1480762.2%61.2%
1568854.9%59.3%
1751361.4%57.2%
1876463.7%57.4%
1979461.0%57.0%
2084461.0%57.6%

Better or worse than the average car?

The Forester's pass rate minus the all-cars pass rate at each age, in percentage points. Bars above zero: the Forester beats the average car of that age. Below zero: it trails.

Forester aheadForester behind
-8-4+0+4+8Age 4: +2.4 points vs the average carAge 6: +5.9 points vs the average carAge 7: +2.4 points vs the average car7Age 8: +1.7 points vs the average carAge 9: -1.0 points vs the average car9Age 10: +1.2 points vs the average carAge 11: +0.7 points vs the average car11Age 12: +2.6 points vs the average carAge 14: +1.0 points vs the average carAge 15: -4.4 points vs the average car15Age 17: +4.2 points vs the average car17Age 18: +6.3 points vs the average carAge 19: +4.0 points vs the average car19Age 20: +3.4 points vs the average car20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)Gap (points)
4+2.4
6+5.9
7+2.4
8+1.7
9-1.0
10+1.2
11+0.7
12+2.6
14+1.0
15-4.4
17+4.2
18+6.3
19+4.0
20+3.4

The Forester fleet on the road, by age

How many took a first MOT in 2025 at each age — the shape of the Forester fleet still in use.

05001k1k2kAge 4: 7404Age 6: 1k6Age 7: 923Age 8: 9048Age 9: 1kAge 10: 1k10Age 11: 1kAge 12: 81012Age 14: 80714Age 15: 688Age 17: 513Age 18: 76418Age 19: 794Age 20: 84420Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)First tests
4740
61,106
7923
8904
91,213
101,132
111,121
12810
14807
15688
17513
18764
19794
20844

What a Forester fails on

Where the failure items land when a Forester fails or needs a fix at test, 2025. Use it as a pre-purchase checklist: these are the areas to look at first.

Suspension31.3%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment24.8%
Brakes11.7%
Noise, emissions and leaks8.5%
Visibility7.3%
Tyres6.3%
Body, chassis, structure6.1%
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems1.7%

Share of all failure items, 2025 — the 8 biggest categories shown (97.7% of the items); smaller categories are not listed.

The advisories to watch

Where testers most often write "keep an eye on this" for a Forester, 2025 — the faults in the post.

Suspension: 36.5% of advisories36.5%Brakes: 23.6% of advisories23.6%Tyres: 23.0% of advisories23.0%Body, chassis, structure: 5.7% of advisoriesNon-component advisories: 3.7% of advisoriesNoise, emissions and leaks: 2.7% of advisories
SuspensionBrakesTyresBody, chassis, structureNon-component advisoriesNoise, emissions and leaks
View this chart as a table
CategoryShare of advisories
Suspension36.5%
Brakes23.6%
Tyres23.0%
Body, chassis, structure5.7%
Non-component advisories3.7%
Noise, emissions and leaks2.7%

Petrol, diesel or hybrid Forester?

First-time pass rate for the three most-tested Forester fuel types, 2025, against the all-cars average. Fleet ages differ by fuel — newer fleets help the electrified bars.

50%60%70%80%90%100%all cars 72.3%Petrol: 69.4% of 9,678 tests69.4%Petrol9,678 testsDiesel: 65.9% of 4,209 tests65.9%Diesel4,209 testsHybrid electric: 90.4% of 1,713 tests90.4%Hybrid1,713 tests
View this chart as a table
FuelTestsPass rate
Petrol9,67869.4%
Diesel4,20965.9%
Hybrid electric1,71390.4%

What mileage is normal for a Forester?

Mileage recorded at test by vehicle age, 2025. The line is the typical (median) Forester; the shaded band holds the middle half. A car far outside the band, in either direction, is worth questions the recorded history can answer.

Typical Forester (median)
0k25k50k75k100k125k150k4681012141820Vehicle age (years)Age 4: typical 33,750 miles (middle half 23,750–43,750)Age 6: typical 41,250 miles (middle half 28,750–53,750)Age 7: typical 51,250 miles (middle half 36,250–68,750)Age 8: typical 61,250 miles (middle half 43,750–78,750)Age 9: typical 68,750 miles (middle half 51,250–88,750)Age 10: typical 78,750 miles (middle half 58,750–101,250)Age 11: typical 88,750 miles (middle half 66,250–111,250)Age 12: typical 96,250 miles (middle half 73,750–121,250)Age 14: typical 111,250 miles (middle half 86,250–136,250)Age 15: typical 111,250 miles (middle half 88,750–136,250)Age 17: typical 111,250 miles (middle half 86,250–136,250)Age 18: typical 111,250 miles (middle half 86,250–136,250)Age 19: typical 116,250 miles (middle half 91,250–143,750)Age 20: typical 121,250 miles (middle half 96,250–148,750)121k mi

Mileage values are midpoints of 2,500-mile bands.

View this chart as a table
Age (years)Lower quarterTypical (median)Upper quarter
423,75033,75043,750
628,75041,25053,750
736,25051,25068,750
843,75061,25078,750
951,25068,75088,750
1058,75078,750101,250
1166,25088,750111,250
1273,75096,250121,250
1486,250111,250136,250
1588,750111,250136,250
1786,250111,250136,250
1886,250111,250136,250
1991,250116,250143,750
2096,250121,250148,750

What fails at each age

The Forester's failure mix by age band, 2025 — each band's top categories at their true share of that band's failure items; the pale remainder is everything else. How the mix shifts with age is the point of the chart.

TyresVisibilityBrakesLamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentSuspensionNoise, emissions and leaksBody, chassis, structureEverything else
View this chart as a table
Age bandCategoryShare of the band's failure items
3-5 yrsTyres25.9%
3-5 yrsVisibility25.3%
3-5 yrsBrakes21.7%
3-5 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment15.7%
3-5 yrsSuspension5.4%
3-5 yrsEverything else6.0%
6-9 yrsSuspension43.8%
6-9 yrsBrakes15.1%
6-9 yrsTyres14.7%
6-9 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment9.9%
6-9 yrsVisibility6.6%
6-9 yrsEverything else9.9%
10-13 yrsSuspension46.5%
10-13 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment16.5%
10-13 yrsBrakes14.4%
10-13 yrsTyres7.0%
10-13 yrsVisibility5.9%
10-13 yrsEverything else9.7%
14+ yrsSuspension30.8%
14+ yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment22.7%
14+ yrsBrakes11.6%
14+ yrsNoise, emissions and leaks11.4%
14+ yrsBody, chassis, structure8.2%
14+ yrsEverything else15.3%
How these figures are computed. Every number on this page is calculated by SortedCars from the DVSA anonymised MOT results dataset (every MOT test in Great Britain — 2025 for single-year figures; trend figures state their span, currently 2023–2025). Where a figure comes from a sample or uses banded values (mileage is banded to 2,500 miles), the page says so beside the figure. Test class 4 only, first tests only — retests are excluded. Class 4 is the car MOT class and also covers car-derived vans, pickups and motorhomes tested to the same standard; where this page says "cars" it means class 4. Pass rate = passes ÷ (passes + failures + pass-after-rectification): a vehicle that failed and was fixed during the visit counts as a fail. Pass rates describe fleets, not individual machines: they reflect how cars were driven, maintained and used as well as how they were built, and beyond recorded mileage none of that is in the data. A well-kept example of a model with a weak average can still pass; a neglected example of a strong one can still fail. No figure is shown for any group with fewer than 500 tests. Alias spellings of a make in the DVSA file are counted under one make name, and all trims and variants of a model are grouped under one model name, using SortedCars' grouping tables. The taxed and SORN counts on this page are the one exception: they are not computed from MOT records but taken from the Department for Transport's vehicle licensing statistics (DfT/DVLA table VEH0124, updated 15 July 2026, Open Government Licence v3.0), which count the cars on DVLA's register that were taxed or on SORN at the end of each year shown, UK-wide, cars only. They describe a model as a whole, grouped under SortedCars' model names, and say nothing about any one car. “Dangerous” is DVSA's statutory defect category (in force since May 2018): a defect posing an immediate risk to road safety — driving the vehicle before repair is an offence. What these figures are for. These statistics are general information about groups of vehicles. They are not advice, a valuation or a recommendation to buy, avoid or price any particular vehicle, and no decision about one car should rest on them alone — check the car itself and its own records. We take care over the calculations, but we cannot guarantee they are complete, current or free of error, and we accept no liability for loss arising from reliance on them. This does not limit any liability that cannot lawfully be limited — see our Terms & Conditions. If you believe any figure on this page is inaccurate, contact us. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the DVSA or DVLA. DVSA publishes the raw test records; the statistics on this page are SortedCars' own calculations from them. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.