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Subaru Outback, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls

9,475 Subaru Outbacks are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 75.7% of initial MOT tests, 3.4 points above the 72.3% UK average.

Looking at a specific Outback? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.

Subaru Outback at the MOT

75.7% of 7,761 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the Outback 259th of 575 models. Subaru Outbacks aged 3 to 5 years passed 88.2% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 60.8%.

First-time pass rate, 2025

Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.

  • Subaru Outback75.7%
  • All Subaru modelsThe Outback is 1.2 pts ahead74.5%
  • All cars72.3%

Pass rate by age at test

Subaru Outback tests in 2025.

  • 3 to 5 years1,443 tests88.2%
  • 6 to 10 years2,909 tests81.8%
  • 11 years and over2,921 tests60.8%

Where Outbacks fail

Share of all failure items recorded on Subaru Outback tests in 2025.

  • Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment26.7%
  • Suspension24.5%
  • Brakes15.2%
  • Tyres9.8%
  • Noise, emissions and leaks7.2%

The items testers recorded most often were position lamp not working (6.7%), brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick (5.4%) and pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn (5.4%).

The MOT page lists every common Outback MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.

Full Subaru Outback MOT record

What to look at on a viewing

The Outback's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.

  1. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

    Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting.26.7% of Outback failure items

  2. Suspension

    Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters.24.5% of Outback failure items

  3. Brakes

    Make sure the pedal feels firm, the car stops in a straight line, the handbrake holds on a slope and no brake warning light is showing.15.2% of Outback failure items

Subaru Outbacks in the UK

9,475 were licensed at the end of June 2026, the 3rd most of any Subaru. The number licensed has grown 15% since the end of 2014.

Change since 2014
+15%from 8,241 licensed
Typical year of first use
2018half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2018 or earlier
First registered in 2025
685against 851 in 2015
Declared off the road
1,46313% of those registered, under SORN

Licensed Subaru Outbacks since 2014

Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.

Show the figures
DateLicensed
End of 20148,241
End of 20158,638
End of 20168,958
End of 20178,835
End of 20188,917
End of 20198,938
End of 20208,732
End of 20218,884
End of 20228,976
End of 20239,207
End of 20249,421
End of 20259,525
End of June 20269,475

How old they are

Licensed Subaru Outbacks by year of first use.

  • Licensed at the end of 2025
  • First registered that year

A further 327 were first used before 2006.

Show the figures
First usedLicensed, end 2025First registered that year
2025647685
2024719769
2023719783
2022590622
2021599639
2020245273
2019569630
2018642694
2017440494
2016731811
2015719851
2014196
2013230
2012241
2011384
2010346
2009233
2008131
2007266
2006274

719 Outbacks first used in 2015 were still licensed at the end of 2025, roughly 84% of the 851 first registered that year.

Outback engines and fuel

2.5 litre engines made up 61% of Subaru Outback MOT tests in 2025, followed by 2.0 litre at 30%. Petrol accounts for 77% of licensed Outbacks and diesel for 23%.

Engine size at MOT, 2025

Share of 7,761 initial MOT tests in 2025.

  • 2.5 litre61.2%
  • 2.0 litre30.4%
  • 3.0 litre7.1%
  • 3.6 litre1.3%

Fuel type, licensed Outbacks

DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.

FuelLicensedShare
Petrol7,27077%
Diesel2,16923%
Battery electric3<0.1%
Gas330.3%

Subaru Outback recalls

15 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Subaru Outback. The 8 most recent are below. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every Outback is affected.

  1. Nov 2024 R/2024/391

    SRT 351 - Malfunction of inhibitor switch on CVT

    Outbacks built Feb 2021 to Sep 2022 · 116 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    On affected vehicles the reverse lamp may not illuminate and / or the rear-view monitor may not display an image from the rear-view camera.
    Remedy
    Replace the inhibitor switch with an improved part.

  2. Sep 2022 R/2022/260

    The electronic park brake connector may disconnect

    Outbacks built May 2014 to Nov 2018 · 4,769 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Remedy
    Inspect the electronic park brake connector and if necessary fit a retaining clip.

  3. Mar 2022 R/2022/053

    The eyesight logic may cause an UN-necessary activation of the pre-collision braking

    Outbacks built Nov 2020 to Jun 2021 · 152 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    The Eyesight logic may cause un-necessary activation of the pre-collision braking.
    Remedy
    Re-program the Eyesight software

  4. Mar 2019 R/2019/052

    A driving range indicator in the multi information display has a program error

    Outbacks built Jul 2017 to Aug 2018 · 422 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    Driver multi-function display inaccurate remaining fuel mileage range.
    Remedy
    Affected vehicles will have a software enhancement.

  5. Mar 2019 R/2019/025

    The load may exceed the valve spring's fatigue strength and the spring may fracture

    Outbacks built Jan 2013 to Dec 2014 · 812 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    Engine valve springs may fracture.
    Remedy
    Replace all engine valve springs.

  6. Jan 2019 R/2018/346

    Electronic parking brake capacitor on inner circuit board and magnet ring of the sensor may fracture

    Outbacks built May 2005 to Jun 2014 · 4,199 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    Electronic park brake capacitor may fracture and fail.
    Remedy
    Replace the park brake actuator on affected vehicles.

  7. Dec 2018 R/2018/326

    Mis connection of the fuel pump connector

    Outbacks built Jan 2004 to Jul 2009 · 6,649 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    Fuel pump wiring poor connection.
    Remedy
    Replace fuel pump harness and inspect pump flange or damage. Replace if required.

  8. Sep 2018 R/2018/229

    Obstruction in cowl area may force wipers to park out of position and overheat

    Outbacks built Jan 2009 to Dec 2014 · 3,906 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    If wipers become obstructed motor may over heat with risk of fire
    Remedy
    Replace wiper motor bottom cover on affected vehicles
How to check a specific Outback for recalls

Other Subaru models

The most-tested Subaru models in 2025, against the Outback's 75.7% MOT pass rate.

All 6 Subaru models

Subaru Outback FAQs

How many Subaru Outbacks are there in the UK?

9,475 Subaru Outbacks were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 1,463 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.

Is the Subaru Outback reliable?

MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is a 75.7% first-time pass rate for the Subaru Outback across 7,761 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.

Has the Subaru Outback had any recalls?

15 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Subaru Outback. The most recent was published in November 2024. A recall applies to vehicles built in a set period, so check a specific car on the GOV.UK vehicle recall checker.

What should I check before buying a used Subaru Outback?

On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, suspension and brakes. Then check the individual car's own records. Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and police stolen markers are not part of the MOT record, so they take a history check.

How do I check a Subaru Outback's history?

Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.

Already found an Outback?

Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.

Across the 1,548 vehicles of every make Carpeep has checked since November 2025, 19% had outstanding finance recorded and 13% an insurance write-off. More on the Subaru history check. To confirm a car's identity, see the Subaru VIN check.

  • Outstanding finance
  • Write-off records
  • Stolen markers
  • Mileage history
  • Previous keepers

MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), which also gives the engine sizes. Licensed, SORN, fuel and registration figures are from the Department for Transport vehicle licensing statistics (VEH0120, VEH0124, VEH0160). Recalls are from the DVSA vehicle recalls data, with recalls launched up to October 2026. Government data is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability. History-check findings are anonymous counts from reports bought on Carpeep, each vehicle counted once, and are published only where at least 100 vehicles returned an answer.