Used car guide · 1989–2026

Subaru Legacy common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Subaru Legacy, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 15,087 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

The 1994 Subaru Legacy

Too few Subaru Legacy cars first registered in 1994 had an MOT during 2025 for reliable MOT figures. There are no known faults on record for this year in the UK buying guides we use, so the rest of this page covers the Subaru Legacy as a whole.

64on the UK register at the end of 2025
Petrolfuel type
What to check on a 1994 car
  • MOT history

    Check the reg below: its MOT history shows what has been failed or advised, and whether the mileage adds up.

  • Service history

    Look for regular servicing and receipts for big jobs like a cambelt or clutch.

  • Finance and write-offs

    MOT records don’t show outstanding finance or insurance write-offs. A history check does.

  • Test drive

    Listen for knocks over bumps, check every warning light goes out, and make sure the gears and brakes feel right.

Other years

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

2026202020192018201720162013201220112010200920082007200620052004200320022001200019991998199719961995199419931992199119901989

What usually goes wrong with a Subaru Legacy?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Subaru Legacy in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Subaru Legacy MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, for each fuel on its own. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

Petrol

  • Anti-roll bar bushes and joints

    up to 13.2× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

    Rough price £100–£280 (pair of drop links) Checkatrade

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints

    up to 2.3× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

  • Exhaust emissions (catalyst)

    up to 5.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2009 and 2011.

    Rough price £175–£900 (catalytic converter) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Look for smoke when revving the warm engine and for an engine warning light.

  • Anti-roll bar link joints

    up to 3.4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2008 and 2009.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Headlights

    up to 2.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2011 and 2012.

    Rough price £40–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check both headlights on dipped and full beam, and look for cloudy or cracked lenses.

Diesel

  • Anti-roll bar bushes and joints

    up to 14.8× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2010 and 2011.

    Rough price £100–£280 (pair of drop links) Checkatrade

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

  • Sidelights

    up to 2.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2010 and 2011.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints

    up to 2× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2010 and 2011.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

  • Electronic stability control

    up to 18.3× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2010.

    Rough price £150–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Sub-frame

    up to 2.5× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2010.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

  • Rigid brake pipes

    up to 2.4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2011.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

Subaru Legacy MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2007 Subaru Legacy did best (64% passed first time, 7 points above all 2007 cars) and the 2013 did worst (65%, 2 points below all 2013 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
202076%87% -11115 (small sample)
201970%85% -15148 (small sample)
201881%83% -2162 (small sample)
201775%80% -5114 (small sample)
201677%77% +0140 (small sample)
201365%67% -2546
201268%64% +4752
201166%62% +41,306
201063%60% +31,322
200964%59% +51,158
200860%57% +31,081
200764%57% +71,361
200660%56% +41,815
200562%57% +51,629
200461%57% +41,344
200359%57% +2648
200263%58% +5381 (small sample)
200161%60% +1406 (small sample)
200056%61% -5293 (small sample)
199962%63% -1217 (small sample)
199862%65% -3149 (small sample)

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Subaru Legacy

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the anti-roll bar bushes and joints? (Flagged at MOT 17.7× as often on the Subaru Legacy as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the suspension arm bushes and joints? (Flagged at MOT 2.5× as often on the Subaru Legacy as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the anti-roll bar link joints? (Flagged at MOT 3.8× as often on the Subaru Legacy as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Subaru Legacy?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score