Subaru

Which year Subaru Outback is most reliable?

Based on 10,907 vehicles (2003–2021) and millions of DVLA MOT records.

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Not just "newer is more reliable"
These rankings compare each year at the same mileage point — a 2003 Outback at 80,000 miles is judged against a 2014 Outback at 80,000 miles, not its full lifetime average. Verdicts are also relative to this model's own average, not a universal scale. That's the difference between "old cars wear out" and "this year is genuinely more or less reliable."
Years to look for
2015–2021
Above-average pass rate — these years consistently do better than other Outbacks
Below model average
2003–2008
Lower pass rate than other Outbacks — worth checking the MOT history before buying
See common failures for 2005 →
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Dataset
10,907
vehicles · 2003–2021 · millions of MOT records
CarHunch sweet spot — 2012–2018
These years hit the reliability-to-value sweet spot: a 81.5–91.4% pass rate, well above this model's median, but old enough to have depreciated significantly from peak price. If budget matters alongside reliability, start your search here.

Pass rate by year

Year Pass rate Vehicles
2021
93.4%
429 Recommended
2020
92.5%
258 Recommended
2019
91.9%
591 Recommended
2018
91.4%
655 Recommended
2017
90.8%
493 Recommended
2016
89.2%
785 Recommended
2015
87.6%
825 Recommended
2014
83.8%
268
2013
83.0%
299
2012
81.5%
312
2011
80.3%
650
2010
80.2%
737
2009
77.4%
695
2008
75.2%
661 Below avg
2007
75.8%
678 Below avg
2006
75.8%
864 Below avg
2005
74.2%
884 Below avg
2004
75.2%
706 Below avg
2003
74.6%
117 Below avg

Click any year to see full MOT history, common faults and comparisons for those cars. Verdicts are relative to this model's own average — a good Land Rover year is judged differently from a good Toyota year.

How each year holds up at higher mileage

Each line is a different model year. The mileage ranges are divided into 5 equal groups based on how this model is actually driven in the real world — so you're comparing like-for-like, not arbitrary round numbers.

Only years with enough data across at least 3 mileage ranges are shown. Newer years appear in blue; older years in amber.

How is this measured?

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What "pass rate" means

The percentage of all MOT tests that resulted in a pass — counted across a car's whole life, not just its first test. Higher means fewer failures over time.

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Mileage groups built from real data

We split this model's real-world mileage history into 5 equal groups — so each slice contains the same number of cars, not an arbitrary round number like "0–30,000 miles."

Does age still matter?

Yes. A low-mileage 20-year-old car has still had 20 years of weather, perishing rubber, and ageing electrics. Comparing at the same mileage narrows the gap between old and new — but doesn't erase it entirely.

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Why this beats surveys

Our figures come from the DVLA's national MOT database — over 50 million real test results from accredited garages, with no opinions involved. Most reliability guides are based on owner surveys with a few hundred responses per model.

What next?
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