Subaru

Subaru Forester build years & generations

Coverage 2003-present4 named generationsSUVPETROL / DIESEL / HYBRID ELECTRIC

The Subaru Forester spans several build years and named generations (2003-present). Match a build year to its generation, then see how each group of build years does at its MOT.

Which year is which

Build years & generations, side by side

Find the build years you're looking at and see which generation they are. You'll also see which group of build years the MOT figures come from.

Built 2003-2004
Generation
Mk2 (SG)
Figures from
cars built before 2005
Counted with every car built before 2005, so much older cars can affect the figures.
Built 2005-2007
Generation
Mk2 (SG)
Figures from
cars built 2005-2008
Counted together with Mk2 (SG) and Mk3 (SH) cars built in the same years.
Built 2008
Generation
Mk3 (SH)
Figures from
cars built 2005-2008
Counted together with Mk2 (SG) and Mk3 (SH) cars built in the same years.
Built 2009-2012
Generation
Mk3 (SH)
Figures from
cars built 2009-2012
Counted with this generation only.
Built 2013-2016
Generation
Mk4 (SJ)
Figures from
cars built 2013-2016
Counted with this generation only.
Built 2017
Generation
Mk4 (SJ)
Figures from
cars built 2017-2020
Counted together with Mk4 (SJ) and Mk5 (SK) cars built in the same years.
Built 2018-2020
Generation
Mk5 (SK)
Figures from
cars built 2017-2020
Counted together with Mk4 (SJ) and Mk5 (SK) cars built in the same years.
Built 2021+
Generation
Mk5 (SK)
Figures from
cars built 2021 onwards
Counted with every car built from 2021.

Build years	Generation	Figures from cars built	What to know
2003-2004	Mk2 (SG)	Before 2005	Counted with every car built before 2005, so much older cars can affect the figures.
2005-2007	Mk2 (SG)	2005-2008	Counted together with Mk2 (SG) and Mk3 (SH) cars built in the same years.
2008	Mk3 (SH)	2005-2008	Counted together with Mk2 (SG) and Mk3 (SH) cars built in the same years.
2009-2012	Mk3 (SH)	2009-2012	Counted with this generation only.
2013-2016	Mk4 (SJ)	2013-2016	Counted with this generation only.
2017	Mk4 (SJ)	2017-2020	Counted together with Mk4 (SJ) and Mk5 (SK) cars built in the same years.
2018-2020	Mk5 (SK)	2017-2020	Counted together with Mk4 (SJ) and Mk5 (SK) cars built in the same years.
2021+	Mk5 (SK)	2021 onwards	Counted with every car built from 2021.

“Figures from cars built” is the group of build years behind each row's MOT figures. Years where one generation gave way to the next can sit in a wider group until there's enough history to split them.

“Figures from” is the group of build years behind each card's MOT figures. Years where one generation gave way to the next can sit in a wider group until there's enough history to split them.

By build-year group

How each group of build years performs

Each card shows MOT results for one group of Subaru Forester build years. “Age” means the car's age on the day of its MOT, not its build year. “25+” groups every test on cars aged 25 or older.

Built

2021 onwards

Mk5 (SK) only

All Mk5 (SK) cars built from 2021. Newer cars join this group until there is enough MOT history to split it.

Fail rate at 4 years old (latest age)

8.6%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 8 (12.5%)

Ages with data

3 to 4 years old

MOT tests counted

994

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

3 years

5178.9%

4 years

4778.6%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 3 years old.

Built

2017-2020

A mix of Mk4 (SJ) and Mk5 (SK)

These build years include both Mk4 (SJ) and Mk5 (SK) cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 7 years old

14.7%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 6 (17.1%)

Ages with data

4 to 8 years old

MOT tests counted

3,583

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

4 years

858.2%

5 years

7199.5%

6 years

1,03312.1%

7 years

1,07514.7%

8 years

67117.1%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 8 years old.

Built

2013-2016

Mk4 (SJ) only

These build years are all Mk4 (SJ), so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 12 years old (latest age)

24.2%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 4 (25.9%)

Ages with data

8 to 12 years old

MOT tests counted

5,217

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

8 years

58619.8%

9 years

1,38621.9%

10 years

1,39721.8%

11 years

1,26224.3%

12 years

58624.2%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 11 years old.

Built

2009-2012

Mk3 (SH) only

These build years are all Mk3 (SH), so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 16 years old (latest age)

29.3%

UK average for cars this age: about 3 in 10 (30%)

Ages with data

12 to 16 years old

MOT tests counted

3,088

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

12 years

16826.8%

13 years

83628.7%

14 years

1,10329.7%

15 years

70531.8%

16 years

27629.3%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 15 years old.

Built

2005-2008

A mix of Mk2 (SG) and Mk3 (SH)

These build years include both Mk2 (SG) and Mk3 (SH) cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 20 years old (latest age)

31.8%

UK average for cars this age: about 3 in 10 (30.3%)

Ages with data

16 to 20 years old

MOT tests counted

3,800

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

16 years

24530.6%

17 years

85827.5%

18 years

1,04030.1%

19 years

1,05628.3%

20 years

60131.8%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 20 years old.

Built

Before 2005

Mk2 (SG) only

Counts every car built before 2005, so older cars with the same model name can be included as well as the Mk2 (SG).

Fail rate at 25+ years old

31.0%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 4 (23%)

Ages with data

20 to 25+ years old

MOT tests counted

2,512

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

20 years

49028.4%

21 years

72429.6%

22 years

47729.3%

23 years

26728.8%

24 years

20933.5%

25+ years

34531.0%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 24 years old.