UK vehicle statistics / Subaru

How many Subaru WRX cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 1,577 licensed and 334 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Subaru WRX generic-model group.

Is the WRX disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 1,889 in 2019 Q2 and stand at 1,577 in 2026 Q1, down 17%. That is down 12% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 334 are declared SORN — 1 in 6 of the 1,911 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

A falling population is worth knowing before you buy: it usually means fewer donor cars, fewer specialists and slower parts supply, and it is why a good example of a scarce model can hold its price while a neglected one is hard to sell at any price.

Fuel

DfT codes every vehicle in the Subaru WRX generic-model group as petrol.

WRX MOT pass rate

In 2024, 89.6% of 1,583 Subaru WRX MOTs passed first time — above the 71.2% UK average. Pass rate moves with age: 91.1% of cars aged 6–9 years passed first time, against 87.2% aged 10–14 years.

• Exhaust Emissions — 3% of tests. The car exceeded its emissions limits. Can be a sensor or a service, but on a diesel it can also mean an expensive filter or catalyst.
• Condition — 1.3% of tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
• Tread Depth — 0.8% of tests. Tyres below the 1.6mm legal limit. Budget for tyres, and treat it as a sign of how the car was maintained.
• Headlamp Aim — 0.8% of tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.

Full age bands and failure notes are on the Subaru WRX MOT pass rate page.

Before you buy

• Exhaust Emissions — 3% of tests in 2024. The car exceeded its emissions limits. Can be a sensor or a service, but on a diesel it can also mean an expensive filter or catalyst.
• Condition — 1.3% of tests in 2024. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
• Tread Depth — 0.8% of tests in 2024. Tyres below the 1.6mm legal limit. Budget for tyres, and treat it as a sign of how the car was maintained.
• Headlamp Aim — 0.8% of tests in 2024. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
• Check the actual WRX — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.

Quarterly licensed and SORN counts

Every quarter DfT has published for this model group, newest first.

Other Subaru models

• Impreza — 11,868 licensed. MOT pass rate
• Forester — 16,245 licensed. MOT pass rate
• Outback — 9,396 licensed. MOT pass rate
• XV — 7,245 licensed. MOT pass rate
• Legacy — 3,765 licensed. MOT pass rate
• C-Trek Toring Ebxr SYM AWD CVT — 1,299 licensed

See how many of every Subaru model are left

Common questions

How many Subaru WRX cars are left in the UK?

1,577 were licensed and 334 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many Subaru WRX cars are SORN?

334 are declared SORN — 1 in 6 of the 1,911 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the WRX disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 1,889 in 2019 Q2 and stand at 1,577 in 2026 Q1, down 17%. That is down 12% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 334 are declared SORN — 1 in 6 of the 1,911 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

What fuel is the WRX coded as?

DfT codes every vehicle in the Subaru WRX generic-model group as petrol.

What is the Subaru WRX MOT pass rate?

In 2024, 89.6% of 1,583 Subaru WRX MOTs passed first time — above the 71.2% UK average.

What does the WRX fail its MOT on?

The most common initial failure categories in 2024 are exhaust emissions (3% of tests), condition (1.3% of tests), tread depth (0.8% of tests).

Does this say whether one WRX is a good buy?

No. These are population figures for the model group. Enter that vehicle's registration for its own free MOT, tax and mileage record.

Source and limitations

Source: Department for Transport and DVLA, df_VEH0120_UK. Released 2026-07-15 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

DVLA make and model fields are administrative data and can contain omissions or inconsistencies. These statistics describe model groups, not an individual registration.

Confidential cells marked [c] represent between 1 and 4 vehicles and are treated as zero in aggregates, so totals can be slightly understated.