Used car guide

2006 Subaru Legacy: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2006 Subaru Legacys, from 513 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

513MOT tests in 2025
63%pass first time (all 2006 cars: 57%)
6,300typical miles a year
2.3×the usual rate for suspension arm bushes and joints

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2006 Subaru Legacys than on all cars registered in 2006.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints2.3× usual
    Subaru Legacy
    25.1% All 2006 cars
    11.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.9%, against 2.3% of all 2006 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    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.

  • Anti-roll bar bushes and joints6.9× usual
    Subaru Legacy
    9% All 2006 cars
    1.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.1%, against 0.3% of all 2006 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    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.

  • Sub-frame2× usual
    Subaru Legacy
    14.4% All 2006 cars
    7.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.6%, against 0.3% of all 2006 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    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.

  • Anti-roll bar link joints2.4× usual
    Subaru Legacy
    10.1% All 2006 cars
    4.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.4%, against 1.5% of all 2006 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    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.

  • Engine warning light3× usual
    Subaru Legacy
    8% All 2006 cars
    2.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 8%, against 2.7% of all 2006 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    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.

Better than most

Engine oil leaks: 5.7% here, against 13.7% of all 2006 cars.

By area

The share of 2006 Subaru Legacy MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    50% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Lights and electrics
    32% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Brakes
    30% of testsRough price £150–£350

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

  • Tyres
    26% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    17% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    11% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

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Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2006 Subaru Legacys registered in 2006. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score