2021 Skoda Fabia — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 Skoda Fabia passed 90.8% of its 18,966 recorded MOT tests. Superminis of a similar age fail 7.8% of the time, so this is 1.4pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.5%) and visibility (4.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and washers — wipers alone was recorded 755 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 7.5% in the 0-30k band and 19.3% in the 90-120k band, a 11.8-point spread — more than double.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 17.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 7.1% of tests failed in 2023 against 9.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.5% | 854 |
| 2 | Visibility | 4.1% | 784 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.6% | 491 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.6% | 310 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.0% | 182 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 154 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 755 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 518 |
| 3 | Washers | 174 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 137 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 124 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 119 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 17.6% | 3,330 |
| 2 | Brakes | 8.6% | 1,625 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.4% | 1,026 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.4% | 1,022 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.4% | 462 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.8% | 146 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 13,169 | 7.5% |
| 30-60k | 5,192 | 12.7% |
| 60-90k | 486 | 17.5% |
| 90-120k | 83 | 19.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 336 | 7.1% |
| 2024 | 9,172 | 8.8% |
| 2025 | 9,415 | 9.7% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Fabia
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.5% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (4.5% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Visibility (4.1% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Lighting & signalling (2.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2021 Skoda Fabias pass their MOT?
90.8% of the 18,966 2021 Skoda Fabia MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Skoda Fabia?
Tyres, recorded in 4.5% of tests, followed by visibility (4.1%).
Does the 2021 Fabia get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.5% in the 0-30k band to 19.3% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 18,966 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.