Skoda Felicia MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 42 model years and 7,607 tests, the Skoda Felicia passes its MOT 71.9% of the time. All cars of a similar age fail 26.1% of the time, so this is 2.0pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, body, structure & corrosion and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (13.8%) and body, structure & corrosion (12.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, catalyst emissions and joints — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 918 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 28.7% versus 20.5%.
Split by fuel, petrol examples fail 1.6pp more often than diesel ones (28.5% vs 26.8%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 41.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 28.7% in 2021 to 26.9% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Felicia model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 96 | 79.2% | 20.8% | Brakes |
| 1996 | 317 | 69.7% | 30.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 654 | 72.9% | 27.1% | Suspension |
| 1998 | 1,503 | 74.5% | 25.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 2,436 | 71.1% | 28.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 2,490 | 71.0% | 29.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 82 | 62.2% | 37.8% | Brakes |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.8% | 1,046 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.4% | 943 |
| 3 | Suspension | 12.3% | 937 |
| 4 | Brakes | 11.6% | 881 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 8.1% | 612 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.6% | 350 |
| 7 | Tyres | 4.0% | 305 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.7% | 202 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 918 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 660 |
| 3 | Joints | 485 |
| 4 | Rigid brake pipes | 439 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 403 |
| 6 | Exhaust system | 384 |
| 7 | Service brake performance | 375 |
| 8 | Wipers | 332 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 41.7% | 3,175 |
| 2 | Suspension | 35.3% | 2,684 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 23.2% | 1,763 |
| 4 | Tyres | 22.3% | 1,695 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 20.3% | 1,546 |
| 6 | Other defects | 16.8% | 1,276 |
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 | 477 | 20.5% |
| 30-60k | 2,179 | 25.8% |
| 60-90k | 2,418 | 28.8% |
| 90-120k | 1,545 | 31.6% |
| 120-150k | 635 | 30.1% |
| 150k+ | 341 | 28.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 5,975 | 28.5% |
| Diesel | 1,632 | 26.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,171 | 28.7% |
| 2022 | 1,820 | 28.7% |
| 2023 | 1,416 | 26.6% |
| 2024 | 1,203 | 28.9% |
| 2025 | 997 | 26.9% |
What to check before buying a Skoda Felicia
- Lighting & signalling (13.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (12.4% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
- Suspension (12.3% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Skoda Felicia?
71.9% of the 7,607 Skoda Felicia MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 28.1% fail rate, across model years 1980–2021.
What does the Skoda Felicia most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.8% of tests, then body, structure & corrosion (12.4%).
How much does mileage affect Felicia MOT results?
Fail rates run at 20.5% for cars in the 0-30k band and 28.7% for 150k+, a 8.2-point difference.
Is the diesel or petrol Felicia more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the diesel fails 26.8% of the time against 28.5% for the petrol. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 7,607 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.