Skoda Karoq MOT pass rate & common failures
The Skoda Karoq appears in 214,554 MOT tests spanning model years 2017–2025, and 92.6% of them passed. Small SUVs of a similar age fail 8.7% of the time, so this is 1.3pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are tyres, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.9%) and lighting & signalling (2.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, tread depth and shock absorbers — headlamp aim alone was recorded 4,028 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 15.6% versus 5.4%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 7.2% of the time against 7.9% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 6.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 8.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Karoq model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 447 | 93.3% | 6.7% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 75,023 | 92.9% | 7.1% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 62,807 | 92.7% | 7.3% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 40,957 | 91.8% | 8.2% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 24,664 | 92.0% | 8.0% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 9,610 | 94.2% | 5.8% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 899 | 95.4% | 4.6% | Tyres |
| 2024 | 118 | 99.2% | 0.9% | Body, structure & corrosion |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.9% | 8,284 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.0% | 4,198 |
| 3 | Suspension | 1.4% | 2,953 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.4% | 2,920 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.3% | 2,756 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 788 |
| 7 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.3% | 738 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.1% | 262 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 4,028 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 2,862 |
| 3 | Shock absorbers | 2,685 |
| 4 | Wipers | 2,598 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 2,541 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 1,139 |
| 7 | Brake discs | 697 |
| 8 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 633 |
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 | 22.8% | 48,937 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.2% | 28,227 |
| 3 | Suspension | 12.6% | 26,932 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.0% | 15,000 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.4% | 5,176 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.2% | 492 |
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 | 100,494 | 5.4% |
| 30-60k | 92,490 | 8.7% |
| 60-90k | 18,106 | 10.7% |
| 90-120k | 2,815 | 11.5% |
| 120-150k | 512 | 15.4% |
| 150k+ | 135 | 15.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 156,083 | 7.2% |
| Diesel | 58,471 | 7.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 15,635 | 6.0% |
| 2022 | 31,298 | 5.8% |
| 2023 | 45,167 | 7.0% |
| 2024 | 56,165 | 7.8% |
| 2025 | 66,289 | 8.4% |
What to check before buying a Skoda Karoq
- Tyres (3.9% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (2.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (1.4% 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 Karoq?
92.6% of the 214,554 Skoda Karoq MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 7.4% fail rate, across model years 2017–2025.
What does the Skoda Karoq most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 3.9% of tests, then lighting & signalling (2.0%).
How much does mileage affect Karoq MOT results?
Fail rates run at 5.4% for cars in the 0-30k band and 15.6% for 150k+, a 10.2-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Karoq more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 7.2% of the time against 7.9% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 214,554 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.