2005 Skoda Octavia — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2005 Skoda Octavia passed 71.3% of its 24,057 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as small family cars of a similar age (27.8% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (15.2%) and lighting & signalling (14.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are joints, coil spring and pins and bushes — joints alone was recorded 1,661 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 30.0% versus 15.3%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 26.8% fail against 29.4% for diesel, a 2.6-point gap across 24,057 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 40.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 15.2% | 3,644 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 14.3% | 3,444 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.6% | 2,557 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.1% | 1,940 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 7.0% | 1,692 |
| 6 | Tyres | 5.9% | 1,409 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 1,661 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 1,396 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 1,185 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 1,172 |
| 5 | Individual direction indicators | 1,113 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 945 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 40.4% | 9,721 |
| 2 | Brakes | 32.5% | 7,816 |
| 3 | Tyres | 29.6% | 7,128 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 16.1% | 3,884 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 14.1% | 3,381 |
| 6 | Other defects | 12.9% | 3,111 |
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 | 72 | 15.3% |
| 30-60k | 699 | 21.6% |
| 60-90k | 2,639 | 25.6% |
| 90-120k | 4,967 | 28.3% |
| 120-150k | 6,051 | 29.4% |
| 150k+ | 9,604 | 30.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 18,025 | 29.4% |
| Petrol | 6,032 | 26.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,805 | 28.7% |
| 2022 | 5,720 | 28.4% |
| 2023 | 4,750 | 29.2% |
| 2024 | 3,780 | 28.8% |
| 2025 | 3,002 | 28.6% |
What to check before buying a 2005 Octavia
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 15.2% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (15.2% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (14.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (10.6% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
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 2005 Skoda Octavias pass their MOT?
71.3% of the 24,057 2005 Skoda Octavia MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 28.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2005 Skoda Octavia?
Suspension, recorded in 15.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (14.3%).
Does the 2005 Octavia get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 15.3% in the 0-30k band to 30.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 24,057 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.