2014 Skoda Octavia — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 99,589 MOT tests, the 2014 Skoda Octavia recorded an 85.6% pass rate. That is 3.0 percentage points better than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 17.4%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (5.9%) and tyres (5.9%) 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 brake pads — headlamp aim alone was recorded 4,748 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 7.1% in the 0-30k band and 17.5% in the 150k+ band, a 10.4-point spread — more than double.
The petrol cars hold up better: 12.4% fail against 14.9% for diesel, a 2.5-point gap across 99,585 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 11.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 16.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.9% | 5,916 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.9% | 5,873 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.4% | 4,376 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.9% | 3,834 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.8% | 1,840 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.7% | 1,670 |
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 | 4,748 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 2,523 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 2,106 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 1,787 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 1,473 |
| 6 | Wipers | 1,388 |
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 | 24.2% | 24,128 |
| 2 | Brakes | 21.3% | 21,223 |
| 3 | Suspension | 20.2% | 20,156 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.6% | 8,515 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.0% | 3,935 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.4% | 3,411 |
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 | 1,605 | 7.1% |
| 30-60k | 14,758 | 9.8% |
| 60-90k | 29,246 | 13.2% |
| 90-120k | 24,664 | 15.6% |
| 120-150k | 13,837 | 17.1% |
| 150k+ | 15,449 | 17.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 81,839 | 14.9% |
| Petrol | 17,746 | 12.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 20,236 | 11.9% |
| 2022 | 20,382 | 13.4% |
| 2023 | 20,123 | 14.9% |
| 2024 | 19,725 | 15.7% |
| 2025 | 19,123 | 16.3% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Octavia
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 5.9% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (5.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.9% 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.
- Suspension (4.4% 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
How many 2014 Skoda Octavias pass their MOT?
85.6% of the 99,589 2014 Skoda Octavia MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Skoda Octavia?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.9% of tests, followed by tyres (5.9%).
Does the 2014 Octavia get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.1% in the 0-30k band to 17.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 99,589 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.