2016 Skoda Octavia — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 Skoda Octavia passed 88.4% of its 115,930 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail 13.7% of the time, so this is 2.1pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.1%) and lighting & signalling (4.7%) 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 4,665 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 4.9% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 16.7% once past 150k — 3.4× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 9.6% fail against 12.4% for diesel, a 2.8-point gap across 115,930 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 23.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 8.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 13.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.1% | 5,926 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.7% | 5,442 |
| 3 | Suspension | 2.9% | 3,385 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.9% | 3,359 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.7% | 1,948 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.1% | 1,276 |
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 | 4,665 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 2,337 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 2,220 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 1,410 |
| 5 | Shock absorbers | 1,209 |
| 6 | Coil spring | 1,204 |
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 | 23.0% | 26,682 |
| 2 | Brakes | 18.8% | 21,769 |
| 3 | Suspension | 16.6% | 19,268 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.0% | 9,254 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.0% | 3,532 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.0% | 3,493 |
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 | 6,268 | 4.9% |
| 30-60k | 35,936 | 8.4% |
| 60-90k | 34,254 | 12.1% |
| 90-120k | 18,268 | 14.0% |
| 120-150k | 8,803 | 14.9% |
| 150k+ | 12,392 | 16.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 84,148 | 12.4% |
| Petrol | 31,782 | 9.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 23,062 | 8.9% |
| 2022 | 23,293 | 10.4% |
| 2023 | 23,637 | 12.3% |
| 2024 | 23,141 | 12.8% |
| 2025 | 22,797 | 13.5% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Octavia
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 5.1% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (5.1% 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 (4.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (2.9% 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 2016 Skoda Octavias pass their MOT?
88.4% of the 115,930 2016 Skoda Octavia MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Skoda Octavia?
Tyres, recorded in 5.1% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (4.7%).
Does the 2016 Octavia get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.9% in the 0-30k band to 16.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 115,930 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.