2021 Skoda Octavia — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 22,050 MOT tests, the 2021 Skoda Octavia recorded a 92.0% pass rate. That is effectively the same as small family cars of a similar age (8.2% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.3%) and lighting & signalling (2.3%) 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 pins and bushes — headlamp aim alone was recorded 545 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 12.9% versus 4.8%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 7.1% fail against 8.7% for hybrid, a 1.6-point gap across 16,989 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 19.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 4.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 8.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.3% | 956 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.3% | 504 |
| 3 | Suspension | 1.8% | 389 |
| 4 | Visibility | 0.9% | 206 |
| 5 | Brakes | 0.9% | 204 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 113 |
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 | 545 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 279 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 262 |
| 4 | Shock absorbers | 195 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 152 |
| 6 | Washers | 143 |
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 | 19.7% | 4,338 |
| 2 | Suspension | 8.5% | 1,864 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.5% | 1,660 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.9% | 1,300 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.6% | 583 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.6% | 140 |
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 | 6,697 | 4.8% |
| 30-60k | 10,525 | 8.5% |
| 60-90k | 3,299 | 10.8% |
| 90-120k | 1,042 | 12.6% |
| 120-150k | 317 | 10.7% |
| 150k+ | 170 | 12.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 9,064 | 7.1% |
| Hybrid | 7,925 | 8.7% |
| Diesel | 5,059 | 8.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 141 | 4.3% |
| 2022 | 266 | 4.5% |
| 2023 | 919 | 4.0% |
| 2024 | 10,304 | 7.7% |
| 2025 | 10,420 | 8.7% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Octavia
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.3% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (4.3% 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 (2.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (1.8% 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 2021 Skoda Octavias pass their MOT?
92.0% of the 22,050 2021 Skoda Octavia MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Skoda Octavia?
Tyres, recorded in 4.3% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.3%).
Does the 2021 Octavia get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.8% in the 0-30k band to 12.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 22,050 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.