Skoda Octavia vRS — MOT pass rate & failures
4,872 MOT tests on the Skoda Octavia vRS (2005–2024) give a 91.8% pass rate. That is 8.5 percentage points better than the 16.7% fail rate across all Skoda Octavia versions, so the Octavia vRS is a stronger pick within the range. Failures concentrate in tyres, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, pins and bushes and tread depth — headlamp aim alone was recorded 121 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 33.3% once past 150k — 6.7× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 20.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 21.9% in 2021 to 7.9% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 74 | 78.4% | 21.6% |
| 2011 | 73 | 80.8% | 19.2% |
| 2012 | 77 | 79.2% | 20.8% |
| 2014 | 39 | 87.2% | 12.8% |
| 2020 | 345 | 93.3% | 6.7% |
| 2021 | 3,168 | 92.6% | 7.4% |
| 2022 | 874 | 93.1% | 6.9% |
| 2023 | 99 | 99.0% | 1.0% |
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.6% | 224 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.1% | 104 |
| 3 | Suspension | 1.5% | 71 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.1% | 52 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.0% | 47 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 26 |
| 7 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.4% | 18 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.3% | 14 |
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 | 121 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 43 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 35 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 32 |
| 5 | Washers | 31 |
| 6 | Wipers | 21 |
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 | 20.3% | 989 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.0% | 587 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.1% | 395 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.3% | 258 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 134 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.1% | 51 |
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 | 1,997 | 5.0% |
| 30-60k | 2,103 | 8.6% |
| 60-90k | 475 | 12.0% |
| 90-120k | 191 | 18.9% |
| 120-150k | 73 | 19.2% |
| 150k+ | 33 | 33.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 64 | 21.9% |
| 2022 | 79 | 19.0% |
| 2023 | 271 | 8.9% |
| 2024 | 1,831 | 7.5% |
| 2025 | 2,627 | 7.9% |
What to check before buying a Skoda Octavia vRS
Focus on the areas it most often fails on — and remember MOT data covers testable defects only, not engine or gearbox health.
- Tyres (4.6% 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 (2.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (1.5% 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 reliable is the Skoda Octavia vRS at MOT time?
91.8% of the 4,872 Skoda Octavia vRS MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.2% fail rate, better than the 16.7% average across all Octavia versions.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Skoda Octavia vRS?
Tyres, recorded in 4.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.1%).
Does the Octavia vRS get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.0% in the 0-30k band to 33.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,872 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.