Skoda Rapid MOT pass rate & common failures
The Skoda Rapid appears in 133,948 MOT tests spanning model years 1984–2021, and 83.7% of them passed. That is 1.2 percentage points worse than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 15.0%. Its most common failure areas are suspension, tyres and lighting & signalling.
Best and worst Rapid years
Ranked across Rapid years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Build year matters more than the headline suggests: 2019 cars pass 90.6% of the time while 2012 cars manage 76.9%, a 13.8-point spread.
No single area dominates — suspension (6.7%) and tyres (6.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, headlamp aim and tread depth — pins and bushes alone was recorded 5,784 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 21.2% versus 8.8%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 15.0% fail against 18.8% for diesel, a 3.9-point gap across 133,944 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 26.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 13.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Rapid model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 1,116 | 76.9% | 23.1% | Suspension |
| 2013 | 18,784 | 81.5% | 18.5% | Suspension |
| 2014 | 32,541 | 82.6% | 17.4% | Suspension |
| 2015 | 19,227 | 83.1% | 16.9% | Suspension |
| 2016 | 24,635 | 83.8% | 16.2% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 23,116 | 85.2% | 14.8% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 12,246 | 87.5% | 12.5% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 2,214 | 90.6% | 9.3% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 6.7% | 8,927 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.1% | 8,221 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 5.1% | 6,782 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.9% | 5,257 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 3,725 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.8% | 2,427 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 1.3% | 1,800 |
| 8 | Steering | 0.4% | 524 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 5,784 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 3,813 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 3,228 |
| 4 | Wipers | 2,677 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 2,503 |
| 6 | Brake discs | 2,349 |
| 7 | Shock absorbers | 2,246 |
| 8 | Headlamp | 2,206 |
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 | 26.5% | 35,534 |
| 2 | Suspension | 22.8% | 30,578 |
| 3 | Brakes | 22.5% | 30,157 |
| 4 | Other defects | 9.0% | 12,022 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.6% | 4,794 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.9% | 3,941 |
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 | 15,788 | 8.8% |
| 30-60k | 47,698 | 13.8% |
| 60-90k | 37,557 | 18.3% |
| 90-120k | 16,905 | 21.1% |
| 120-150k | 7,167 | 21.2% |
| 150k+ | 8,823 | 21.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 88,387 | 15.0% |
| Diesel | 45,557 | 18.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 26,559 | 13.2% |
| 2022 | 27,016 | 14.4% |
| 2023 | 27,260 | 16.7% |
| 2024 | 26,896 | 18.1% |
| 2025 | 26,217 | 19.1% |
What to check before buying a Skoda Rapid
- Suspension (6.7% 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.
- Tyres (6.1% 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 (5.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Skoda Rapid?
83.7% of the 133,948 Skoda Rapid MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 16.3% fail rate, across model years 1984–2021.
What does the Skoda Rapid most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 6.7% of tests, then tyres (6.1%).
Which Rapid years are best and worst for MOT results?
2019 has the best pass rate at 90.6% and 2012 the weakest at 76.9%, from 2,214 and 1,116 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Rapid MOT results?
Fail rates run at 8.8% for cars in the 0-30k band and 21.2% for 150k+, a 12.3-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Rapid more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 15.0% of the time against 18.8% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 133,948 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.