2014 Skoda Rapid — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 Skoda Rapid passed 82.6% of its 32,541 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail at 17.5%, so the 2014 Rapid sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (7.7%) and lighting & signalling (6.6%) 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 1,313 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.9% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 23.4% once past 150k — 3.0× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 4.1pp more often than petrol ones (19.9% vs 15.8%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 27.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 14.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 7.7% | 2,498 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 6.6% | 2,142 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.8% | 1,897 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.6% | 1,505 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.5% | 803 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.4% | 785 |
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 | 1,313 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 1,102 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 847 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 832 |
| 5 | Brake discs | 693 |
| 6 | Shock absorbers | 657 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 27.3% | 8,869 |
| 2 | Tyres | 26.7% | 8,679 |
| 3 | Brakes | 26.2% | 8,533 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.4% | 2,733 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.9% | 1,920 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.2% | 1,365 |
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 | 1,644 | 7.9% |
| 30-60k | 9,504 | 12.9% |
| 60-90k | 11,219 | 18.2% |
| 90-120k | 5,527 | 22.1% |
| 120-150k | 2,130 | 21.7% |
| 150k+ | 2,515 | 23.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 19,836 | 15.8% |
| Diesel | 12,705 | 19.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,579 | 14.1% |
| 2022 | 6,567 | 15.7% |
| 2023 | 6,589 | 17.6% |
| 2024 | 6,446 | 18.9% |
| 2025 | 6,360 | 21.0% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Rapid
On a 2014 Rapid, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (7.7% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (6.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.8% 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.
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 Rapids pass their MOT?
82.6% of the 32,541 2014 Skoda Rapid MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Skoda Rapid?
Suspension, recorded in 7.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (6.6%).
Does the 2014 Rapid get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.9% in the 0-30k band to 23.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 32,541 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.