2010 Skoda Superb — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2010 Skoda Superb passed 76.4% of its 12,128 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as large family cars of a similar age (24.0% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (13.1%) and lighting & signalling (10.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, coil spring and linkage ball joint dust cover — headlamp aim alone was recorded 525 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 24.6% versus 16.7%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 17.8% fail against 24.0% for diesel, a 6.2-point gap across 12,128 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 34.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 22.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 24.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 13.1% | 1,588 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 10.3% | 1,248 |
| 3 | Tyres | 7.1% | 861 |
| 4 | Brakes | 5.7% | 691 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.9% | 350 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.0% | 240 |
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 | 525 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 488 |
| 3 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 446 |
| 4 | Ball joint dust cover | 436 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 389 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 325 |
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 | 34.5% | 4,179 |
| 2 | Tyres | 25.9% | 3,140 |
| 3 | Brakes | 21.4% | 2,595 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.6% | 1,045 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 7.3% | 887 |
| 6 | Visibility | 6.0% | 728 |
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 | 60 | 16.7% |
| 30-60k | 462 | 17.3% |
| 60-90k | 1,574 | 22.1% |
| 90-120k | 2,913 | 23.5% |
| 120-150k | 2,945 | 24.3% |
| 150k+ | 4,161 | 24.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 11,386 | 24.0% |
| Petrol | 742 | 17.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,713 | 22.4% |
| 2022 | 2,651 | 24.0% |
| 2023 | 2,448 | 23.4% |
| 2024 | 2,283 | 24.5% |
| 2025 | 2,033 | 24.0% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Superb
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 13.1% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (13.1% 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 (10.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (7.1% 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.
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 2010 Skoda Superbs pass their MOT?
76.4% of the 12,128 2010 Skoda Superb MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 23.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Skoda Superb?
Suspension, recorded in 13.1% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (10.3%).
Does the 2010 Superb get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 16.7% in the 0-30k band to 24.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 12,128 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.