2012 Skoda Superb — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 25,150 MOT tests, the 2012 Skoda Superb recorded a 79.0% pass rate. That is effectively the same as large family cars of a similar age (21.6% 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 (10.2%) and lighting & signalling (10.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, coil spring and headlamp aim — pins and bushes alone was recorded 1,202 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 12.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 23.1% once past 150k.
The petrol cars hold up better: 18.6% fail against 21.3% for diesel, a 2.7-point gap across 25,143 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 18.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 23.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 10.2% | 2,573 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 10.0% | 2,504 |
| 3 | Tyres | 7.3% | 1,838 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.1% | 1,023 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.1% | 530 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.5% | 375 |
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 | 1,202 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 953 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 902 |
| 4 | Individual direction indicators | 701 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 650 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 633 |
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 | 25.3% | 6,369 |
| 2 | Suspension | 22.8% | 5,740 |
| 3 | Brakes | 20.5% | 5,153 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 8.2% | 2,067 |
| 5 | Other defects | 8.0% | 2,011 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.1% | 1,270 |
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 | 250 | 12.0% |
| 30-60k | 2,095 | 15.3% |
| 60-90k | 5,303 | 19.0% |
| 90-120k | 6,096 | 21.7% |
| 120-150k | 4,676 | 22.0% |
| 150k+ | 6,704 | 23.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 21,983 | 21.3% |
| Petrol | 3,160 | 18.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,245 | 18.4% |
| 2022 | 5,272 | 19.5% |
| 2023 | 5,116 | 20.9% |
| 2024 | 4,922 | 23.0% |
| 2025 | 4,595 | 23.3% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Superb
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 10.2% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (10.2% 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 (10.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (7.3% 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.
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 2012 Skoda Superbs pass their MOT?
79.0% of the 25,150 2012 Skoda Superb MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Skoda Superb?
Suspension, recorded in 10.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (10.0%).
Does the 2012 Superb get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.0% in the 0-30k band to 23.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 25,150 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.