2016 Skoda Yeti — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 73,958 MOT tests, the 2016 Skoda Yeti recorded an 88.6% pass rate. That is 2.7 percentage points better than small SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 14.1%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (4.2%) and tyres (3.9%) 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 brake pads — headlamp aim alone was recorded 2,365 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 22.8% versus 7.4%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 10.8% fail against 12.3% for diesel, a 1.6-point gap across 73,958 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 20.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 7.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 15.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.2% | 3,107 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.9% | 2,871 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.6% | 2,680 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.8% | 2,083 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.5% | 1,134 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.1% | 809 |
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 | 2,365 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 1,460 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 1,032 |
| 4 | Wipers | 972 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 763 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 709 |
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 | 20.4% | 15,071 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.2% | 12,008 |
| 3 | Suspension | 14.7% | 10,901 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.3% | 4,678 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 2,045 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.3% | 933 |
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 | 15,010 | 7.4% |
| 30-60k | 36,615 | 10.5% |
| 60-90k | 16,840 | 14.5% |
| 90-120k | 4,278 | 17.9% |
| 120-150k | 923 | 20.8% |
| 150k+ | 285 | 22.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 42,984 | 10.8% |
| Diesel | 30,974 | 12.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 14,255 | 7.9% |
| 2022 | 14,488 | 9.4% |
| 2023 | 14,832 | 11.3% |
| 2024 | 15,013 | 13.2% |
| 2025 | 15,370 | 15.0% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Yeti
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 4.2% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (4.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (3.9% 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.
- Suspension (3.6% 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 many 2016 Skoda Yetis pass their MOT?
88.6% of the 73,958 2016 Skoda Yeti MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Skoda Yeti?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.2% of tests, followed by tyres (3.9%).
Does the 2016 Yeti get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.4% in the 0-30k band to 22.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 73,958 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.