Skoda Octavia: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Skoda Octavia passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 2.2 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 192,015 individual Skoda Octavia tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 78.9% first-time pass rate means roughly 21 in every 100 Skoda Octavias presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average Skoda Octavia tested had covered 101,448 miles and was built around 2014.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. On a Skoda Octavia bought as a repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. See how it stacks up against the Ford Fiesta.

Looking at a specific Skoda Octavia rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see what damaged Skoda Octavias actually sold for at UK salvage auction, from 6 real settled sales.

Most common MOT failures on a Skoda Octavia

1. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 1.5% of tests (2.12x the national rate for this defect)
2. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 0.9% of tests (1.85x the national rate for this defect)
3. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 2.4% of tests (1.77x the national rate for this defect)
4. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 1.2% of tests (1.6x the national rate for this defect)
5. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.7% of tests (1.36x the national rate for this defect)
6. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 2.2% of tests (1.33x the national rate for this defect)
7. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 1.1% of tests (1.19x the national rate for this defect)
8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 2.7% of tests
9. A tyre seriously damaged, 2.2% of tests
10. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 2.1% of tests

From 273,112 DVSA-tracked Skoda Octavia tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 4.87% of these flagged Skoda Octavia defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.

Skoda Octavia pass rate by model year

Pass rates fall steadily as cars age, so the model year matters as much as the model. First-time pass rate for each Skoda Octavia year:

• 2001 Skoda Octavia - 63.1% first-time pass, 586 tests
• 2002 Skoda Octavia - 66.8% first-time pass, 925 tests
• 2003 Skoda Octavia - 65.1% first-time pass, 1,378 tests
• 2004 Skoda Octavia - 66.4% first-time pass, 1,788 tests
• 2005 Skoda Octavia - 62.4% first-time pass, 2,873 tests
• 2006 Skoda Octavia - 62.3% first-time pass, 4,769 tests
• 2007 Skoda Octavia - 63% first-time pass, 5,694 tests
• 2008 Skoda Octavia - 63.3% first-time pass, 5,450 tests
• 2009 Skoda Octavia - 66.8% first-time pass, 6,570 tests
• 2010 Skoda Octavia - 68% first-time pass, 9,022 tests
• 2011 Skoda Octavia - 69.4% first-time pass, 11,036 tests
• 2012 Skoda Octavia - 71.7% first-time pass, 10,686 tests
• 2013 Skoda Octavia - 77.5% first-time pass, 10,786 tests
• 2014 Skoda Octavia - 81.7% first-time pass, 16,769 tests
• 2015 Skoda Octavia - 83.4% first-time pass, 18,913 tests
• 2016 Skoda Octavia - 85.5% first-time pass, 20,319 tests
• 2017 Skoda Octavia - 86.2% first-time pass, 18,384 tests
• 2018 Skoda Octavia - 88.1% first-time pass, 16,561 tests
• 2019 Skoda Octavia - 88.2% first-time pass, 19,693 tests
• 2020 Skoda Octavia - 89.6% first-time pass, 8,424 tests

Skoda Octavia by fuel type

Diesel and petrol versions of the same car fail on different things, so the fuel type moves the number:

• Diesel Skoda Octavia - 77.4% first-time pass, 123,974 tests
• Petrol Skoda Octavia - 82.8% first-time pass, 67,048 tests

Other Skoda models

• Skoda Fabia - 75.3%
• Skoda Yeti - 80.3%
• Skoda Superb - 80%
• Skoda Citigo - 84.7%
• Skoda Karoq - 91.3%
• Skoda Kodiaq - 89.7%
• Skoda Rapid - 77.9%
• Skoda Roomster - 70.8%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Honda Cr-Z - 79%
• Ford Unclassified - 79%
• Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Crd A - 79%
• BMW 530 - 78.9%
• Audi Tt - 78.8%
• Ford Transit Courier - 78.8%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate