Skoda Fabia common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 228,997 initial MOT tests on the Skoda Fabia in Great Britain, and 70.6% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Skoda Fabia at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 228,997
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 70.6%
Failed at firstIncluding 5.3% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 29.4%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 7.1%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 16,760 off the road (SORN): 248,085

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

Failure areas

Where the Fabia fails its MOT

The share of initial tests in 2025 with at least one fail or PRS item in each part of the MOT. A test can fail in more than one area, so these do not add up to the fail rate.

1Suspension
10.3%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
2Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
10.1%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
3Brakes
7.7%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
4Tyres
6.3%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
5Body, chassis and structure
4.4%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
6Visibility
4.0%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
7Noise, emissions and leaks
3.5%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
8Steering
1.6%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
9Seat belts and airbags
0.9%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
10Registration plates and VIN
0.3%
Number plates and the vehicle identification numberAll cars and vans: 0.3%

This modelAll cars and vans

Parts

The parts that fail most

Share of initial tests with a fail or PRS item on each part, 2025.

Suspension armsSuspension5.0%
Brake performanceBrakes4.5%
ConditionTyres4.3%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks3.4%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics3.2%
Position lampsLamps and electrics2.9%
Anti-roll barsSuspension2.5%
HeadlampsLamps and electrics2.2%

By age

Pass rate by year first used

Older cars fail more often, so compare a car with others of its year. Cars up to 25 years old; years with fewer than 250 tests are left out.

First used	Tests	Passed first time	Dangerous defect
2023	346	95.1%	0.6%
2022	7,166	90.8%	2.4%
2021	8,619	85.7%	4.2%
2020	9,396	84.8%	4.6%
2019	14,622	83.3%	4.9%
2018	16,749	77.8%	6.5%
2017	17,997	76.5%	7.1%
2016	19,307	75.3%	7.2%
2015	17,737	75.0%	6.3%
2014	14,497	72.4%	7.0%
2013	18,284	70.4%	7.1%
2012	13,322	67.7%	7.3%
2011	11,280	64.7%	8.0%
2010	10,153	62.0%	7.8%
2009	12,553	55.9%	8.1%
2008	9,499	52.4%	9.1%
2007	7,816	53.6%	9.7%
2006	6,262	54.3%	10.2%
2005	5,024	53.5%	9.8%
2004	3,484	53.0%	10.0%
2003	2,216	52.3%	9.7%
2002	1,387	56.1%	11.0%
2001	1,037	52.7%	10.6%

Mileage

Fabia mileage by age

The median reading at the test: half the cars of that age had covered more, half less. Estimated from 1,000-mile bands, for cars up to 25 years old.

A car well above or below the typical figure is not a problem in itself, but the readings should rise steadily from one MOT to the next. A fall, or a long gap, is worth asking about.

Check a car's mileage record

Age at test	Median mileage	Readings
2 years	18,800 miles	6,193
3 years	24,100 miles	7,840
4 years	30,000 miles	9,031
5 years	35,100 miles	12,663
6 years	41,400 miles	15,945
7 years	49,400 miles	16,271
8 years	56,100 miles	18,443
9 years	61,400 miles	18,628
10 years	65,200 miles	15,368
11 years	73,200 miles	16,363
12 years	80,500 miles	14,910
13 years	86,900 miles	12,298
14 years	88,700 miles	10,765
15 years	88,200 miles	12,420
16 years	95,200 miles	9,386
17 years	99,100 miles	9,191
18 years	102,700 miles	6,844
19 years	103,700 miles	5,623
20 years	107,200 miles	4,218
21 years	101,900 miles	2,843
22 years	94,500 miles	1,735
23 years	97,200 miles	1,182
24 years	91,900 miles	596

Checking a particular Fabia?

Averages tell you what to look at. The registration tells you about this car: every MOT since 2005 with its failures and advisories, each mileage reading, and whether it is taxed.

Questions

Skoda Fabia: common questions

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Skoda Fabia?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Skoda Fabia was suspension: 10.3% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 9.0% for all cars and vans. Next came lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (10.1%) and brakes (7.7%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the Skoda Fabia?

70.6% of 228,997 initial MOT tests on the Skoda Fabia in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 5.3% passed after small repairs made at the test station within the hour (PRS). Across all cars and vans, 72.1% passed first time.

Does a lower pass rate mean the Skoda Fabia is unreliable?

Not on its own. MOT results depend on age, mileage and upkeep as much as on design, so a model with many older cars on the road will usually fail more often. The table by year compares cars of a similar age. What matters most is the record of the car you are looking at, so check its MOT history before you buy.

What counts as a dangerous defect?

One the tester judges to be a direct and immediate risk to road safety, or to have a serious impact on the environment. The car fails and should not be driven until it is repaired. 7.1% of initial tests on the Skoda Fabia found at least one, against 7.3% for all cars and vans.

Where do these figures come from?

From DVSA's anonymised MOT test data for 2025, published under the Open Government Licence. We count initial tests on cars and light vans in Great Britain, as DVSA does in its own statistics: retests, appeals and abandoned tests are left out, and so are advisories and minor defects.

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