Skoda Octavia reliability by year, 2001 to 2023
605,674 Skoda Octavias went through an MOT in the period we analysed, and 75.8% passed. Set against the 71.7% national pass rate, that is a good result on the raw numbers. Allowing for age, the Octavia beats a typical car tested at the same age by 3.3 points. That is the fairer test, and it puts the model above average. At its first MOT, at three years old, 89.5% of Octavias pass; the national figure for three-year-old cars is 87.9%. When a Octavia does fail, brake pads worn below 1.5mm is the item recorded most often.
Why Skoda Octavias fail the MOT
Of every hundred Octavias that fail, about 8 are marked down for brake pads worn below 1.5mm and 7 for tyre tread below the legal minimum. Percentages can add to more than 100 because one failed test often records several defects.
Brake pads below 1.5mm are a straight fail. A garage can measure them in minutes, and most will do it free when you book the test.
Warning signs on the certificate
An advisory is the tester telling you what fails next year. On the Octavia the usual suspects are tyre tread below the legal minimum (16.1% of tests) and a leaking shock absorbers (12.1%). Nationally, an advisory on lights becomes a failure 36.1% of the time.
Octavia pass rate by fuel
Among Skoda Octavia cars, hybrid versions pass 89.2% of the time and diesel versions 72.7%, a gap of 16.5 points. Diesels tend to be bought for high mileage, which shows up at the test as wear. Hybrid versions are newer cars on average, so some of that gap is age rather than engineering.
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 72.7% | 377,364 |
| Petrol | 80.3% | 218,053 |
| Hybrid | 89.2% | 8,883 |
Skoda Octavia pass rate by year
The oldest Octavias on the road, from 2001, pass 57.1% of the time; the 2023 cars pass 94.7%. Read the table as an age curve first and a quality ranking second.
| First used | Pass rate | Tests | Miles a year | First MOT pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skoda Octavia 2023 | 94.7% | 1,187 | 22,871 | – |
| Skoda Octavia 2022 | 89.3% | 6,989 | 15,359 | 88.9% |
| Skoda Octavia 2021 | 89.4% | 19,731 | 13,332 | 89.8% |
| Skoda Octavia 2020 | 87.9% | 35,730 | 11,704 | 89.6% |
| Skoda Octavia 2019 | 85.2% | 58,615 | 12,088 | – |
| Skoda Octavia 2018 | 85.2% | 49,049 | 11,668 | – |
| Skoda Octavia 2017 | 83.4% | 54,373 | 11,695 | – |
| Skoda Octavia 2016 | 81.3% | 60,475 | 11,933 | – |
| Skoda Octavia 2015 | 78.7% | 56,366 | 11,833 | – |
| Skoda Octavia 2014 | 76.7% | 49,786 | 11,237 | – |
| Skoda Octavia 2013 | 72.2% | 32,038 | 10,778 | – |
| Skoda Octavia 2012 | 65.9% | 31,784 | 10,284 | – |
| Skoda Octavia 2011 | 64.5% | 32,682 | 9,161 | – |
| Skoda Octavia 2010 | 62.6% | 26,980 | 9,290 | – |
| Skoda Octavia 2009 | 60.8% | 19,499 | 8,738 | – |
| Skoda Octavia 2008 | 57.5% | 16,234 | 8,793 | – |
| Skoda Octavia 2007 | 56.7% | 17,032 | 8,460 | – |
| Skoda Octavia 2006 | 55.1% | 14,303 | 7,836 | – |
| Skoda Octavia 2005 | 54.9% | 8,645 | 7,586 | – |
| Skoda Octavia 2004 | 57.3% | 5,420 | 7,349 | – |
| Skoda Octavia 2003 | 56.8% | 4,189 | 7,112 | – |
| Skoda Octavia 2002 | 59.9% | 2,806 | 6,607 | – |
| Skoda Octavia 2001 | 57.1% | 1,761 | 6,206 | – |
How mileage changes the Octavia's odds
On the 2016 cars, a Octavia under 40,000 miles passes 91.5% of the time; one over 100,000 passes 74.7%. When comparing two used Octavias, the odometer tells you more than the year.
| Mileage at test (2016 cars) | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91.5% | 4,638 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 87.4% | 11,253 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 82.8% | 13,703 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 80.5% | 10,949 |
| Over 100,000 | 74.7% | 19,931 |
Skoda stablemates and rivals
Set against the rest of the Skoda range, which averages 76.4%, the Octavia at 75.8% is below par. Within the family, see Fabia common problems (70.7%), Skoda Superb reliability (78.2%), Skoda Kodiaq reliability (88.1%) and Rapid common problems (74%), or Skoda reliability by model. Buyers weighing a Octavia against other cars of similar popularity often compare it with the Vauxhall Insignia (67.9%) and Volkswagen Passat (71.1%). The ranking of every make puts them side by side, and the statistics for all 98 million tests give the baseline.
Year by year
Each year opens to show its own failure list and pass rate by mileage.
Skoda Octavia 2023 94.7% pass 1,187 tests
On a 2023 Skoda Octavia, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 22.2% of failed tests, with brake pads worn below 1.5mm next at 15.9%.
2023 cars pass 96% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 94.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 96% | 768 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 93.3% | 193 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 90.4% | 115 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 91.1% | 56 |
| Over 100,000 | 94.5% | 55 |
Skoda Octavia 2022 89.3% pass 6,989 tests88.9% at first MOT
On a 2022 Skoda Octavia, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 18.8% of failed tests, with headlamp aim out of adjustment next at 12%.
2022 cars pass 91.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 87.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91.4% | 4,237 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 86.3% | 1,369 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 86.2% | 679 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 82.9% | 350 |
| Over 100,000 | 87.6% | 354 |
By fuel: petrol 89.7% (3,238 tests), hybrid 89.9% (1,903 tests), diesel 88% (1,848 tests).
Skoda Octavia 2021 89.4% pass 19,731 tests89.8% at first MOT
On a 2021 Skoda Octavia, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 16.6% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 9.7%.
2021 cars pass 92% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 84.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 92% | 10,089 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 87.8% | 5,402 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 85.9% | 2,276 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 84.1% | 1,036 |
| Over 100,000 | 84.6% | 928 |
By fuel: petrol 89.9% (8,276 tests), hybrid 89% (6,980 tests), diesel 89.1% (4,473 tests).
Skoda Octavia 2020 87.9% pass 35,730 tests89.6% at first MOT
On a 2020 Skoda Octavia, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 13.4% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 9.7%.
2020 cars pass 91.1% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 80.9% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91.1% | 19,309 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 86.8% | 8,313 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 83.1% | 3,573 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 79.5% | 1,876 |
| Over 100,000 | 80.9% | 2,659 |
By fuel: petrol 89.3% (24,482 tests), diesel 84.9% (11,118 tests).
Skoda Octavia 2019 85.2% pass 58,615 tests
On a 2019 Skoda Octavia, brake pads worn below 1.5mm appears on 11.4% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 10%.
2019 cars pass 90.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 77.3% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 90.8% | 21,149 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 85.3% | 15,887 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 81.6% | 8,780 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 79.3% | 4,832 |
| Over 100,000 | 77.3% | 7,964 |
By fuel: petrol 87.3% (32,602 tests), diesel 82.4% (26,010 tests).
Skoda Octavia 2018 85.2% pass 49,049 tests
On a 2018 Skoda Octavia, brake pads worn below 1.5mm appears on 11.6% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 9.7%.
2018 cars pass 91.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 79.3% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91.8% | 11,576 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 86.5% | 14,396 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 82.7% | 9,577 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 80.9% | 4,953 |
| Over 100,000 | 79.3% | 8,545 |
By fuel: petrol 86.8% (27,515 tests), diesel 83.2% (21,529 tests).
Skoda Octavia 2017 83.4% pass 54,373 tests
On a 2017 Skoda Octavia, brake pads worn below 1.5mm appears on 11.6% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 9.3%.
2017 cars pass 90.7% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 77.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 90.7% | 7,865 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 86.8% | 13,563 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 82.4% | 12,259 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 81.3% | 7,641 |
| Over 100,000 | 77.7% | 13,043 |
By fuel: diesel 82.1% (31,346 tests), petrol 85.2% (23,024 tests).
Skoda Octavia 2016 81.3% pass 60,475 tests
On a 2016 Skoda Octavia, headlamp aim out of adjustment appears on 11.6% of failed tests, with brake pads worn below 1.5mm next at 9.5%.
2016 cars pass 91.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 74.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91.5% | 4,638 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 87.4% | 11,253 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 82.8% | 13,703 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 80.5% | 10,949 |
| Over 100,000 | 74.7% | 19,931 |
By fuel: diesel 79.9% (43,397 tests), petrol 84.8% (17,078 tests).
Skoda Octavia 2015 78.7% pass 56,366 tests
On a 2015 Skoda Octavia, headlamp aim out of adjustment appears on 11.7% of failed tests, with a dashboard warning light next at 10.5%.
2015 cars pass 90.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 73.8% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 90.4% | 2,603 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 86.3% | 6,851 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 82% | 11,028 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 79% | 11,050 |
| Over 100,000 | 73.8% | 24,826 |
By fuel: diesel 77.7% (45,229 tests), petrol 82.7% (11,137 tests).
Skoda Octavia 2014 76.7% pass 49,786 tests
On a 2014 Skoda Octavia, headlamp aim out of adjustment appears on 11.4% of failed tests, with a broken coil spring next at 10.3%.
2014 cars pass 87.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 72.9% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 87.4% | 1,569 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 85.1% | 4,207 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 81.3% | 8,188 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 77.5% | 10,095 |
| Over 100,000 | 72.9% | 25,718 |
By fuel: diesel 75.9% (40,528 tests), petrol 80.2% (9,257 tests).
Skoda Octavia 2013 72.2% pass 32,038 tests
On a 2013 Skoda Octavia, a broken coil spring appears on 14.9% of failed tests, with brake pads worn below 1.5mm next at 9.3%.
2013 cars pass 84.7% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 68.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 84.7% | 763 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 83% | 2,219 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 78.3% | 4,550 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 73.4% | 6,147 |
| Over 100,000 | 68.5% | 18,356 |
By fuel: diesel 71.7% (25,834 tests), petrol 74.6% (6,204 tests).
Skoda Octavia 2012 65.9% pass 31,784 tests
On a 2012 Skoda Octavia, a broken coil spring appears on 18.6% of failed tests, with a sidelight not working next at 10.5%.
2012 cars pass 83.9% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 62% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 83.9% | 713 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 79.4% | 1,970 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 73.3% | 3,927 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 67.5% | 5,364 |
| Over 100,000 | 62% | 19,806 |
By fuel: diesel 64.8% (24,895 tests), petrol 69.6% (6,885 tests).
Skoda Octavia 2011 64.5% pass 32,682 tests
On a 2011 Skoda Octavia, a broken coil spring appears on 15.7% of failed tests, with a split ball joint dust cover next at 11.5%.
2011 cars pass 82% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 61.2% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 82% | 695 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 74.7% | 2,003 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 70.7% | 4,032 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 65.8% | 6,030 |
| Over 100,000 | 61.2% | 19,914 |
By fuel: diesel 63.5% (16,828 tests), petrol 65.6% (15,835 tests).
Skoda Octavia 2010 62.6% pass 26,980 tests
On a 2010 Skoda Octavia, a broken coil spring appears on 14.5% of failed tests, with ball joint no longer prevents the ingress of dirt next at 11.2%.
2010 cars pass 79.7% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 60.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 79.7% | 483 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 72.4% | 1,190 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 69.4% | 2,370 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 64.1% | 3,859 |
| Over 100,000 | 60.4% | 19,075 |
By fuel: diesel 61.2% (19,268 tests), petrol 66% (7,711 tests).
Skoda Octavia 2009 60.8% pass 19,499 tests
On a 2009 Skoda Octavia, a broken coil spring appears on 12.4% of failed tests, with a sidelight not working next at 11.2%.
2009 cars pass 79% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 58% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 79% | 396 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 71.1% | 854 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 68.6% | 1,668 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 65.2% | 2,561 |
| Over 100,000 | 58% | 14,009 |
By fuel: diesel 59.5% (14,960 tests), petrol 65.2% (4,536 tests).
Skoda Octavia 2008 57.5% pass 16,234 tests
On a 2008 Skoda Octavia, a broken coil spring appears on 15.3% of failed tests, with a split CV boot next at 13.7%.
2008 cars pass 80.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 55.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 80.3% | 142 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 73.4% | 428 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 67.3% | 960 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 60% | 1,784 |
| Over 100,000 | 55.6% | 12,915 |
By fuel: diesel 56.8% (13,093 tests), petrol 60.2% (3,137 tests).
Skoda Octavia 2007 56.7% pass 17,032 tests
On a 2007 Skoda Octavia, a broken coil spring appears on 14.8% of failed tests, with a split CV boot next at 12.5%.
2007 cars pass 73.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 54.9% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 73.5% | 117 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 75.4% | 410 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 67.4% | 940 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 60.1% | 1,595 |
| Over 100,000 | 54.9% | 13,962 |
By fuel: diesel 56% (12,744 tests), petrol 58.6% (4,286 tests).
Skoda Octavia 2006 55.1% pass 14,303 tests
On a 2006 Skoda Octavia, a split CV boot appears on 15.9% of failed tests, with an airbag warning light warning light next at 13.4%.
2006 cars pass 68.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 53.2% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 68.5% | 165 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 74.1% | 433 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 62.9% | 832 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 58% | 1,471 |
| Over 100,000 | 53.2% | 11,395 |
By fuel: diesel 53.5% (8,890 tests), petrol 57.8% (5,413 tests).
Skoda Octavia 2005 54.9% pass 8,645 tests
On a 2005 Skoda Octavia, a split CV boot appears on 17.4% of failed tests, with a broken coil spring next at 12.9%.
2005 cars pass 73.1% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 53.8% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 73.1% | 67 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 66.7% | 207 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 59.2% | 517 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 57.6% | 891 |
| Over 100,000 | 53.8% | 6,959 |
By fuel: diesel 53.5% (6,309 tests), petrol 58.7% (2,329 tests).
Skoda Octavia 2004 57.3% pass 5,420 tests
On a 2004 Skoda Octavia, a split CV boot appears on 12.2% of failed tests, with a number plate light not working next at 12%.
2004 cars pass 68.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 55.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 68.8% | 48 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 79.3% | 140 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 62.8% | 320 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 62.9% | 528 |
| Over 100,000 | 55.4% | 4,377 |
By fuel: diesel 56.1% (4,042 tests), petrol 60.7% (1,375 tests).
Skoda Octavia 2003 56.8% pass 4,189 tests
On a 2003 Skoda Octavia, a broken coil spring appears on 11.8% of failed tests, with a worn suspension bush next at 11.5%.
2003 cars pass 79.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 54.8% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 79.5% | 39 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 61.8% | 102 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 68.9% | 206 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 63.2% | 419 |
| Over 100,000 | 54.8% | 3,419 |
By fuel: diesel 54.5% (2,673 tests), petrol 60.8% (1,516 tests).
Skoda Octavia 2002 59.9% pass 2,806 tests
On a 2002 Skoda Octavia, a worn suspension bush appears on 13.5% of failed tests, with a number plate light not working next at 12.9%.
2002 cars pass 65.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 58.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 65.5% | 29 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 65.9% | 85 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 67% | 191 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 62.4% | 290 |
| Over 100,000 | 58.7% | 2,209 |
By fuel: diesel 57.4% (1,499 tests), petrol 62.7% (1,307 tests).
Skoda Octavia 2001 57.1% pass 1,761 tests
On a 2001 Skoda Octavia, a worn suspension bush appears on 12.6% of failed tests, with a number plate light not working next at 12.4%.
2001 cars pass 80.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 55.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 80.8% | 26 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 56.6% | 83 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 64.6% | 130 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 63.9% | 158 |
| Over 100,000 | 55.1% | 1,363 |
By fuel: petrol 58.4% (910 tests), diesel 55.7% (851 tests).
Questions people ask
Is the Skoda Octavia reliable?
On MOT evidence the Skoda Octavia is above average. It passes 75.8% of tests against 71.7% for all cars, and beats cars of the same age by 3.3 points. 89.5% pass their first MOT at three years old. Figures from 605,674 DVSA tests.
What are the most common Skoda Octavia MOT failures?
Brake pads worn below 1.5mm (7.5% of failed tests), tyre tread below the legal minimum (7.1%) and a broken coil spring (6.8%). Brake pads below 1.5mm are a straight fail. A garage can measure them in minutes, and most will do it free when you book the test.
Which Skoda Octavia year is the most reliable?
Among years with a large sample, 2021 cars have the highest pass rate at 89.4% and 2005 cars the lowest at 54.9%. Newer years pass more because they are younger, so compare a specific car's year against the table above rather than against the overall figure.
What advisories does a Skoda Octavia usually get?
Tyre tread below the legal minimum is the most frequent, noted on 16.1% of all Octavia tests, then a leaking shock absorbers (12.1%). An advisory passes the car today but marks the item most likely to fail next year.
How many miles a year does a Skoda Octavia do?
About 10,958 miles a year on average, calculated from the odometer readings recorded at consecutive MOTs. That is above the UK average of roughly 7,400, which is typical of a car bought for commuting or work.
How do I check a particular Skoda Octavia?
The figures describe the whole fleet. For one car, enter its registration in the free MOT check to see its own test history, advisories and mileage, set against these averages for its year.
Own a Octavia?
Enter the registration to see its own MOT history, advisories and mileage set against these figures, including whether it has done more or fewer than the 10,958 miles a year typical of the model.
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 to 2025. Class 4 cars, normal tests only; a pass after rectification counts as an initial failure. Age-adjusted figures compare the model's pass rate at each age with the national rate at the same age. Methodology.