Skoda
1,670 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Octavia SE First Edition Tsis pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 13.9 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
91.4%
Pass-after-fix
1.9%
Fail
6.1%
Avg miles
33,582
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Petrol cars first registered from January 2006 meet Euro 4 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 1,670 tests
Pass rate drops 1.6 points across the cohorts — recent Octavia SE First Edition Tsi examples are doing worse than the early cars at the same tested age.
Pass
92.2%
Fail
6.0%
PRS
1.5%
Avg mileage at test
34,602 mi
Pass
90.6%
Fail
6.3%
PRS
2.4%
Avg mileage at test
32,426 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 677 MOT tests, the Octavia Se First Edition Tsi returns 92.6% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. A seriously damaged tyre and a tyre with the cords showing round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 25,999, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
ABI Insurance Group
Below the fleet average — generally reasonable to insure. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
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Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
24 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
21 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
19 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
11 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
8 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
A tyre has a lump, bulge or tear caused by separation or partial failure of its structure. This includes any lifting of the tread rubber
7 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
6 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction
6 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
5 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
4 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£200–£350
If every one of this Octavia SE First Edition Tsi's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 1.6-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy Skoda Octavia SE First Edition Tsi makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
92.2%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 92.2% — a 1.6-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, has a cut in excess of the… — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band.
Band to be cautious about
90.6%
2021+ registration
On the 2021-on band, the data shows a 90.6% pass rate against a fleet average of 92.2% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, has ply or cords exposed, and has a cut in excess of the…. Average mileage on test for this band is 32,426 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (92.2% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2021+ (90.6% pass). That's a 1.6-point spread across 784 older tests and 886 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
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Owner reports · Honest John
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
What's good
More upmarket than ever, yet still practical and comfortable, the Skoda Octavia is a very appealing package. Quality shines through, yet it remains great value for money. An excellent if unexciting family car.
Report of gremlins with infotainment system in 2021 Skoda Octavia. Reader says that it becomes completely unresponsive, leaving them without the radio, parking sensors and unable to adjust the climate control. Usually fixes itself after a day or two. How Much Is It To Get New Windows Made of "Fibrex"?This Is How Much New Windows Should Cost In 2026 Energy-Efficient Windows Sponsored Huggies Overnites Nighttime Baby Diapers Unscented, Size 7 (Over 41 Lb) - 13.0 Ea Nighttime Baby Diapers Unscented, Size 7 (Over 41 lb) Nighttime Baby Diapers Unscented, Size 7 (Over 41 lb)Walgreens.com
Report of an 'enormous bang' from the front suspension of a Skoda Octavia Estate 2.0TDI 150PS DSG 4x4 when driving over rough roads as well as a clunking noise over mild bumps. Later discovered that the transport blocks were still fitted inside the springs.
Long list of complaints from private hire operator with mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid models. They include warnings for a faulty charge system, bulbs and front sensors. Reports that the PHEV has a handbrake fault which causes the automatic box to shift into neutral. Car now at a dealer until mystery fault can be traced.
Software glitches with 2021 Octavia iV. Navigation cannot save favourite destinations, including various issues. The car has been to the dealer three times without any success.
Report of four-month old Skoda Octavia iV (mild hybrid) estate with 1400 miles from new 12v battery going flat despite high-voltage battery being fully charged. The 12v battery was replaced, although no fault was found.
Source: honestjohn.co.uk · 5 reports indexed
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own an Octavia SE First Edition Tsi and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.
