56,370 tests in 2025
Skoda Karoq reliability and MOT pass rate
90.9% passed first time. The 9.1% fail rate is 13.5 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 5 years old with 38,785 miles.
Pass rate
90.9%
22.6% of all cars failed; 9.1% of these did.
Fixed on the day
2%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
38,785 mi
5 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 29,513 | 8.8% |
| 6-9 years | 26,209 | 9.5% |
| 10-13 years | 0 | — |
| 14+ years | 0 | — |
What the Karoq fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Tyres1,720 dangerous44.9%
- Suspension71 dangerous24.1%
- Brakes1,050 dangerous21.3%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment3 dangerous8.3%
- Visibility6.7%
- Noise, emissions and leaks1 dangerous4.4%
- Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems3.6%
- Body, chassis, structure3 dangerous1.5%
Is the Karoq getting worse?
The fail rate rose 3 points to 9.1% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 28,946 | 3 | 6.1% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 40,491 | — | 7.6% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 43,083 | — | 8.4% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 54,140 | — | 9.1% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Karoq at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a Karoq in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords1,045 tests
- 2Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick803 tests
- 3Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak785 tests
- 4Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm532 tests
- 5Condition: has ply or cords exposed346 tests
- 6Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn289 tests
- 7Condition: has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure207 tests
- 8Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively187 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Karoq collects 2.32 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak8,126 tests
- 2Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm6,718 tests
- 3Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick6,159 tests
- 4Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure5,918 tests
- 5Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened3,469 tests
- 6Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt2,245 tests
- 7Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn2,052 tests
- 8Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords1,453 tests
Questions
What is the Skoda Karoq MOT pass rate?
90.9% of the 56,370 Skoda Karoq first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 9.1% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 2% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Skoda Karoq usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords", recorded on 1,045 failed tests, followed by "Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick" and "Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak". By section, tyres appears in 44.9% of failures, suspension appears in 24.1% of failures, brakes appears in 21.3% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 8.8%; at 6-9 years it was 9.5%. The median Skoda Karoq tested in 2025 was 5 years old with 38,785 miles.
Is the Skoda Karoq getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 3 points to 9.1% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every Karoq trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 6 safety recalls naming the Skoda Karoq: Skoda Karoq recalls.
Other Skoda models
Checking a particular Karoq?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.