20,023 tests in 2025
Skoda Rapid reliability and MOT pass rate
76.8% passed first time. The 23.2% fail rate is 0.6 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 10 years old with 75,229 miles.
Pass rate
76.8%
22.6% of all cars failed; 23.2% of these did.
Fixed on the day
4.2%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
75,229 mi
10 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 9,663 | 20.6% |
| 10-13 years | 10,349 | 25.7% |
| 14+ years | 11 | — |
What the Rapid 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.
- Suspension156 dangerous48.7%
- Tyres1,571 dangerous31.9%
- Brakes642 dangerous23.5%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment4 dangerous16.1%
- Body, chassis, structure13 dangerous11.5%
- Visibility1 dangerous8%
- Noise, emissions and leaks7.8%
- Steering2 dangerous2.7%
Is the Rapid getting worse?
The fail rate rose 6.5 points to 23.2% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (7.7 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 23,248 | 7 | 16.7% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 22,881 | 8 | 19.8% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 19,288 | 9 | 22% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 20,020 | 10 | 23.2% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Rapid 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 Rapid in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn994 tests
- 2Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm462 tests
- 3Coil spring: fractured or broken441 tests
- 4Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick375 tests
- 5Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords333 tests
- 6Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak331 tests
- 7Condition: has ply or cords exposed325 tests
- 8Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn260 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Rapid collects 2.7 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.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm3,267 tests
- 2Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened3,071 tests
- 3Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak3,033 tests
- 4Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn2,509 tests
- 5Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure2,135 tests
- 6Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1,586 tests
- 7Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine925 tests
- 8Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn707 tests
Questions
What is the Skoda Rapid MOT pass rate?
76.8% of the 20,023 Skoda Rapid first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 23.2% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 4.2% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Skoda Rapid usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn", recorded on 994 failed tests, followed by "Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" and "Coil spring: fractured or broken". By section, suspension appears in 48.7% of failures, tyres appears in 31.9% of failures, brakes appears in 23.5% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was n/a%; at 10-13 years it was 25.7%. The median Skoda Rapid tested in 2025 was 10 years old with 75,229 miles.
Is the Skoda Rapid getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 6.5 points to 23.2% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (7.7 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
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 Rapid 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 Rapid: Skoda Rapid recalls.
Other Skoda models
Checking a particular Rapid?
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.