9,281 tests in 2025
Skoda Scala reliability and MOT pass rate
88.9% passed first time. The 11.1% fail rate is 11.5 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 4 years old with 32,145 miles.
Pass rate
88.9%
22.6% of all cars failed; 11.1% of these did.
Fixed on the day
2%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
32,145 mi
4 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 7,594 | 10.3% |
| 6-9 years | 1,467 | 16% |
| 10-13 years | 0 | — |
| 14+ years | 0 | — |
What the Scala 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.
- Tyres367 dangerous41.1%
- Brakes342 dangerous36.7%
- Steering10.5%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment9.8%
- Visibility7.5%
- Noise, emissions and leaks5.9%
- Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems4.8%
- Suspension3.1%
Is the Scala getting worse?
The fail rate rose 4.8 points to 11.1% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years. Ageing alone would predict about 2.3 points, so it is getting worse faster than age explains.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1,680 | 3 | 6.3% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 4,878 | 3 | 8.9% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 5,874 | 4 | 10.5% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 7,904 | 5 | 11.1% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Scala 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 Scala in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick232 tests
- 2Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords149 tests
- 3Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm92 tests
- 4Track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt88 tests
- 5Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn86 tests
- 6Service brake performance: excessively fluctuating66 tests
- 7Condition: has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure64 tests
- 8Condition: has ply or cords exposed57 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Scala collects 2.23 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.
- 1Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure1,192 tests
- 2Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened1,134 tests
- 3Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1,090 tests
- 4Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1,006 tests
- 5Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt280 tests
- 6Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn254 tests
- 7Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords164 tests
- 8Non-component advisories: Nail in tyre148 tests
Questions
What is the Skoda Scala MOT pass rate?
88.9% of the 9,281 Skoda Scala first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 11.1% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 2% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Skoda Scala usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick", recorded on 232 failed tests, followed by "Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" and "Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm". By section, tyres appears in 41.1% of failures, brakes appears in 36.7% of failures, steering appears in 10.5% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 10.3%; at 6-9 years it was 16%. The median Skoda Scala tested in 2025 was 4 years old with 32,145 miles.
Is the Skoda Scala getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 4.8 points to 11.1% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years. Ageing alone would predict about 2.3 points, so it is getting worse faster than age explains.
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 Scala trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
Other Skoda models
Checking a particular Scala?
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.