Skoda Fabia Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Skoda Fabia fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 395,180 MOT tests across 22 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: small family car | Fuel: Petrol, Diesel
80%
Skoda Fabia pass rate
88%
Skoda average
82%
All-model average
The Skoda Fabia has an average MOT pass rate of 80%, which is 8 points below the Skoda average and 2 points below the average across all models in our data. Newer Skoda Fabias pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 13 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Skoda Fabia Fails Its MOT On
Of the 66,353 MOT tests on the Skoda Fabia that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Suspension
36%Cars and vans the same age: 34% · Typical repair £150-£600
Lights and electrics
35%Cars and vans the same age: 40% · Typical repair £15-£200
Brakes
26%Cars and vans the same age: 23% · Typical repair £80-£450
Tyres
21%Cars and vans the same age: 22% · Typical repair £50-£300
Body, chassis and structure
15%Cars and vans the same age: 13% · Typical repair £200-£1200
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (13% of failed tests, suspension)
- Position lamp: not working (9.6% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Drive shaft CV boot split or insecure (7.3% of failed tests, body, chassis and structure)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Skoda Fabia Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each Fabia year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
Passed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points more often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Skoda Fabia Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Petrol | 1.0L | 91% | 8% | 93% (-2) |
| 2020 | Petrol | 1.0L | 90% | 9% | 92% (-2) |
| 2019 | Petrol | 1.0L | 90% | 10% | 91% (-1) |
| 2018 | Petrol | 1.0L | 86% | 13% | 89% (-3) |
| 2017 | Petrol | 1.2L | 84% | 15% | 87% (-3) |
| 2016 | Petrol | 1.2L | 83% | 16% | 86% (-3) |
| 2015 | Petrol | 1.2L | 83% | 16% | 84% (-1) |
| 2014 | Petrol | 1.2L | 82% | 17% | 82% (0) |
| 2013 | Petrol | 1.2L | 81% | 19% | 80% (+1) |
| 2012 | Petrol | 1.2L | 79% | 21% | 79% (0) |
| 2011 | Petrol | 1.2L | 78% | 22% | 77% (+1) |
| 2010 | Petrol | 1.2L | 77% | 23% | 75% (+2) |
| 2009 | Diesel | 1.4L | 73% | 26% | 75% (-2) |
| 2008 | Diesel | 1.4L | 71% | 28% | 74% (-3) |
| 2007 | Diesel | 1.4L | 73% | 27% | 73% (0) |
| 2006 | Diesel | 1.4L | 72% | 28% | 73% (-1) |
| 2005 | Petrol | 1.2L | 72% | 27% | 73% (-1) |
| 2004 | Diesel | 1.4L | 71% | 28% | 72% (-1) |
| 2003 | Diesel | 1.4L | 69% | 30% | 72% (-3) |
| 2002 | Diesel | 1.9L | 70% | 30% | 73% (-3) |
| 2001 | Petrol | 1.4L | 71% | 28% | 73% (-2) |
| 2000 | Diesel | 1.9L | 70% | 30% | - |
Skoda Fabia Running Costs
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Skoda Fabia FAQ
What are the most common Skoda Fabia problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Skoda Fabia that failed at the first attempt most often failed on suspension (36% of the 66,353 failed tests), lights and electrics (35%) and brakes (26%). The single most common fault was "Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn" (13%). Across 395,180 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 80% ended in a pass.
Is the Skoda Fabia reliable?
The Skoda Fabia has an average MOT pass rate of 80%, from 395,180 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed within 1 point of other cars of the same age, so about average for its age.
Which Skoda Fabia years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2016 (83% of 31,150 tests passed, against 86% for all 2016 cars), the 2017 (84% of 28,967 tests passed, against 87% for all 2017 cars) and the 2018 (86% of 26,403 tests passed, against 89% for all 2018 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Skoda Fabia faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Skoda Fabia typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Skoda Models
Common problems pages for other Skoda models