Skoda Rapid
From 33,623 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Rapids fare better: 2019 models pass at 89.4% vs 75.3% for 2013.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre seriously damaged and tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 1,653 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 1,653 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 856 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 706 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 470 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 445 |
| brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn | 374 |
| a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage | 366 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 353 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 318 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 301 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 65% of Rapid failures are safety items (worn brakes, tyre damage, steering play). The car still drives, but you shouldn't. Only 12.3% are the kind that would actually strand you. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £135.
Skoda Rapid on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 590 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 6 newly registered, a net loss of 584. At this rate, roughly 37 years until none remain. Now at 89.5% of its peak (24,109 in 2019 Q2).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 20,601 | 984 | +0 | -136 | -136 |
| 2025 Q2 | 20,805 | 916 | +6 | -200 | -194 |
| 2025 Q1 | 21,089 | 826 | +0 | -184 | -184 |
| 2024 Q4 | 21,312 | 787 | +0 | -70 | -70 |
| 2024 Q3 | 21,424 | 745 | +0 | -129 | -129 |
| 2024 Q2 | 21,593 | 705 | +0 | -111 | -111 |
| 2024 Q1 | 21,745 | 664 | +0 | -248 | -248 |
| 2023 Q4 | 21,985 | 672 | +0 | -82 | -82 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid Spaceback Se Tech Tsi | Petrol | 2,816 | 17% |
| Rapid Spaceback Se Sport Tsi | Petrol | 2,739 | 17% |
| Rapid Se Tsi | Petrol | 1,942 | 12% |
| Rapid Sport Tsi | Petrol | 1,107 | 7% |
| Rapid Spaceback Se Tsi | Petrol | 895 | 5% |
| Rapid Spaceback Se Tech Tsi Sa | Petrol | 810 | 5% |
| Rapid Spaceback Se Tech Tdi | Diesel | 651 | 4% |
| Rapid Se Tsi S-A | Diesel | 645 | 4% |
| Rapid Spaceback Se Tdi Cr | Diesel | 558 | 3% |
| Rapid Se Tdi Cr | Diesel | 552 | 3% |
| Rapid Spaceback Se Sport Tdi | Diesel | 534 | 3% |
| Rapid Se Tdi | Diesel | 471 | 3% |
| Rapid Elegance Tdi Cr | Petrol | 435 | 3% |
| Rapid Spaceback S Tsi | Petrol | 403 | 2% |
| Rapid Se L Tsi | Petrol | 364 | 2% |
| Rapid Se Connect Tsi | Petrol | 338 | 2% |
| Rapid Elegance Tsi | Petrol | 302 | 2% |
| Rapid Se Greentech Tsi | Petrol | 301 | 2% |
| Rapid Spaceback Se Sport Tdicr | Diesel | 254 | 2% |
| Rapid Spaceback Se Tech Tdi Cr | Diesel | 252 | 2% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 89.4% | a tyre seriously damaged, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2018 | 82.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2017 | 80.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2016 | 79.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre seriously damaged |
4 earlier years
| 2015 | 79.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2014 | 77.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2013 | 75.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2012 | 68.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
Typical mileage
Half of all Rapids tested had between 45,834 and 85,413 miles on the clock.
At 63,329 median miles, the Rapid has 0.033 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Skoda models
| Skoda Fabia | 76% |
| Skoda Octavia | 79.4% |
| Skoda Yeti | 80.8% |
| Skoda Superb | 82% |
| Skoda Karoq | 90.8% |
Common questions
What is the Skoda Rapid MOT pass rate?
The Skoda Rapid has a 78.8% MOT pass rate based on 33,623 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Skoda Rapid?
The most common MOT failure on the Skoda Rapid is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 1,653 failures. Other common issues include a tyre seriously damaged.
How many Skoda Rapids are on UK roads?
There are 20,601 Skoda Rapids currently licensed on UK roads, with 984 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Skoda Rapid at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Skoda Rapid is 63,329 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 45,834 and 85,413 miles.
Buying a used Rapid?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 78.8% pass rate and an average repair bill of £135 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.