MOT data by first-use year
2021 Skoda Scala: MOT fail rate and common problems
DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 5,667 MOT tests · Updated
12.2% of 2021 Skoda Scala cars failed their MOT at 4 years; measured against vehicles the same age and test year, about the same as the 2020 and 2022 cars (5,667 MOT tests) [1].
Buying Report £14.99 incl. VAT · one car · no subscription · Not a mechanical inspection.
- −1.1 to −0.5 points: the gap to all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year, from 3 to 4 years, 5,667 MOT tests
- 30,000 to 60,000 miles: 14.4% of Skoda Scala cars first used 2019–2021 failed at 4 years, against 10.4% at under 30,000 miles, 7,368 MOT tests
- At 4 years (tested 2025): 12.2% failed, against 12.7% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 4 years in 2025, 2,819 MOT tests
Engine, fuel and mileage decide where one vehicle sits within these figures. Check the reg first.
Figures are for 2021 Skoda Scala cars as a group, not for one car.
- Fail rate at 4 years (2025)
- 12.2%
- vs 12.7% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 4 years in 2025
- 2,819 MOT tests
- Gap to all class 4, same age and year
- −0.8 pts
- over ages 3–4: −1.1 to −0.5 pts
- 5,667 MOT tests
- Against the 2020 and 2022 cars
- +0.3 pts
- 95% range −1.2 to +1.8 pts, same ages, each against its own test year
- 5,667 MOT tests
- MOT tests of 2021 cars
- 5,667
- tested 2024–2025, 2 ages with 1,000+ tests
- 5,667 MOT tests
About the same as the 2020 and 2022 cars: +0.3 points at the same ages (3–4), each year against all class 4 vehicles the same age tested in its own year; 95% range −1.2 to +1.8, from 5,667 MOT tests of 2021 cars and 8,947 of the 2020 and 2022 cars. Not adjusted for mileage.
Every Skoda Scala year against all class 4 vehicles the same age
2021 Skoda Scala fail rate at each MOT
From 2024 to 2025, as these cars went from 3 to 4 years old, the fail rate went from 11.3% to 12.2%, and the gap to all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year from −1.1 to −0.5 points. The widest gap was at 3 years (−1.1 points, 2,848 MOT tests).
| Test year | Age | Fail rate | 95% range | MOT tests | All class 4, same age and year | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3 years | 11.3% | 10.2%–12.5% | 2,848 | 12.4% | −1.1 pts |
| 2025 | 4 years | 12.2% | 11.0%–13.5% | 2,819 | 12.7% | −0.5 pts |
All class 4: every class 4 vehicle (cars and light vans) tested at that age in the same test year.
2021 against the 2020 and 2022 cars, age by age
| Age | 2021 | Years either side |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 11.3% 2,848 MOT tests, tested 2024 | 2020: 10.1% (3,345, tested 2023) 2022: 11.4% (2,280, tested 2025) |
| 4 years | 12.2% 2,819 MOT tests, tested 2025 | 2020: 12.1% (3,322, tested 2024) |
Each year was tested in a different calendar year; the verdict compares each against all class 4 vehicles the same age tested in its own year.
What fails on a Skoda Scala at 4 years
All Skoda Scala MOTs at 4 years, cars first used 2019–2021 (7,716 MOT tests; DVSA item counts are not split by first-use year). The most common fail items: brake pads under 1.5 mm (2.8 per 100 MOT tests, a wear item), tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (1.6 per 100 MOT tests, a wear item) and brake discs: significantly and obviously worn (1.3 per 100 MOT tests).
No item fails at a clearly different rate from all class 4 vehicles the same age across 3 or more ages.
Mileage and the fail rate at 4 years
Skoda Scala cars first used 2019–2021 at 30,000 to 60,000 miles failed 14.4% of MOTs at 4 years (3,144 MOT tests), against 10.4% at under 30,000 miles (4,224 MOT tests). All class 4 vehicles: 15.5% and 10.2%.
Car tax and ULEZ for a 2021 car
A car first registered in the UK in 2021 was issued a 70 (January–February), 21 (March–August) or 71 (September–December) plate, unless it was registered in Northern Ireland (no age identifier) or has since moved to a private plate. An imported one is plated when first registered here, so its plate can be newer than its first-use year. 21 plates
A 2021 car pays the standard rate after its first year. If its list price was over £40,000 it pays the expensive car supplement in years 2 to 6 (to 2027). [2] Car tax calculator for a 2021 petrol car
For the London ULEZ, a 2021 petrol usually meets Euro 4. The Euro standard of the car decides, not the year alone. [3] ULEZ checker
Buying a Skoda Scala? Check that exact car before the viewing.
Buying Report £14.99 incl. VAT · one car · no subscription · Not a mechanical inspection.
- Model risks for this year and fuel
- What similar cars did at their next MOT
- Repairs ahead
- Viewing checklist
Questions people ask
What is the MOT fail rate of a 2021 Skoda Scala?
12.2% at 4 years (tested 2025), from 2,819 MOT tests, against 12.7% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 4 years in 2025.
Does the 2021 Skoda Scala fail more MOTs than the 2020 and 2022?
0.3 percentage points apart at the same ages (3–4), each against all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year, from 5,667 MOT tests (95% range −1.2 to +1.8), so about the same.
At what ages were 2021 Skoda Scala cars MOT tested in the data?
2 ages with at least 1,000 MOT tests: 3–4 years, tested 2024–2025, 5,667 MOT tests in all.
What fails most on a Skoda Scala at 4 years?
2.8 in 100 MOT tests failed on brake pads under 1.5 mm, the most common fail item (a wear item); the most common non-wear item was brake discs: significantly and obviously worn (1.3 in 100). From 7,716 MOT tests of Skoda Scala cars first used 2019–2021, not only 2021.
Sources
- Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 5,667 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- GOV.UK, Vehicle tax rates. Rules, not drawn from the MOT data.
- Transport for London, Ultra Low Emission Zone. Rules, not drawn from the MOT data.
Cars tested at 4 years are compared with every class 4 vehicle tested at 4 years in the same test year. These rates are not adjusted for mileage. Breakdowns and non-MOT faults are not in this data. How we compare