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Skoda Fabia body and structure problems

DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 72,605 MOT tests · Updated

At 7 years, 1.0 in 100 MOT tests of the Skoda Fabia failed on body and structure, against 1.3 for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 72,605 MOT tests) [1].

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  • Against all class 4 vehicles the same age: about average for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years), 742 MOT tests with a fail
  • By age: seen at 22 ages from 3 to 24 years, 937,544 MOT tests
  • MOT tests at 7 years: 72,605 for the Skoda Fabia

Figures are for the model as a whole, not for one car.

What the MOT tests show

What we know

1.0 fails per 100 MOT tests at 7 years, against 1.3 for all class 4 vehicles tested at 7 (all test years). That is about average.

Why it matters

A body and structure fail stops the car passing until it is fixed.

What to check

Look under the sills, jacking points and rear subframe for rot, bubbling or fresh underseal over a repair, and check every door, bonnet and boot shuts properly.

Skoda Fabia body and structure fails by age

Skoda Fabia body and structure fails per 100 MOT tests by ageSolid line: the Skoda Fabia. Dashed line: all cars the same age. The table below lists every value.05103 years: 0.2 per 100 (all cars 0.3), 40,679 MOT tests34 years: 0.3 per 100 (all cars 0.3), 49,898 MOT tests5 years: 0.5 per 100 (all cars 0.5), 59,520 MOT tests56 years: 0.7 per 100 (all cars 0.8), 69,349 MOT tests7 years: 1.0 per 100 (all cars 1.3), 72,605 MOT tests78 years: 1.3 per 100 (all cars 1.8), 70,609 MOT tests9 years: 1.9 per 100 (all cars 2.3), 71,820 MOT tests910 years: 2.7 per 100 (all cars 2.9), 66,738 MOT tests11 years: 3.8 per 100 (all cars 3.5), 60,969 MOT tests1112 years: 5.1 per 100 (all cars 4.3), 57,465 MOT tests13 years: 6.2 per 100 (all cars 5.0), 52,677 MOT tests1314 years: 7.7 per 100 (all cars 5.9), 49,769 MOT tests15 years: 9.5 per 100 (all cars 6.7), 46,956 MOT tests1516 years: 11.2 per 100 (all cars 7.6), 43,506 MOT tests17 years: 11.9 per 100 (all cars 8.3), 35,795 MOT tests1718 years: 11.9 per 100 (all cars 8.7), 28,988 MOT tests19 years: 11.1 per 100 (all cars 9.0), 22,173 MOT tests1920 years: 10.5 per 100 (all cars 9.2), 16,114 MOT tests21 years: 9.9 per 100 (all cars 9.3), 10,980 MOT tests2122 years: 8.5 per 100 (all cars 9.4), 6,385 MOT tests23 years: 8.2 per 100 (all cars 9.5), 3,191 MOT tests2324 years: 8.5 per 100 (all cars 9.4), 1,358 MOT tests
Fails per 100 MOT tests by age, all first-use years pooled. Skoda Fabia All class 4 vehicles the same age Shaded: over 18 years, survivors only.
AgeMOT testsFails per 100All class 4 vehicles the same age
340,6790.20.3
449,8980.30.3
559,5200.50.5
669,3490.70.8
772,6051.01.3
870,6091.31.8
971,8201.92.3
1066,7382.72.9
1160,9693.83.5
1257,4655.14.3
1352,6776.25.0
1449,7697.75.9
1546,9569.56.7
1643,50611.27.6
1735,79511.98.3
1828,98811.98.7
19*22,17311.19.0
20*16,11410.59.2
21*10,9809.99.3
22*6,3858.59.4
23*3,1918.29.5
24*1,3588.59.4

All first-use years of the Skoda Fabia pooled at each age, against all class 4 vehicles at that age over all 2022–2025 test years. * Only survivors are still tested at this age.

What fails in the body and structure at 7 years

Advisories (not fails)

Replace leaking exhaust section cost

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  • Model risks for this year and fuel
  • What similar cars did at their next MOT
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See a sample report

By engine and fuel

  • 1.2 petrol: 0.6 per 100 at 7 years, about average for petrol class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 35,063 MOT tests)
  • 1.0 petrol: 1.2 per 100 at 7 years, about average for petrol class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 32,123 MOT tests)
  • 1.6 diesel: 5.3 per 100 at 11 years, fails 1.3–1.4× as often as diesel class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 13,841 MOT tests)
  • 1.4 petrol: 11.6 per 100 at 17 years, fails 1.4–1.6× as often as petrol class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 5,497 MOT tests)
  • 1.4 diesel: 2.8 per 100 at 7 years, about average for diesel class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 5,117 MOT tests)
  • 1.9 diesel: 11.1 per 100 at 17 years, about average for diesel class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 8,313 MOT tests)

How to check on a test drive

Look under the sills, jacking points and rear subframe for rot, bubbling or fresh underseal over a repair, and check every door, bonnet and boot shuts properly.

The most common advisory here in MOT records: Exhaust system: has a minor leak of exhaust gases.

Check one Skoda Fabia, not the average

The figures here describe Skoda Fabia cars as a group. These free tools answer for one car. Each line says what the tool reads.

Other Skoda Fabia problems

Body and structure on rival models

Questions people ask

Does the Skoda Fabia have more body and structure problems than other cars?

1.0 in 100 MOT tests at 7 years, against 1.3 for all class 4 vehicles the same age: about average by our test (all test years; 72,605 MOT tests).

How common are Skoda Fabia body and structure problems?

1.0 in 100 MOT tests at 7 years failed on body and structure, against 1.3 for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 72,605 MOT tests).

Sources

  1. Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 937,544 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.

Parts: against all class 4 vehicles at the same age, all 2022–2025 test years pooled, not adjusted for mileage. Breakdowns and non-MOT faults are not in this data. How we compare