Car
Skoda Fabia
80.4%
pass rate across 835,925 tests
76.1% first-time pass rate
Skoda Fabia vs Volkswagen Polo
The two cars compared on 3,115,889 real MOT tests: pass rates, first-time passes, the failures each is known for, repair costs and how both have moved year by year.
Car
Volkswagen Polo
78.3%
pass rate across 2,279,964 tests
73.0% first-time pass rate
The short answer
Skoda Fabia has the stronger MOT record
Across 3,115,889 tests, the Skoda Fabia has the stronger first-time record: 76.1% against 73.0%, a 3.1-point gap. On all MOTs the Skoda Fabia is ahead at 80.4% versus 78.3%. Even after adjusting for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Skoda Fabia is +0.3 points against its expected rate, the Volkswagen Polo −1.8. A typical repair bill is similar: £40–£113 for the Skoda Fabia and £32–£89 for the Volkswagen Polo; at their pass rates that is roughly £778–£2,222 versus £689–£1,932 per 100 tests.
- First-time pass: 76.1% vs 73.0%.
- All MOTs: 80.4% vs 78.3%.
- Like-for-like: +0.3 vs −1.8 points.
- Typical repair bill: £40–£113 vs £32–£89.
- At 90,000–120,000 miles: 73.2% vs 70.2%.
| Measure | Fabia | Polo |
|---|---|---|
| MOT tests on record | 835,925 | 2,279,964 |
| Pass rate, all MOTs | 80.4% stronger figure | 78.3% |
| First-time pass rate | 76.1% stronger figure | 73.0% |
| Against the UK average | −0.6 pts stronger figure | −2.7 pts |
| Like-for-like, age and mileage adjusted | +0.3 pts stronger figure | −1.8 pts |
| Average mileage at test | 73,653 mi | 69,715 mi |
| Model years on record | 2000–2023 (24) | 2000–2023 (24) |
| Best model year | 2023 · 97.0% | 2023 · 94.9% |
| Worst model year | 2003 · 70.1% | 2005 · 68.3% |
| Typical repair bill | £40–£113 | £32–£89 stronger figure |
| Expected repair spend per 100 tests | £778–£2,222 | £689–£1,932 stronger figure |
| Main fuel | Petrol 79% | Petrol 92% |
| Variants recorded | 4 | 5 |
A ✓ marks the stronger figure in each row. It is a comparison between the two cars, not a judgement against the national average.
What goes wrong most often
The most common priced failures on each model, as a share of all its tests. Repair costs are estimates from UK parts data, not quotes.
Fabia
- Indicator incorrect colour 2.6% £3–£12
- Service brake imbalance across an axle 1.4% £45–£110
Polo
- Exhaust system leaking 6.1% £45–£120
- Track rod end dust cover damaged 3.1% £18–£45
- Service brake imbalance across an axle 1.5% £45–£110
- Linkage ball joint dust cover insecure 1.5% £18–£45
Year by year
The newest 8 years with published results. A model's headline rate hides a wide spread between its best and worst years.
| Model year | Fabia | Polo |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 83.5% · 67,702 tests | 82.9% · 179,713 tests |
| 2017 | 84.7% · 62,134 tests | 84.3% · 156,704 tests |
| 2018 | 86.4% · 56,170 tests | 83.3% · 151,895 tests |
| 2019 | 89.8% · 47,133 tests | 88.0% · 120,567 tests |
| 2020 | 90.7% · 30,040 tests | 92.1% · 79,229 tests |
| 2021 | 90.8% · 18,179 tests | 92.5% · 59,188 tests |
| 2022 | 94.1% · 6,373 tests | 94.0% · 22,339 tests |
| 2023 | 97.0% · 268 tests | 94.9% · 808 tests |
Does the pass rate hold at higher mileage?
Pass rate by the mileage recorded at test, pooled across every published year. A car that stays strong past 90,000 miles is doing something right.
| Mileage | Fabia | Polo |
|---|---|---|
| 0–30,000 mi | 91.7% · 127,809 tests | 91.0% · 331,793 tests |
| 30,000–60,000 mi | 84.8% · 250,850 tests | 82.8% · 697,945 tests |
| 60,000–90,000 mi | 78.1% · 212,552 tests | 75.3% · 642,037 tests |
| 90,000–120,000 mi | 73.2% · 137,104 tests | 70.2% · 397,278 tests |
| 120k+ | 70.5% · 107,046 tests | 67.5% · 209,648 tests |
What to check before you buy
Skoda Fabia
- Indicator incorrect colour — 2.6% of tests, £3–£12 to put right.
- Service brake imbalance across an axle — 1.4% of tests, £45–£110 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2003 at 70.1%; check that generation's MOT history closely.
Volkswagen Polo
- Exhaust system leaking — 6.1% of tests, £45–£120 to put right.
- Track rod end dust cover damaged — 3.1% of tests, £18–£45 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2005 at 68.3%; check that generation's MOT history closely.
Both columns cover every published year for the model. Pass rates are test-weighted, so a model with more recent tests is not dragged down by its oldest ones. Repair figures are estimates from UK parts data; a garage quote is the only number that matters for a specific car. The same car can be tested in more than one year, so these are test outcomes, not a count of individual vehicles.
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