86.9%
Škoda Scala pass rate
Used Škoda Scala buying guide
In 2025, Škoda Scala cars passed 86.9% of 10,179 initial MOT tests, 14.6 points above the 72.3% UK average. Here is where it fails and what to check before you buy.
Looking at a specific Scala? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
Škoda Scala MOT record in brief
Initial MOT tests in 2025, retests excluded.
72.3%
UK average, all cars
+14.6
percentage points above average
Ranked on pass rate the Scala sits 89th of 575 models in the data. Škoda as a brand averaged 76.4%, so this model runs 10.5 points ahead of its own brand. Škoda Scala cars aged 3 to 5 years passed 86.5% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 6 to 10 years that fell to 79.6%.
A pass rate is not a reliability score. The full Škoda Scala MOT record has the pass rate by age, every common failure and how the Scala compares with similar cars.
Scala fuel types
Petrol was the most common fuel among Škoda Scala cars tested in 2025. Diesel made up just 2.9% of tests.
Where the Scala fails its MOT
Where Škoda Scala cars that failed their 2025 MOT were marked down, as a share of all recorded failure items.
The specific items testers recorded most often were brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick (15%), condition has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (9.2%) and tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (6.4%). See every common Scala MOT failure.
These are DVSA failure records across every Škoda Scala that failed, not a claim that every Scala has these problems.
What should you check when buying a used Scala?
The areas above, most common first, and what an MOT tester looks at in each.
1
Brakes
Make sure the pedal feels firm, the car stops in a straight line, the handbrake holds on a slope and no brake warning light is showing. 31.2% of Scala failure items.
2
Tyres
Check tread depth across the full width of every tyre (the legal minimum is 1.6mm), and look for cuts, bulges and uneven wear. 30.5% of Scala failure items.
3
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting. 12.5% of Scala failure items.
4
Visibility
Check the windscreen for chips or cracks in the driver's view, and that the wipers and washers clear it properly. 7.7% of Scala failure items.
5
Steering
Feel for play, knocking or stiffness in the steering, and check there is no steering warning light. 7.2% of Scala failure items.
None of this replaces the car's own record. Run a free MOT history check on the registration to see every test, advisory and recorded mileage for that car.
What the MOT record doesn't tell you
Knowing Škoda Scala failures cluster around brakes and tyres tells you what to inspect. It tells you nothing about whether the car is safe to buy. An MOT does not show money still owed on the car, a write-off, a theft record or a clocked odometer.
Check the exact Scala you are looking at. One £15 report, instant results, backed by a £30,000 data guarantee. More on the Škoda history check.
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off records
- Stolen markers
- Mileage history
- Previous keepers
Other used Škoda models
The most-tested Škoda models in 2025, with how their MOT pass rate compares with the Scala.
Used Škoda Scala FAQs
Is the Škoda Scala reliable?
MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is an 86.9% first-time pass rate for the Škoda Scala across 10,179 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.
Do older Škoda Scala cars fail their MOT more often?
Škoda Scala cars aged 3 to 5 years passed 86.5% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 6 to 10 years that fell to 79.6%. On an older example, the car's own MOT history tells you more than the model average.
What should I check before buying a used Škoda Scala?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: brakes, tyres and lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment. Then check the individual car's history: outstanding finance, insurance write-off records, stolen markers, mileage and previous keepers. None of these appear in the MOT record or on the V5C.
How do I check a Škoda Scala's history?
Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability.