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Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI car check

Is the Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI reliable? We analysed 3,177 real MOT tests across 1,064 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 3,177 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
89.9%
Typical Mileage
23,599mi
Annual Mileage
5,872mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
yrs

The Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI.

Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

89.7%
2021
90.1%
2020

Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI Common Faults & Problems

These are the most common serious faults found on Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI models during MOT testing — flagged as dangerous or major failures that need immediate attention.

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 11
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 7

Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
3,483 mi/yr
Typical
5,872 mi/yr
Average
6,715 mi/yr
Heavy usage
8,998 mi/yr

Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2021 1,705 89.7% 15,297 22,578 32,396
2020 1,399 90.1% 16,230 24,574 35,392

How Long Does a Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI Last?

Based on 1,064 Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI vehicles on UK roads.

Average
3.8 years
Median
4.0 years

Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
23,599 mi
75th Percentile
33,882 mi
95th Percentile
53,653 mi
Max Recorded
119,348 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
2020

90.1% MOT pass rate from 1,399 tests

Year to avoid
2021

89.7% MOT pass rate from 1,705 tests

The best year to buy a used Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI is 2020, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 90.1% across 1,399 tests. The 2021 model year has the lowest pass rate at 89.7% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI THIS CAR 89.9% 3,177 23,599 mi — yrs
Skoda Fabia 76% 4,863,673 58,216 mi 26 yrs
Skoda Octavia 77.7% 3,816,734 87,093 mi 28 yrs
Skoda Yeti 84.4% 844,079 52,202 mi 17 yrs
Kawasaki Ex 650 Cbf 87.4% 2,730 11,942 mi 15 yrs

Compared to the Skoda Fabia (76.0% pass rate) and the Skoda Octavia (77.7% pass rate), the Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI outperforms both on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI?

The Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI has an overall MOT pass rate of 89.9% across 3,177 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.

On the safety side, the most frequently flagged dangerous fault is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Dangerous faults cause an immediate MOT failure and mean the vehicle is not roadworthy until repaired. If you're viewing a Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI with an expired or recently passed MOT, ask the seller whether any dangerous faults were found and fixed during the last test.

A typical Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI owner drives around 5,872 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI reliable?
Based on 3,177 MOT tests, the Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI has a 89.9% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI?
The most common failure point is general wear and tear.
How many miles does a Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI do per year?
The typical Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI does around 5,872 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI last?
Lifespan data is not yet available for this model.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.
What is the best year to buy a Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Skoda Fabia SE Drive TSI is 2020 with a 90.1% pass rate across 1,399 tests.