Is the Skoda Superb reliable?

On MOT evidence the Skoda Superb is above average. It passes 76.7% of tests once age and mileage are accounted for, against a national average of 72.3%, which ranks it 89 of 262 models with enough data for a fair comparison. This measures how often the car meets the MOT standard, not how often it breaks down or what a repair costs.

What do testers most often warn about on a Skoda Superb?

The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 26.9% of all Skoda Superb tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Skoda Superb usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 99,023 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.

Does a Skoda Superb get harder to pass as it ages?

Yes. At 3 to 5 years old, 86.0% of Skoda Superb tests pass. By fifteen years or more, that falls to 62.6%. Nearly every model follows this pattern, which is why comparing raw pass rates between models is misleading unless age is accounted for.

Are most Skoda Superb models petrol or diesel?

Of the Skoda Superb cars tested, 72% are diesel, 23% are petrol, 6% are hybrid. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

Model reliability file

Skoda Superb MOT pass rate & common failures

From 65,629 recorded MOT tests of the Skoda Superb, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

The Skoda Superb passes 76.7% of MOT tests once results are adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, against a national average of 72.3%. That is above average, ranking it 89 of 262 models with enough data to compare fairly. Based on 65,629 tests. Its most commonly recorded failure is shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, which appears in 17.9% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 99,023 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage

76.7%national average72.3%unadjusted77.7%range covered99%rank89 of 262

The Superb is 4.4 percentage points above the national pass rate once age and mileage are accounted for, which is above average. The unadjusted figure is 77.7%; the difference is what the age and mileage of this model’s fleet was hiding.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Skoda Superb tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage17.9%
2,252 occurrencesShock absorber defective explained
2.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn14.9%
1,877 occurrencesSuspension arm bush worn explained
3.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened14.4%
1,816 occurrencesRoad spring broken or fractured explained
4.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements13.3%
1,678 occurrencesTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
5.A tyre cords visible or damaged13.1%
1,648 occurrencesTyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
6.A tyre seriously damaged11.3%
1,418 occurrencesTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
7.A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm7.9%
997 occurrencesBrake drum or shoe worn or contaminated explained
8.Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction5.1%
643 occurrencesEngine management light on, or not working explained
9.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen4.5%
570 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
10.A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc4.5%
564 occurrencesSuspension joint dust cover missing or split explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Skoda Superb tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.

1.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements26.9%
17,682 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
2.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured15.8%
10,362 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
3.A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage11.2%
7,348 testsShock absorber defective explained
4.A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm9.0%
5,878 testsBrake drum or shoe worn or contaminated explained
5.A tyre seriously damaged7.6%
4,996 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
6.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn6.9%
4,528 testsSuspension arm bush worn explained
7.A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded4.5%
2,964 testsSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
8.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements3.4%
2,207 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained

How wear changes the picture

Pass rate by vehicle age

3–5 yrs86%

6–8 yrs82%

9–11 yrs75%

12–14 yrs65%

15+ yrs63%

Bands holding too few tests to be meaningful are omitted rather than shown as a rate.

What gets tested

The Superb fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 99,023
Fuel mix of tested cars: Diesel71.7%
Petrol22.6%
Hybrid5.6%

Trim names grouped into this model (20)

Recorded exactly as DVSA holds them. Trim-level names are rolled up so one model is not split across a dozen thin pages.

SUPERB ELEGANCE
SUPERB ELEGANCE TSI S-A
SUPERB IV
SUPERB L AND K IV PHEV S-A
SUPERB L AND K TDI 4X4 SA
SUPERB S TDI
SUPERB SE L IV PHEV S-A
SUPERB SE L TDI
SUPERB SE L TDI 4X4 S-A
SUPERB SE L TDI S-A
SUPERB SE L TSI
SUPERB SE L TSI E-TEC MHEV S-A
SUPERB SE L TSI S-A
SUPERB SE TECH IV PHEV S-A
SUPERB SE TECH TSI ETC MHEV SA
SUPERB SE TECHNLOGY IV PHEV SA
SUPERB SE TECHNOLOGY TDI S-A
SUPERB SPORTLINE + IV PHEV S-A
SUPERB TDI
SUPERB TSI

Check a specific Skoda Superb

A model average tells you the pattern. Its own MOT record tells you the car.

Compare within the range

Other Skoda models

Skoda Fabia — 70.5% adjusted
Skoda Octavia — 77.3% adjusted
Skoda Yeti — 72.3% adjusted
Skoda Karoq — 89.0% unadjusted
Skoda Citigo — 75.1% adjusted
Skoda Kodiaq — 87.3% unadjusted
All Skoda models

Similar test volumes

Compare against other makes

Ford S-Max — 71.4% adjusted, ranked 156
Citroen DS3 — 51.9% adjusted, ranked 262
Volkswagen Touran — 75.1% adjusted, ranked 111
Nissan Navara — 68.6% adjusted, ranked 186

Common questions

Is the Skoda Superb reliable?: On MOT evidence the Skoda Superb is above average. It passes 76.7% of tests once age and mileage are accounted for, against a national average of 72.3%, which ranks it 89 of 262 models with enough data for a fair comparison. This measures how often the car meets the MOT standard, not how often it breaks down or what a repair costs.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Skoda Superb?: The item recorded most often is "A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage", which appears in 17.9% of failed Skoda Superb tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.
What do testers most often warn about on a Skoda Superb?: The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 26.9% of all Skoda Superb tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Skoda Superb usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 99,023 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.
Does a Skoda Superb get harder to pass as it ages?: Yes. At 3 to 5 years old, 86.0% of Skoda Superb tests pass. By fifteen years or more, that falls to 62.6%. Nearly every model follows this pattern, which is why comparing raw pass rates between models is misleading unless age is accounted for.
Are most Skoda Superb models petrol or diesel?: Of the Skoda Superb cars tested, 72% are diesel, 23% are petrol, 6% are hybrid. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

How this was worked out

Method and limits

Figures come from the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, published under the Open Government Licence. Only class 4 initial tests are counted: retests are excluded so a car appears once, and abandoned tests are excluded entirely. The adjusted rate is directly standardised across twenty-five age and mileage bands and reweighted onto the national distribution, so this model is compared against cars that have lived a similar life rather than against a younger or lighter-used fleet.

An MOT measures whether a car met a legal standard on the day. It is not a breakdown record, a service history or a running-cost estimate, and a pass rate is a property of a fleet rather than a prediction about one car.