Car statistics by year

2003 Skoda Octavia

Skoda Octavia cars first registered in 2003: how they did at their 2025 MOT, what failed them, how far they have been driven and how many are still on the road. Compared with every car first registered in 2003, so like is set against like.

A year of the Skoda Octavia. “2003” is the year of first registration.

Last updated
Records analysed
1,069 MOT tests of 2003 Skoda Octavia cars
Methodology
View methodology
  • MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 57.2% All 2003 cars 58.9%
  • Typical mileage at the MOT 142,600 miles; all 2003 cars 100,300
  • Left at the end of 2025 2,203 23.0% of the 9,589 at the end of 2014
  • Tests finding a dangerous defect 8.4% All 2003 cars 9.1%
  • Tests with an advisory 74.6% All 2003 cars 69.0%
  • MOT tests in 2025 1,069 normal tests in Great Britain

How do 2003 Skoda Octavias do at their MOT?

In 2025, at about 22 years old, 57.2% of 2003 Skoda Octavia MOT tests were passed first time, against 58.9% for all cars first registered in 2003. 2003 Skoda Octavias did worse than average for their age, by 1.7 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 58.0% of the time (all 2003 cars 57.4%).

MOT pass rate by year of first registration: Skoda Octavia vs all cars

Each pair of bars is one year of first registration, tested in 2025. Older cars pass less often, so compare each Skoda Octavia bar with the all-cars bar beside it.

MOT first-time pass rate in 2025 by year of first registration, Skoda Octavia compared with all cars
First registered Skoda OctaviaAll cars
’02 63.4%59.7%
’03 57.2%58.9%
’04 58.4%57.9%
’05 55.3%57.7%
’06 55.6%56.9%
’07 55.8%57.3%
’08 57.2%57.0%
’09 59.7%58.2%
’10 62.3%59.3%
’11 63.8%61.5%
’12 64.6%63.6%
’13 70.9%66.0%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT failures on the 2003 Skoda Octavia

Coil spring: fractured or broken was the most common single reason a 2003 Skoda Octavia failed, on 9.4% of about 500 failed tests. By area of the car, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment failed most often (43.1% of failed tests; all 2003 cars 49.3%). 8.4% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 9.1% for all cars first registered in 2003. A failed test can have several defects, so shares add up to more than 100%.

Most common reasons for failure

Share of failed tests with each defect. The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.

Most common specific MOT defects on failed 2003 Skoda Octavia tests, 2025
Defect Share of failed tests
Coil spring: fractured or broken Suspension 9.4%
Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 9.4%
Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Body, chassis, structure 9.2%
Stop lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 9.2%
Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn Suspension 8.8%
Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded Brakes 7.4%
Parking brake efficiency below requirements Brakes 7.0%
Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play Steering 7.0%
Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility 6.8%
Suspension arms: ball joint excessively worn Suspension 6.6%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Failure categories: Skoda Octavia vs all 2003 cars

The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.

Share of failed 2003 Skoda Octavia MOT tests with a defect in each category, with all 2003 cars for comparison
Category Share of failed tests
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 43.1%
Suspension 37.9%
Brakes 31.7%
Body, chassis, structure 26.5%
Steering 16.0%
Noise, emissions and leaks 15.3%
Visibility 13.6%
Tyres 11.6%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT advisories on the 2003 Skoda Octavia

An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 74.6% of 2003 Skoda Octavia tests had at least one (all 2003 cars 69.0%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.

Most common advisories

Most common MOT advisories on 2003 Skoda Octavia tests, 2025
Advisory Share of tests
Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material Brakes 21.9%
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres 18.1%
Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks 15.7%
Coil spring: corroded Suspension 13.6%
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes 13.4%
Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension 12.6%
Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres 10.9%
Exhaust system: minor leak of exhaust gases Body, chassis, structure 9.7%
Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle 9.1%
Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension 7.8%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

What mileage is normal for a 2003 Skoda Octavia?

Half of the 2003 Skoda Octavias tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 142,600 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 111,000 and a quarter more than 179,300. For all cars first registered in 2003, the middle figure was 100,300 miles, so 2003 Skoda Octavias have been driven 42.2% further than average.

Mileage at the 2025 MOT

Odometer readings at each car’s latest MOT of the year. The bar covers the middle half of cars; the line the middle 80%.

Odometer readings at the 2025 MOT, 2003 Skoda Octavia and all 2003 cars, by percentile
10% 25% Median 75% 90% Cars
2003 Skoda Octavia 84,400 111,000 142,600 179,300 215,200 1,032
All 2003 cars 50,300 72,000 100,300 133,000 167,000 234,392
miles

Half of the 2003 Skoda Octavias tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 142,600 miles.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

How many 2003 Skoda Octavias are left?

At the end of 2014, 9,589 2003 Skoda Octavias were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom (these counts start in 2014). By the end of 2025, 2,203 were: 926 licensed and 1,277 declared off the road (SORN). That is 23.0% still on the record, against 23.0% for all cars first registered in 2003.

Share still on the record since 2014

Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2014. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.

2003 Skoda Octavias on the DVLA record at each year end as a share of the number at the end of 2014, compared with all 2003 cars
Year end 2003 Skoda OctaviaAll 2003 cars
2014 100.0%100.0%
2015 92.3%91.9%
2016 83.4%82.8%
2017 72.7%71.0%
2018 62.7%59.8%
2019 53.5%50.5%
2020 45.5%43.6%
2021 38.7%37.0%
2022 33.7%32.6%
2023 29.7%29.2%
2024 25.7%25.6%
2025 23.0%23.0%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated

Recalls that may affect cars built around 2003

None of the Skoda Octavia’s 27 recalls in DVSA’s records has build dates that include 2003. 2 have no build dates, so could apply to any year.

The 2003 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2003 may have been built in 2002, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.

Every Skoda Octavia recall · Check a specific car on GOV.UK · How we match recalls

Recall details come from manufacturers through DVSA. “Vehicles” is the number the manufacturer reported; “all models” means the figure covers everything in the recall. A recall listed here may not apply to a particular car: only the manufacturer or GOV.UK can say for its VIN.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis January 1992 to September 2026 Updated

Other years of the Skoda Octavia

21 years of the Skoda Octavia, by year of first registration, have their own page with MOT results, common faults, mileage and how many are left. Against all cars of the same age, the 2014 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (75.6% passed first time) and the 2005 cars worst (55.3%).

Skoda Octavias by year of first registration
Year Registered Left Pass rate All cars
2002 1,867 63.4% 59.7%
2003 2,203 57.2% 58.9%
2004 2,540 58.4% 57.9%
2005 3,467 55.3% 57.7%
2006 5,122 55.6% 56.9%
2007 6,043 55.8% 57.3%
2008 5,523 57.2% 57.0%
2009 6,679 59.7% 58.2%
2010 9,106 62.3% 59.3%
2011 10,818 63.8% 61.5%
2012 10,649 64.6% 63.6%
2013 10,747 70.9% 66.0%
2014 19,345 16,854 75.6% 69.1%
2015 20,680 18,934 77.2% 72.6%
2016 21,370 20,211 80.5% 75.6%
2017 18,755 18,472 82.3% 79.1%
2018 16,612 16,290 83.1% 81.8%
2019 19,135 19,443 82.7% 84.4%
2020 11,611 11,823 86.5% 86.9%
2021 9,545 9,080 88.5% 88.4%
2022 6,136 5,788 88.9% 89.4%

Registered: cars on the DVLA record at the end of the year they were first registered (these counts start in 2014, so older years show a dash). Left: licensed or declared SORN at the end of 2025. Both cover the United Kingdom. Pass rate: first-time passes at normal MOT tests in Great Britain in 2025; all cars: every car first registered the same year.

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
MOT results and mileage Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Derived statistics UK Motoring
2025 1,069 MOT tests of 2003 Skoda Octavia cars 15 September 2026
Cars on the record Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of 2025 2,203 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) 15 September 2026
  • MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of Skoda Octavia cars first registered in 2003; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2003.
  • Year of first registration is DVSA’s first-use date: when the car was first registered, in the UK or abroad.
  • Defects and advisories are DVSA’s descriptions made readable. Where on the car a defect was found (side, front or rear) is ignored, so the same fault on any wheel counts once per test.
  • Mileage is the odometer reading at each car’s latest normal MOT of the year, as recorded by the tester. A few readings are in kilometres or mistyped; percentiles are not thrown by a handful of outliers.
  • Cars on the record come from DfT table VEH0124 and cover the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland; MOT figures cover Great Britain only.
  • DVSA records the model name typed in at the test. We match those names to DVLA’s generic models, so a handful of tests may be counted under a close relative.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.