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Skoda Yeti

All generations and engines together · 74,748 MOT tests in the 2025 data · typical mileage at age 7: 53k

Reliability verdict
BBy age
CBy miles

Graded against its peers

Better than most small SUVs for its age, though about average per mile driven. Watch suspension and corrosion. A solid used buy, provided its MOT history has no repeating suspension advisories.

First-time failure at age 7
16.2%
Across 5,800 tests. The average for small SUVs is 20.5%.
First-time failure at 50-60k miles
20.3%
Across 8,521 tests. The average for small SUVs is 21.1%.
Rank in its class
18 of 52
1 = lowest failure rate among the 52 small SUVs we can rank.
Typical mileage at age 7
53k miles
How far the average car has gone by seven years old. Low-mileage models can look better by age than they are.

What owners report

Reported

Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press, with how well each report stands up. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.

Timing chain stretch and rattle (1.2 and 1.8 TSI)

Confirmed pattern

A rattly, stretching timing chain on the smaller TSI petrol engines, sometimes failing outright and taking valves with it. Owners have reported it anywhere from under 20,000 miles to the high 60,000s, well inside a normal ownership window. VW's own response was to redesign the 1.2 TSI to run a belt instead of a chain partway through Yeti production, and dealers have replaced failed chains under goodwill outside warranty on a case-by-case basis. A full engine rebuild after a snapped chain runs into four figures, commonly £4,000 plus.

Reported 20-70k miles · goodwill repairs vary by dealer · sources: Honest John (carbycar owner reports)

DQ200 dry-clutch DSG judder and mechatronic failure

EmergingAutomatics only

The 7-speed DSG fitted to automatic Yetis is the dry-clutch DQ200, which can judder on pull-away, hesitate at junctions, or throw up gearbox warnings from the mechatronic unit. Reports span a wide mileage range, some as low as a few thousand miles, others in the tens of thousands, so it isn't purely an age thing. A clutch pack replacement runs around £1,000, a full mechatronic unit more, and it doesn't affect manual cars at all.

Wide mileage spread · sources: Honest John (carbycar owner reports)

EGR and DPF trouble on the 2.0 TDI after the emissions recall

EmergingDiesel only

Diesel Yetis that went through VW Group's NOx emissions fix have a track record of EGR cooler failures, EGR clogging even on cars driven mostly on motorways, and DPFs that struggle to regenerate properly afterwards. Some owners also report repeat injector failures on the 1.6 TDI post-fix. It tends to show as a loss of power, a dashboard warning, or worse fuel economy than before the update, usually from 50,000 miles or so. An EGR cooler is roughly £1,000-£1,100, a DPF £1,000-£2,500.

Mostly post-recall, from ~50k miles · sources: Honest John (carbycar owner reports)

Oil consumption on the TSI petrol engines

Disputed

A recurring complaint on the 1.8 and 2.0 TSI is oil use that creeps up with age, in some cases down to a litre every 300-600 miles by 60,000-85,000 miles. Skoda's line has generally been that some consumption is within spec for these direct-injection engines, which is exactly what owners argue about: is it a fault or just how the engine is. Either way, a car burning oil between services needs the level checked more often than most, and persistent low-oil warnings point to bigger bills down the line.

Reported 60-85k miles · sources: Honest John (carbycar owner reports)

Panoramic sunroof leaks

Emerging

Cars fitted with the panoramic sunroof have a history of water finding its way into the cabin, usually the driver's footwell, often after heavy rain, snow or frost. Owners have traced it to twisted or blocked drain hoses, seal de-bonding and, on some cars, hairline cracks in the sunroof tray itself. It's not officially acknowledged as a design fault and fixes are inconsistent, some cars need the sunroof out more than once, with a full replacement running towards £2,500 in the worst cases.

Reported across ownership, worse after wet or icy weather · sources: Honest John (carbycar owner reports)

Rear springs and dampers wearing early

Partly in the MOT data

Owners report rear coil springs failing and shock absorbers losing damping or weeping oil from around 40,000-50,000 miles, well short of what you'd expect from a family SUV. The measured MOT data for this class backs up that suspension is where small SUVs like the Yeti trip up most, so a soft or knocking rear end at a test drive is worth taking seriously rather than putting down to bad roads.

Reported from ~40-50k miles · sources: Honest John (carbycar owner reports), measured MOT signature data

What to check on this car

Ranked from this model’s own MOT record, then from what owners report.

Saveable checklist

From this model’s MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

DampersRuns high on this model Look for oil misting on the damper body behind each wheel, then push down hard on each corner of the car. It should settle in one bounce. A floaty or crashy ride on the test drive is the same fault felt from the driver's seat.Recorded on 18.5% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.3%
Underneath, with a torchRuns high on this model Get down and look at the sills, the subframes and the rear suspension mounting points. Flaking scale and bubbling matter; light surface rust does not. On older cars this is the one check that finds the fault that scraps them.Recorded on 9.5% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.7%
Coil springsRuns high on this model Look through the wheel spokes at the bottom coil of each spring; when springs snap it is usually there, and the break is visible. Step back and check the car sits level too. A dropped corner is often a broken spring.Recorded on 3.5% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.4%
Bushes and ball joints Drive slowly over broken tarmac with the windows down and listen for clonks from either end. Back at the car, have someone rock the steering wheel while you rest a hand on each front wheel; play you can feel through the tyre is a worn joint.Recorded on 4.0% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 5.9%
A binding brakeRuns high on this model After the test drive, hold the back of your hand near each wheel hub. One wheel running much hotter than the rest is a sticking caliper. A car that slows itself down when you lift off on a flat road is saying the same thing.Recorded on 1.6% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.7%
Rubber boots and gaitersRuns high on this model On full steering lock, look in behind each front wheel at the concertina rubber boots on the driveshafts and steering rack. Splits, or grease flung around the arch, mean dirt is getting into a joint that costs far more than the boot protecting it.Recorded on 1.2% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.6%
Warning lights on ignitionRuns high on this model Turn the ignition on without starting the engine and watch the dash. Every warning light should appear, then go out once it is running. Be more suspicious of a light that never comes on at all than of one that stays on; warning bulbs have been known to vanish before a sale.Recorded on 1.1% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.3%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller’s upkeep rather than the model, and they are where the haggling money is.

Tyres, all four Check the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 16.8% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 20.1%
Pads and discs Look through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 13.4% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 10.1%
Windscreen and wipers Scan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 2.5% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.0%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the reports above rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

Listen for a rattle on cold start-up, especially on 1.2 or 1.8 TSI petrol cars, and ask if the timing chain has ever been checked or replaced. A persistent rattle that clears after a few seconds is a classic sign of chain stretch and can mean an expensive rebuild is coming.
On an automatic, pull away gently from a stop and again from a junction after idling. Any shudder, hesitation or clunk from the gearbox points to DQ200 clutch pack wear or a mechatronic fault.
Ask if the car has had the VW Group NOx emissions fix and, if a diesel, whether power or economy dropped afterwards. A yes to both, plus a lingering EGR or DPF warning, means budget for cooler or filter work sooner rather than later.
Check the oil level and dipstick condition yourself rather than trusting the gauge, and ask for recent oil top-up history. Frequent top-ups between services on a TSI petrol car point to the known oil consumption issue.
On panoramic sunroof cars, run a hose over the roof or check the front footwell carpets for damp and staining. Wet carpets or a musty smell means the drains or seals have already let water in, whether or not it's been fixed.
Push down hard on each rear corner and listen for creaks, and check for uneven ride height side to side. Knocking, sagging or an obvious lean suggests worn springs or dampers, the most common suspension complaint on this model.
Read the full MOT advisory history, not just the pass or fail. The same suspension advisory recurring year after year means it's being ignored rather than fixed.

Open the saveable checklist, tick it off at the car

The MOT data

Measured

Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.

How this model wears

Skoda YetiClass average, all tracked models

What testers flag

Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.

Faults with the car itself

The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 31,430 tests in this band.

A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
Advisory
18.5%class 2.3%
A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded
Advisory
10.6%class 1.3%
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
Advisory
5.4%class 6.6%
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
Fail
3.5%class 1.4%
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
Fail
2.3%class 0.9%
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
Advisory
1.6%class 0.7%
Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
Advisory
1.4%class 2.0%
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
Minor
1.2%class 0.6%
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
Fail
1.1%class 1.3%
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
Fail
1.1%class 0.4%

Wear, upkeep and luck

Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Advisory
18.7%class 22.9%
A tyre seriously damaged
Advisory
17.1%class 12.7%
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
Advisory
13.4%class 10.1%
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
Advisory
9.9%class 8.7%
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
Fail
3.7%class 2.2%
Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn
Advisory
3.4%class 3.4%
Number plate inscription missing or illegible
Advisory
2.5%class 1.5%
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
Minor
2.5%class 2.0%

Others in its class

Same segment (Small SUVs), best MOT record first. Compare before you shortlist.

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