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Ford Focus vs Skoda Octavia: which is the better used buy?

On DVSA MOT records the Skoda Octavia does better at its MOT: measured against cars of the same age, it comes out 2.5 percentage points ahead of the Ford Focus on first-time MOT passes. That comparison covers 113,803 real tests across every generation on the road, not a survey. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure. The MOT checks safety and emissions items, not the engine, clutch or gearbox, so this is one measure of how each car holds up rather than a full reliability verdict; the common faults below cover the rest.

MOT first-time pass rate

Counted from DVSA’s anonymised MOT test records. “vs age-matched” compares each model against what the national fleet scores at the same age — the only fair better-or-worse number, because an older fleet fails more whatever its build quality.

Ford Focus
Pass rate74.7%
Age-matched national74.8%
Difference-0.1
Tests93,066
Skoda Octavia
Pass rate80.5%
Age-matched national78.1%
Difference+2.4
Tests20,737

These figures count every generation still on the road, not only the one described below: mostly Ford Focus registered 2001–2022 and Skoda Octavias registered 2005–2022.

Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0). National first-time pass rate 77.3%. Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a first-time pass; DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. The difference is worked out before rounding, so it can be 0.1 away from the two rounded figures beside it.

Ford Focus

Mk4, 2018–2025 · compact family hatch

The Mk4 Ford Focus (2018–2025) drives brilliantly. The critical check is the 1.0 EcoBoost engine: early non-hybrid cars have a wet cam belt that owners report failing, while the 2020-on mild hybrid uses a chain-driven camshaft. Best-buy: 2021+ mild hybrid. Worst: early 2019.

What goes wrong

  • Safety recall R/2022/171recall
    The right-hand engine oil seperator may have been damaged prior to engine assembly.
    9,818 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 4 February 2020 and 18 March 2021
    Smaller recall — 9,818 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • 1.0 EcoBoost wet-belt failurecritical
    Loss of compression; check engine; belt debris in oil; in worst case complete engine destruction
    Non-hybrid Mk4 1.0 EcoBoost with the original wet cam belt (2018 into 2019/2020). The mild hybrid (2020 on) uses a chain-driven camshaft; a smaller wet belt still drives the oil pump. The cut-over was not a clean model-year change, so confirm by engine code · On cars with the original wet cam belt, independent specialists advise changing it nearer 60,000 miles or 7 years than Ford's original interval · Belt + tensioner + labour: £700–£1,100 preventatively. Engine rebuild after failure: £4,500–£7,000.
    Check: Confirm the engine version by engine code. On an original wet-cam-belt car, ask for a dated invoice for the belt change; no record means budgeting for it now. On a mild hybrid, ask about the oil-pump belt. An oil-pan inspection at an independent garage is the best confirmation.
  • 1.5 EcoBlue diesel oil dilutionmajor
    Engine oil level rising between services; oil smells of diesel
    1.5 EcoBlue diesel, all years · Service interval reduction; in worst cases injector replacement £600–£1,200
    Check: Dipstick check pre-purchase: if oil level above max line, oil dilution is occurring.
  • Rear suspension bushing wearminor
    Knocking over rough surfaces; vague handling
    All Mk4 · 75,000+ miles · £250–£450
    Check: Rough-road portion of test drive.
Typical asking price:
£6,457–£15,495, median £9,490 (middle 80% and median, cars on Autoza on 29 October 2026)
Fuel economy:
44–51 mpg real-world for 1.0 EcoBoost 125PS
Vehicle tax:
£200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025 (2026/27 rates). A car registered from April 2017 that listed at over £40,000 new (options included) also pays the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 — it is the price when new that counts, not what you pay for it used.
Best years:
2021, 2022, 2023
Years to avoid:
early 2019
Used Ford Focus for saleFull Focus fault guideUsed Fords

Also compare:

Skoda Octavia

Mk4, 2020+ · compact family hatch and estate (saloon-shaped hatch)

The Mk4 Skoda Octavia (2020+) shares the VW Golf Mk8 platform — including its early infotainment software bugs (resolved in 2023+ updates). The e-TEC 48V mild-hybrid starter generator has occasional faults, and the DSG differs by engine: dry-clutch DQ200 on e-TEC petrols, wet-clutch on 2.0 TDI and vRS. Best-buy: 2023+. Worst: 2020–2022 infotainment.

What goes wrong

  • Safety recall R/2024/017recall
    On certain vehicles with electromechanical brake servo and DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox) of a limited production period there is a possibility that a heat protection mat was incorrectly fitted. In individual cases the brake fluid reservoir can melt and cause a brake fluid leak into the engine compartment.
    15,729 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 4 May 2020 and 14 November 2023
    Large recall — 15,729 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Mk4 infotainment softwaremoderate
    Touchscreen freezes; haptic-touch climate slider non-responsive; CarPlay drops
    2020–2022 · Free under software update
    Check: Confirm software version updated to ME3.2 or later.
  • eTSI 48V starter generatorminor
    Stop-start unavailable; "mild hybrid" warning
    2020+ eTSI variants · £800–£1,200 unit replacement
    Check: Test stop-start engagement once warm.
  • DSG gearbox — which one depends on the engineminor
    Hesitation or judder pulling away in slow traffic
    All DSG Mk4. The 1.0 and 1.5 e-TEC mild hybrids use the 7-speed dry-clutch DQ200; the 2.0 TDI, the vRS and the iV plug-in hybrid use wet-clutch gearboxes · Wet-clutch gearboxes have a scheduled gearbox oil change; the dry-clutch DQ200 has none · Wet-clutch DSG oil service £350–£500
    Check: Confirm which gearbox the car has from its engine. On a wet-clutch car, the service history should show the scheduled DSG oil change; on an e-TEC car with the DQ200 there is no scheduled gearbox oil service, so do not expect one. Pull away uphill from a standstill to provoke any judder.
Typical asking price:
not given as a fixed figure — the model guide shows the median and middle 80% of asking prices for the cars advertised on Autoza that day, when at least 10 qualify
Fuel economy:
49–57 mpg 2.0 TDI; 42–47 mpg 1.5 TSI
Vehicle tax:
£200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025 (2026/27 rates). A car registered from April 2017 that listed at over £40,000 new (options included) also pays the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 — it is the price when new that counts, not what you pay for it used.
Best years:
2023, 2024
Years to avoid:
2020, 2021, 2022
Used Skoda Octavias for saleFull Octavia fault guideUsed Skodas

Also compare:

Which one suits you

Ford Focus

Good for: Driver-focused family buyers; commuters wanting small petrol; buyers who can verify wet-belt change documentation.

Less good for: Anyone considering an early non-hybrid 1.0 EcoBoost without belt-change evidence.

Skoda Octavia

Good for: Practical family buyers wanting Golf substance with Skoda value — bigger boot, lower price.

Less good for: Buyers without tolerance for early Mk4 infotainment quirks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is more reliable, the Ford Focus or the Skoda Octavia?
On the MOT measure, the Skoda Octavia: measured against cars of the same age, it comes out 2.5 percentage points ahead of the Ford Focus on first-time MOT passes, across 113,803 DVSA-recorded tests covering every generation on the road. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure. The MOT checks safety and emissions items, not the engine, clutch or gearbox, so this is one measure of how each car holds up rather than a full reliability verdict.
How do the MOT pass rates of the Ford Focus and the Skoda Octavia compare?
74.7% of Ford Focus pass their MOT first time (93,066 tests in DVSA's records) and 80.5% of Skoda Octavias pass their MOT first time (20,737 tests). The national first-time rate is 77.3%, but cars of the Ford Focus's age average 74.8% and cars of the Skoda Octavia's age 78.1% — so the Ford Focus runs 0.1 points worse than its age group and the Skoda Octavia runs 2.4 points better than its own. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.
Which years of the Ford Focus and Skoda Octavia should I avoid?
Ford Focus: Early Mk4 1.0 EcoBoost wet-belt failures were catastrophic when they occurred — £4,000+ engine rebuild on a £15k car. The DVSA MOT table on this page rates 2018 registrations above all cars registered that year, so it is not named as a year to avoid. Skoda Octavia: Pre-2023 Mk4 inherited the Mk8 Golf's infotainment issues directly. Cars built 4 May 2020 to 14 November 2023 are also inside DVSA recall R/2024/017: on Octavias with the electromechanical brake servo and DSG a heat-protection mat may have been fitted wrongly, so the brake-fluid reservoir can melt and leak (15,729 vehicles across Octavia and Superb). Check the registration.
Is the Ford Focus or the Skoda Octavia cheaper to run?
On fuel the Skoda Octavia has the edge: its most economical version returns up to 57 mpg, against up to 51 mpg for the Ford Focus, on the figures in our model guides. For cars registered from April 2017, vehicle tax works the same way for both: the £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included, plus the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 on a car that listed at over £40,000 new — the price when new, not what you pay for it used. Any Ford Focus or Skoda Octavia registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pays a CO2 band instead, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates). Insurance differs mainly by driver and postcode rather than by model, so treat any model-level insurance figure with caution.

MOT figures are counted from DVSA records and are the only measured statistic here. Prices, economy and tax bands are indicative and vary by specification, condition and where the car has lived. Last reviewed: 2026-10-06 / 2026-10-06.