2021 Skoda Karoq SE Drive TSI 1.5L Petrol · MC04 SAZ

A consistent pattern of advisory items rather than outright failures defines the MOT history of this Karoq, with three consecutive annual tests recorded and every entry resulting in a pass. The most recent examination on 8 April 2026 was clean with no defects recorded, suggesting that any wear issues identified in earlier tests were addressed or monitored before becoming a failure point. The 2025 test passed with two advisories concerning both front tyres being worn close to the legal limit and on their edges, while the 2024 test carried three advisories relating to light oil misting on both front shock absorbers and rear brake pads wearing thin. Across the three recorded tests there are no advisories or failures concerning corrosion, structural integrity, brake pipes, exhaust emissions, or steering components, which is the more reassuring aspect of the record for a five-year-old vehicle. The trend across the three years is therefore stable to mildly improving, as the only outstanding advisories from 2024 and 2025 were not carried forward as items in 2026. With 42,279 miles accumulated over approximately five years, this Karoq is running at around 8,456 miles annually, which sits comfortably within the typical usage band for a car of its age and likely role as a family or commuter vehicle. The mileage progression implied by the MOT records is steady rather than erratic, with no large annual jumps that might suggest heavy motorway use, towing, or commercial duty, and equally no extended stationary periods that would raise concerns about seized brakes, deteriorated fuel, or perished rubber. This kind of moderate, consistent usage tends to keep the driveline, suspension, and brake components working within their design envelope without excessive thermal cycling or prolonged inactivity. From a mechanical standpoint, the recorded odometer reading should correspond to a vehicle that has seen regular warm-up cycles, which is generally favourable for the turbocharged TSI petrol engine, the dual-clutch or manual gearbox internals, and the cooling system. The 2024 advisories on the front shock absorbers describing light oil misting warrant close physical inspection prior to purchase, as this typically indicates the early stage of seal failure where hydraulic fluid weeps past the piston rod seal. On a test drive, listen for clonking or knocking noises from the front suspension over potholes, speed humps, and undulating B-roads, and pay attention to any continuing vertical oscillation after a bump that would suggest the damper is no longer controlling the spring effectively. A push-down test on each front corner with the vehicle stationary should produce a single controlled rebound; if the body bounces more than once or rises unevenly, the shock absorber may have degraded further since the advisory was issued. Given that both front units were flagged together, replacement as a matched pair is the conventional approach if they have deteriorated, and it is worth asking for evidence of any work carried out between the 2024 and 2026 tests. The 2025 advisories on the nearside and offside front tyres being worn close to the legal limit and on their edges suggest an alignment or suspension geometry issue rather than simple mileage-related wear, particularly since both front tyres were affected simultaneously. On a test drive, check for steering pull to one side under steady throttle on a flat road, a crooked steering wheel when travelling straight, or uneven feathered wear on the inner or outer shoulder of the front tyres when they are inspected. The 2024 advisory on the rear brake pads wearing thin should also be verified by direct measurement, as pads reaching the advisory threshold at around the 37,000-mile implied mileage is within normal wear expectations for this class of vehicle. Listen for any metallic scraping or grinding from the rear wheels under light braking, and feel for a pulsing or grabbing sensation through the pedal that could indicate a binding caliper or a worn disc. Confirming that the front alignment has been checked and that fresh tyres have been fitted with the wheels correctly balanced will address the most likely mechanical follow-up from this Karoq's recorded test history.