SEAT Leon MOT pass rate and common failures

76% of SEAT Leon MOTs passed first time, above the 73% for all cars at the same ages.

76%passed first time (cars its age: 73%)
1.5mSEAT Leon MOTs counted since May 2018
7,500typical miles a year at 10 years old

First-time pass rate by year registered

Each year's SEAT Leons against every car first registered the same year, at the same ages. Newer cars have only had their first few MOTs, so they look better. Years with fewer than 5,000 MOTs are left out.

Share of MOTs passed first time, by year first registered. All cars: every car first registered that year, at the same ages.
Registered	Leon	All cars	MOTs
2022	88%	88%	7k
2021	87%	86%	33k
2020	85%	86%	53k
2019	82%	85%	97k
2018	83%	83%	128k
2017	84%	83%	134k
2016	83%	80%	133k
2015	82%	78%	157k
2014	81%	74%	175k
2013	77%	71%	113k
2012	72%	68%	91k
2011	69%	65%	69k
2010	65%	63%	62k
2009	62%	61%	53k
2008	61%	59%	53k
2007	60%	58%	56k
2006	56%	56%	41k
2005	56%	56%	24k
2004	57%	55%	20k
2003	55%	55%	16k
2002	55%	55%	10k

Compare two years of the Leon, age for age.

First-time pass rate by age

Share of MOTs at each age that passed first time. Ages with fewer than 10,000 SEAT Leon MOTs are left out.

Commonest reasons for failure

Coil spring fractured or brokenOther cars its age: 2.22.8
Tyre tread below the legal limitOther cars its age: 2.52.8
Brake pads less than 1.5mm thickOther cars its age: 1.92.0
Shock absorber has a serious fluid leakOther cars its age: 0.81.9
Wiper does not clear the windscreenOther cars its age: 2.21.5
Windscreen washer gives too little liquidOther cars its age: 1.31.4
Tyre has ply or cords exposedOther cars its age: 1.21.3
Headlamp aim too lowOther cars its age: 1.21.3

Out of every 100 SEAT Leon MOTs, against other cars at the same ages.

Where it comes up more than other cars its age

Shock absorber misting oilAdvisory. Other cars its age: 1.79.9
Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effectAdvisory. Other cars its age: 0.83.1
Shock absorber has a serious fluid leakFail. Other cars its age: 0.81.9
Body panel corroded and likely to cause injuryFail. Other cars its age: 0.00.0
Exhaust emits excessive dense blue smoke during accelerationFail. Other cars its age: 0.00.0
Stop lamp(s) light intensity significantly reducedFail. Other cars its age: 0.00.0

Out of every 100 SEAT Leon MOTs. Only items noted well above other cars of the same ages.

Miles a year

Typical miles a year between one MOT and the next: 7,500 at 3 years old, 4,500 at 20. Rounded to the nearest 1,000.

Counted from DVSA records of 286,058,652 MOTs, 20 May 2018 to 18 October 2026. A test and its retests count as one MOT, and a fail put right at the test counts as a first-time fail, as the DVSA counts it. About SEAT Leons in general, not a prediction for any one car. Spotted a mistake? Email fuzzyreguk@gmail.com.

Check a SEAT Leon's MOT history

Every test and advisory, free, from the registration.