MOT fail rates
SEAT Altea MOT fail rate by age
How often the SEAT Altea fails its MOT at each age, compared with all cars of the same age, and what it fails on. From 62,006 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.
MOT data updated
At 15 years, the most tested age
183 of 280 model groups with enough tests fail less often at 15 years.
What stands out
- At 8 years the SEAT Altea fails 25.0% of MOTs (1,283 tests), 1.3 points above the 23.8% for all cars that age. At 19 years it fails 48.0% (1,763 tests), 4.9 points above the 43.2% average.
- The gap is widest at 19 years: 4.9 points above all cars.
- Its most common structural or mechanical fail item at 15 years: Coil spring broken, at 9.4 per 100 MOTs.
MOT fail rate by age
Solid line: this model. Dashed line: all cars at the same age.
| Age | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars | Difference | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 years | 25.0% | 1,283 | 23.8% | +1.3 pts | 62,890 miles |
| 9 years | 29.9% | 2,837 | 27.1% | +2.8 pts | 71,984 miles |
| 10 years | 31.4% | 4,553 | 30.3% | +1.1 pts | 80,471 miles |
| 11 years | 34.0% | 5,471 | 33.3% | +0.7 pts | 88,336 miles |
| 12 years | 36.7% | 6,031 | 36.0% | +0.7 pts | 95,488 miles |
| 13 years | 39.7% | 6,430 | 38.3% | +1.4 pts | 103,246 miles |
| 14 years | 43.0% | 7,106 | 40.3% | +2.8 pts | 110,373 miles |
| 15 years | 44.8% | 8,332 | 41.6% | +3.2 pts | 115,795 miles |
| 16 years | 46.2% | 7,939 | 42.6% | +3.6 pts | 118,864 miles |
| 17 years | 46.0% | 6,231 | 43.1% | +2.9 pts | 121,364 miles |
| 18 years | 47.3% | 4,030 | 43.3% | +4.0 pts | 121,923 miles |
| 19 years | 48.0% | 1,763 | 43.2% | +4.9 pts | 122,861 miles |
Most common fail items at 15 years
Split into structural or mechanical items and wear items. Wear items (tyres, brake pads, wipers, bulbs) say more about upkeep than about the design.
Structural and mechanical
| Fail item | Per 100 MOTs |
|---|---|
| Coil spring broken Major | 9.4 |
| Driveshaft CV boot split Major | 6.4 |
| Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Major | 5.4 |
| Shock absorber leaking Major | 3.6 |
Out of 8,332 MOTs. A test with two faults counts twice.
Wear and upkeep
| Fail item | Per 100 MOTs |
|---|---|
| Brake light not working Major | 5.4 |
| Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Dangerous | 5.4 |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect Major | 4.8 |
| Side/position light not working Major | 4.4 |
| Tyre with cords exposed Dangerous | 3.6 |
| Brake pads under 1.5 mm Dangerous | 3.4 |
Out of 8,332 MOTs. A test with two faults counts twice.
Other models at 15 years
| Model | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEAT Ibiza | 47.5% | 30,537 | 41.6% |
| SEAT Leon | 39.6% | 21,664 | 41.6% |
| SEAT Alhambra | 51.8% | 1,867 | 41.6% |
MOT fail rate by first-use year
Each year has its own page: the fail rate for cars first used that year at each MOT from 2022 to 2025 with at least 1,000 tests, the most common faults at that age, and the car tax and ULEZ rules for that year.
First-use year data updated .
| First used | Age at test | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 18 years in 2024 | 46.9% | 1,166 | 43.3% |
| 2007 | 18 years in 2025 | 45.7% | 1,597 | 43.3% |
| 2008 | 17 years in 2025 | 44.9% | 1,506 | 43.1% |
| 2009 | 16 years in 2025 | 45.9% | 1,358 | 42.6% |
| 2010 | 15 years in 2025 | 39.1% | 1,176 | 41.6% |
| 2011 | 14 years in 2025 | 39.0% | 1,227 | 40.3% |
| 2012 | 13 years in 2025 | 35.0% | 1,500 | 38.3% |
| 2013 | 12 years in 2025 | 36.5% | 1,396 | 36.0% |
More on the SEAT Altea
Looking at one SEAT Altea?
These are figures for the model, not for one car. The VetTheCar Buying Report looks at a single car: its MOT tests, defects, advisories and mileage readings.
Source
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 22 September 2026.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources