MOT fail rates by first-use year

2018 SEAT Ibiza MOT fail rate and common faults

How SEAT Ibiza cars first used in 2018 did at their MOTs from 2022 to 2025, against all cars of the same age. From 52,290 DVSA MOT tests of these cars. First use is usually the date the car was first registered.

MOT data updated 28 September 2026

At 7 years, tested in 2025

MOT fail rate at age 7 (n=13,012)27.6%

All cars at 7 years (n=10,537,318)20.6%

Difference+7.0 pts

MOT tests of 2018 cars, 2022 to 202552,290

What stands out

In 2025, at 7 years old, SEAT Ibiza cars first used in 2018 failed 27.6% of MOTs (13,012 tests), 7.0 points above the 20.6% for all cars that age.
From 2022 to 2025, as these cars went from 4 to 7 years old, the fail rate moved from 13.1% to 27.6%.
SEAT Ibiza cars first used a year earlier, in 2017, failed 29.4% at the same age of 7 years (15,984 tests, in 2024).
The most common fail item that is not a wear item, for the SEAT Ibiza at 7 years, is suspension arm bush worn, at 3.9 per 100 MOTs (all cars: 0.6).

MOT fail rate by test year

SEAT Ibiza cars first used in 2018: share of MOT tests that failed, by test year, against all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.
Test year	Age	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars	Difference
2022	4 years	13.1%	13,193	13.4%	−0.2 pts
2023	5 years	20.5%	13,038	15.3%	+5.2 pts
2024	6 years	24.8%	13,047	17.8%	+7.0 pts
2025	7 years	27.6%	13,012	20.6%	+7.0 pts

Most common faults at 7 years

These figures cover all SEAT Ibiza MOTs at 7 years: cars first used 2015 to 2018, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=66,072). The list uses every first-use year so it has enough tests. Wear items (tyres, brake pads, wipers, bulbs) say more about upkeep than about the design.

MOT fail items

Fail item	Per 100 MOTs	All cars
Suspension arm bush worn	3.9	0.6
Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Wear	3.5	2.2
Track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt	3.3	0.2
Wipers not clearing screen Wear	2.2	1.7
Brake pads under 1.5 mm Wear	2.1	2.0
Washers: not working Wear	1.9	0.5
Shock absorber leaking	1.7	0.5
Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Wear	1.7	1.0
Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect Wear	1.4	0.4
Tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Wear	1.4	1.3

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=66,072). A test with two items counts once for each.

Advisories

Advisory	Per 100 MOTs	All cars
Tyre tread close to the legal limit or worn on the edge Wear	17.8	15.0
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened	10.7	8.0
Shock absorber misting oil	10.3	2.4
Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Wear	10.0	8.9
Brake pads wearing thin Wear	7.7	9.0
Suspension pin or bush worn, without excessive movement	7.2	3.0
Brake discs: worn, but not excessively	3.4	2.6
Track rod end: ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt	2.9	0.5
Tyre tread close to the legal limit, under the 1.0 mm rule Wear	2.3	2.0
Non-component advisories: Nail in tyre	2.2	2.0

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=66,072). A test with two items counts once for each.

Fuel type at 7 years

These figures cover all SEAT Ibiza MOTs at 7 years: cars first used 2015 to 2018, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=66,072). Each fuel is set against all cars of the same fuel and age. Fuels with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

Fuel	Share of tests	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars, same fuel	Median mileage
Petrol	98.0%	28.8%	64,740	19.6%	50,161 miles
Diesel	2.0%	29.7%	1,332	22.1%	67,024 miles

Fail rate by mileage at 7 years

These figures cover all SEAT Ibiza MOTs at 7 years: cars first used 2015 to 2018, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=66,072). At 7 years, SEAT Ibiza cars at 90,000 to 120,000 miles failed more often (38.4%, n=2,572) than those at under 30,000 miles (18.0%, n=8,162). Bands with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

Mileage at test	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars
Under 30,000 miles	18.0%	8,162	12.7%
30,000 to 60,000 miles	27.6%	36,856	19.2%
60,000 to 90,000 miles	35.1%	17,774	24.2%
90,000 to 120,000 miles	38.4%	2,572	28.0%

Car tax rules for a 2018 car

Cars first registered from 1 April 2017 pay a first-year rate set by CO2 emissions, then the standard rate each year. A petrol, diesel or hybrid car with a list price over £40,000 also pays the expensive car supplement for five years, from the second tax payment.

These are the rules, not the amount for a specific car. Car tax check

ULEZ and clean air zones

Petrol cars first registered from 2006 usually meet Euro 4, the petrol standard for the London ULEZ, so they usually do not pay the daily charge.
Diesel cars first registered from September 2015 usually meet Euro 6, the diesel standard for the London ULEZ, so they usually do not pay the daily charge.
The clean air zones in Birmingham and Bristol use the same Euro 4 petrol and Euro 6 diesel standards. The low emission zones in Scotland use them too, but enforce them with fines, not a daily charge.

The Euro standard of the car decides, not the year alone. ULEZ checker

Other years of the SEAT Ibiza

2017 SEAT Ibiza 2019 SEAT Ibiza

Other SEAT models first used in 2018

Model	Age at test	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars
SEAT Leon (2018)	7 years in 2025	21.4%	21,027	20.6%
SEAT Arona (2018)	7 years in 2025	23.5%	12,098	20.6%
SEAT Ateca (2018)	7 years in 2025	13.4%	8,968	20.6%
SEAT Alhambra (2018)	7 years in 2025	18.5%	2,524	20.6%
SEAT Mii (2018)	7 years in 2025	17.3%	1,280	20.6%

More on the SEAT Ibiza

Read this with care. A fail rate is not a measure of build quality. How far cars are driven, how they are used and how well owners maintain them all change it, and wear items such as tyres and brake pads are common fails. Compare a model only with cars of the same age. Methodology and limits.

Found one you might buy? Vet the specific car.

These figures describe 2018 SEAT Ibiza cars as a group, not any one car. The VetTheCar Buying Report looks at the car you are buying: its MOT history, what similar cars did next, and what to ask the seller.

See an example Buying Report All car tools

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 28 September 2026.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources

Car tax and clean air zone rules are summarised from GOV.UK and Transport for London guidance. They are general rules and are not drawn from the MOT data.