Which Seat models fail their MOT less for their age?
In 2024, 78.7% of MOTs on the 12 Seat models published here passed (74.0% first time, 4.7% after a fix at the test centre), from 564,014 first tests. Allowing for age (not mileage), these Seat models fail about as often as normal: brand MOT Risk Index 103.9 (95% CI 103.4–104.3; 100 = normal).
Among Seat models with at least 10,000 first tests, the Seat Ateca has the lowest index (73.1) and the Seat Ibiza the highest (120.6).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 25 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
Which Seat models fail least and most for their age?
Of the 12 Seat models, 4 fail less often than normal for their age, 4 more often, and 4 cannot be told apart from normal because their 95% intervals include 100.
| Model | MOT pass rate, % | Passed first time, % | MOT Risk Index | 95% interval | First tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Ateca | 90.4 | 88.2 | 73.1 | 71.3–74.9 | 47,498 |
| Seat Mii | 82.9 | 77.7 | 86.0 | 83.8–88.3 | 18,865 |
| Seat Leon | 81.0 | 76.7 | 91.9 | 91.1–92.7 | 188,729 |
| SEAT Exeo | 70.5 | 64.1 | 93.9 | 90.4–97.5 | 4,823 |
| Seat Alhambra | 78.3 | 74.2 | 101.2 | 99.2–103.3 | 27,380 |
| Seat Arona | 87.4 | 85.0 | 102.2 | 100.1–104.4 | 50,672 |
| SEAT Tarraco (1,663 tests) | 88.6 | 87.1 | 102.3 | 90.2–115.7 | 1,663 |
| SEAT Arosa | 67.2 | 58.3 | 103.0 | 97.7–108.3 | 2,025 |
| SEAT Tarraco (7,569 tests) | 87.6 | 85.2 | 105.0 | 99.4–110.8 | 7,569 |
| Seat Altea | 66.3 | 58.5 | 105.8 | 103.8–107.8 | 14,538 |
| SEAT Toledo | 74.4 | 69.1 | 113.0 | 108.8–117.3 | 5,976 |
| Seat Ibiza | 71.9 | 65.9 | 120.6 | 119.9–121.3 | 194,276 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2024 · n = 564,014 (initial tests) · Method: MOT Risk Index = observed first-time failures ÷ failures expected for the same age profile × 100; brand index sums both over the 12 models · Updated: 25 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
Where are Seat models worse than other cars of the same age?
Allowing for age, Seat models fail on suspension and body, chassis, structure more than other cars of the same age: 13.8 failures per 100 tests against 11.7 expected (2.1 more; 95% interval 2.03 to 2.12) and 5.9 failures per 100 tests against 3.9 expected (2.0 more; 95% interval 1.99 to 2.05); the two intervals overlap, so neither is clearly first.
| Failure group | Seat, per 100 tests | Expected for the same age | Difference | 95% interval | Most common failure on (models) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 13.8 | 11.7 | +2.1 | 2.03 to 2.12 | 5 of 12 |
| Body, chassis, structure | 5.9 | 3.9 | +2.0 | 1.99 to 2.05 | 0 of 12 |
| Brakes | 11.1 | 9.3 | +1.9 | 1.83 to 1.90 | 1 of 12 |
| Tyres | 9.8 | 8.4 | +1.4 | 1.35 to 1.42 | 4 of 12 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 3.8 | 2.8 | +0.9 | 0.92 to 0.96 | 0 of 12 |
| Steering | 2.9 | 2.2 | +0.7 | 0.71 to 0.75 | 0 of 12 |
| Visibility | 7.6 | 7.1 | +0.6 | 0.54 to 0.60 | 0 of 12 |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 1.0 | 0.8 | +0.2 | 0.19 to 0.22 | 0 of 12 |
| Road Wheels | 0.4 | 0.4 | +0.0 | 0.01 to 0.02 | 0 of 12 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.4 | 0.4 | +0.0 | -0.00 to 0.01 | 0 of 12 |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 11.9 | 13.5 | -1.6 | -1.61 to -1.54 | 2 of 12 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 2,957,499 (initial tests of the 12 models) · Method: failure items per 100 tests against the rate expected for the same age and kind of vehicle; interval from the count of failures (Poisson); a group is named only when its interval is wholly above zero and it is at least 5% above the expected rate · Updated: 25 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How to cite this page
MOT Risk Index (2026). Seat MOT statistics by model 2024 (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 25 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/brand/seat/
How the MOT Risk Index and every figure on this page are calculated: methodology.
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