2012 SEAT Alhambra — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 9,140 MOT tests, the 2012 SEAT Alhambra recorded a 78.2% pass rate. That is effectively the same as MPVs of a similar age (22.7% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (10.7%) and tyres (8.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, malfunction indicator lamp and tread depth — pins and bushes alone was recorded 701 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 22.3% versus 14.8%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 33.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 18.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 23.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 10.7% | 977 |
| 2 | Tyres | 8.5% | 775 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 8.2% | 751 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 4.5% | 413 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.4% | 309 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.0% | 179 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 701 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 365 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 337 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 247 |
| 5 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 241 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 237 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 33.4% | 3,054 |
| 2 | Tyres | 30.0% | 2,746 |
| 3 | Brakes | 22.6% | 2,061 |
| 4 | Other defects | 12.5% | 1,146 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.5% | 504 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.7% | 335 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 54 | 14.8% |
| 30-60k | 573 | 15.4% |
| 60-90k | 2,359 | 19.4% |
| 90-120k | 2,801 | 23.7% |
| 120-150k | 1,686 | 24.0% |
| 150k+ | 1,666 | 22.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 9,079 | 21.8% |
| Petrol | 61 | 16.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,893 | 18.8% |
| 2022 | 1,873 | 21.0% |
| 2023 | 1,834 | 22.6% |
| 2024 | 1,822 | 23.7% |
| 2025 | 1,718 | 23.2% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Alhambra
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 10.7% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (10.7% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Tyres (8.5% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (8.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2012 SEAT Alhambras pass their MOT?
78.2% of the 9,140 2012 SEAT Alhambra MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 21.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 SEAT Alhambra?
Suspension, recorded in 10.7% of tests, followed by tyres (8.5%).
Does the 2012 Alhambra get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.8% in the 0-30k band to 22.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 9,140 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.