2019 SEAT Alhambra — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 12,249 MOT tests, the 2019 SEAT Alhambra recorded an 89.1% pass rate. MPVs of a similar age fail at 11.4%, so the 2019 Alhambra sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.9%) and lighting & signalling (2.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, tread depth and headlamp aim — pins and bushes alone was recorded 291 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2019 Alhambra fails 7.9% of the time in the 0-30k band and 9.6% at 150k+, a spread of only 1.7 points.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 10.7% of the time against 10.9% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 7.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 11.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.9% | 721 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.9% | 357 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.3% | 277 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.7% | 210 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.7% | 206 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 106 |
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 | 291 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 238 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 225 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 198 |
| 5 | Wipers | 164 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 101 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 24.9% | 3,055 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.0% | 1,594 |
| 3 | Other defects | 10.3% | 1,263 |
| 4 | Suspension | 9.2% | 1,125 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.6% | 318 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.9% | 109 |
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 | 4,323 | 7.9% |
| 30-60k | 4,824 | 12.7% |
| 60-90k | 1,791 | 13.1% |
| 90-120k | 703 | 11.7% |
| 120-150k | 316 | 12.3% |
| 150k+ | 292 | 9.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 11,688 | 10.9% |
| Petrol | 561 | 10.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 363 | 7.2% |
| 2022 | 2,960 | 9.4% |
| 2023 | 3,028 | 11.2% |
| 2024 | 3,047 | 12.1% |
| 2025 | 2,851 | 11.3% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Alhambra
On a 2019 Alhambra, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (5.9% 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 (2.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (2.3% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
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 2019 SEAT Alhambras pass their MOT?
89.1% of the 12,249 2019 SEAT Alhambra MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 SEAT Alhambra?
Tyres, recorded in 5.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.9%).
Does the 2019 Alhambra get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.9% in the 0-30k band to 9.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 12,249 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.