SEAT Arona MOT pass rate & common failures
The SEAT Arona appears in 208,805 MOT tests spanning model years 2017–2024, and 89.5% of them passed. That is 1.7 percentage points worse than small SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 8.8%. Its most common failure areas are tyres, brakes and steering.
Best and worst Arona years
Ranked across Arona years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Not every year is equal — 91.7% of 2022 examples pass against 83.2% of 2017 ones.
No single area dominates — tyres (4.1%) and brakes (3.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are track rod end, brake pads and headlamp aim — track rod end alone was recorded 5,537 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.2% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 13.3% once past 150k.
The petrol cars hold up better: 10.1% fail against 13.1% for diesel, a 3.0-point gap across 208,803 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 6.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Arona model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 3,697 | 83.2% | 16.8% | Steering |
| 2018 | 68,940 | 87.4% | 12.6% | Steering |
| 2019 | 66,028 | 90.3% | 9.7% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 35,587 | 91.2% | 8.8% | Brakes |
| 2021 | 26,073 | 91.1% | 8.9% | Brakes |
| 2022 | 7,628 | 91.7% | 8.3% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 837 | 91.0% | 9.0% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.1% | 8,529 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.6% | 7,491 |
| 3 | Steering | 2.1% | 4,368 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.8% | 3,831 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.6% | 3,299 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.7% | 1,453 |
| 7 | Suspension | 0.6% | 1,276 |
| 8 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 1,234 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Track rod end | 5,537 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 5,198 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 3,571 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 2,884 |
| 5 | Brake discs | 2,719 |
| 6 | Washers | 2,442 |
| 7 | Service brake performance | 2,050 |
| 8 | Wipers | 1,136 |
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 | 22.1% | 46,061 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.2% | 40,075 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.3% | 15,266 |
| 4 | Steering | 3.2% | 6,734 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.8% | 3,722 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.7% | 3,494 |
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 | 113,660 | 7.2% |
| 30-60k | 81,872 | 13.8% |
| 60-90k | 11,815 | 17.5% |
| 90-120k | 1,271 | 20.1% |
| 120-150k | 150 | 24.7% |
| 150k+ | 30 | 13.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 181,740 | 10.1% |
| Diesel | 27,063 | 13.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 14,692 | 6.9% |
| 2022 | 30,848 | 7.8% |
| 2023 | 43,340 | 10.4% |
| 2024 | 55,667 | 11.3% |
| 2025 | 64,258 | 12.0% |
What to check before buying a SEAT Arona
- Tyres (4.1% 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.
- Brakes (3.6% 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.
- Steering (2.1% of tests): Play, leaks or worn track rod ends — affects handling and is a safety item. Typical repair: £150–£500.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the SEAT Arona?
89.5% of the 208,805 SEAT Arona MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 10.5% fail rate, across model years 2017–2024.
What does the SEAT Arona most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 4.1% of tests, then brakes (3.6%).
Which Arona years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 91.7% and 2017 the weakest at 83.2%, from 7,628 and 3,697 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Arona MOT results?
Fail rates run at 7.2% for cars in the 0-30k band and 13.3% for 150k+, a 6.1-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Arona more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 10.1% of the time against 13.1% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 208,805 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.