SEAT Ateca MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 10 model years and 209,256 tests, the SEAT Ateca passes its MOT 91.6% of the time. Against small SUVs of a similar age (9.8% fail rate), the Ateca comes out 1.4pp better. Its most common failure areas are tyres, brakes and visibility.
Best and worst Ateca years
Ranked across Ateca 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
Build year matters more than the headline suggests: 2022 cars pass 93.9% of the time while 2017 cars manage 90.9%, a 3.0-point spread.
No single area dominates — tyres (4.1%) and brakes (2.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, brake pads and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 5,784 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 5.7% in the 0-30k band and 14.2% in the 150k+ band, a 8.6-point spread — more than double.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 8.0% of the time against 9.3% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 23.1% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Ateca model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 10,349 | 91.1% | 8.9% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 52,839 | 90.9% | 9.1% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 49,514 | 91.0% | 9.0% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 47,577 | 92.4% | 7.6% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 25,734 | 92.4% | 7.6% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 16,691 | 91.7% | 8.3% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 5,989 | 93.9% | 6.1% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 526 | 93.2% | 6.8% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.1% | 8,647 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.1% | 4,356 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.9% | 4,083 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.9% | 4,062 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.9% | 1,799 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 1,166 |
| 7 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.5% | 1,077 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.1% | 318 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 5,784 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 3,993 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 3,384 |
| 4 | Wipers | 3,062 |
| 5 | Washers | 1,640 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 1,047 |
| 7 | Brake discs | 981 |
| 8 | Shock absorbers | 937 |
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 | 23.1% | 48,383 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.9% | 35,446 |
| 3 | Other defects | 10.0% | 20,923 |
| 4 | Suspension | 7.7% | 16,170 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.7% | 5,698 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.4% | 854 |
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 | 71,142 | 5.7% |
| 30-60k | 101,382 | 9.2% |
| 60-90k | 29,973 | 11.2% |
| 90-120k | 5,641 | 13.1% |
| 120-150k | 896 | 12.3% |
| 150k+ | 218 | 14.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 149,036 | 8.0% |
| Diesel | 60,220 | 9.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 23,187 | 7.9% |
| 2022 | 34,836 | 7.3% |
| 2023 | 43,335 | 7.9% |
| 2024 | 51,139 | 8.9% |
| 2025 | 56,759 | 9.1% |
What to check before buying a SEAT Ateca
- 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 (2.1% 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.
- Visibility (1.9% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£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
What is the MOT pass rate for the SEAT Ateca?
91.6% of the 209,256 SEAT Ateca MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 8.4% fail rate, across model years 2016–2025.
What does the SEAT Ateca most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 4.1% of tests, then brakes (2.1%).
Which Ateca years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 93.9% and 2017 the weakest at 90.9%, from 5,989 and 52,839 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Ateca MOT results?
Fail rates run at 5.7% for cars in the 0-30k band and 14.2% for 150k+, a 8.6-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Ateca more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 8.0% of the time against 9.3% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 209,256 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.