2018 SEAT Ateca — MOT failures & pass rate
49,514 MOT tests on the 2018 SEAT Ateca are in this dataset, and 91.0% of them passed. That is effectively the same as small SUVs of a similar age (9.8% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.4%) and visibility (2.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, wipers and brake pads — tread depth alone was recorded 1,484 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 14.8% once past 150k — 2.3× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 8.5% fail against 10.1% for diesel, a 1.6-point gap across 49,514 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 23.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 8.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.4% | 2,190 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.6% | 1,308 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.4% | 1,174 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.7% | 859 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.8% | 396 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 271 |
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 | 1,484 |
| 2 | Wipers | 1,159 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 1,095 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 646 |
| 5 | Washers | 381 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 378 |
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 | 23.4% | 11,613 |
| 2 | Brakes | 18.1% | 8,983 |
| 3 | Other defects | 10.5% | 5,215 |
| 4 | Suspension | 6.2% | 3,043 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 1,373 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 194 |
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 | 15,350 | 6.4% |
| 30-60k | 25,082 | 9.4% |
| 60-90k | 7,613 | 11.7% |
| 90-120k | 1,210 | 14.5% |
| 120-150k | 203 | 12.3% |
| 150k+ | 54 | 14.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 33,609 | 8.5% |
| Diesel | 15,905 | 10.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,131 | 8.6% |
| 2022 | 9,825 | 7.4% |
| 2023 | 9,828 | 8.5% |
| 2024 | 9,884 | 10.2% |
| 2025 | 9,846 | 10.4% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Ateca
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.4% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (4.4% 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.
- Visibility (2.6% 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.
- Brakes (2.4% 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 2018 SEAT Atecas pass their MOT?
91.0% of the 49,514 2018 SEAT Ateca MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 SEAT Ateca?
Tyres, recorded in 4.4% of tests, followed by visibility (2.6%).
Does the 2018 Ateca get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.4% in the 0-30k band to 14.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 49,514 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.