2019 SEAT Ateca — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 47,577 MOT tests, the 2019 SEAT Ateca recorded a 92.4% pass rate. That is 1.2 percentage points better than small SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 8.8%. Failures cluster in tyres, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.0%) and brakes (1.6%) 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 1,292 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 9.9% versus 5.2%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 7.3% of the time against 8.3% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 23.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 3.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 9.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.0% | 1,878 |
| 2 | Brakes | 1.6% | 756 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.5% | 696 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.4% | 667 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.0% | 490 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.5% | 258 |
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 | 1,292 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 769 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 531 |
| 4 | Wipers | 473 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 333 |
| 6 | Washers | 327 |
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 | 23.0% | 10,930 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.1% | 6,683 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.8% | 5,134 |
| 4 | Other defects | 10.0% | 4,754 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.5% | 1,192 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.3% | 163 |
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 | 19,209 | 5.2% |
| 30-60k | 23,283 | 8.7% |
| 60-90k | 4,414 | 11.7% |
| 90-120k | 544 | 13.4% |
| 120-150k | 101 | 9.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 32,747 | 7.3% |
| Diesel | 14,830 | 8.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 489 | 3.3% |
| 2022 | 12,001 | 6.3% |
| 2023 | 11,798 | 7.2% |
| 2024 | 11,541 | 7.9% |
| 2025 | 11,748 | 9.2% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Ateca
On a 2019 Ateca, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (4.0% 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 (1.6% 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.
- Visibility (1.5% 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
How many 2019 SEAT Atecas pass their MOT?
92.4% of the 47,577 2019 SEAT Ateca MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 SEAT Ateca?
Tyres, recorded in 4.0% of tests, followed by brakes (1.6%).
Does the 2019 Ateca get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.2% in the 0-30k band to 9.9% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 47,577 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.