SEAT Inca MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 27 model years and 1,285 tests, the SEAT Inca passes its MOT 67.5% of the time. All cars of a similar age fail 27.2% of the time, so this is 5.2pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are brakes, suspension and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (18.1%) and suspension (17.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, service brake performance and rigid brake pipes — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 162 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 22.6% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 32.5% once past 150k.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 41.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 35.2% in 2021 to 24.5% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Inca model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 37 | 67.6% | 32.4% | Suspension |
| 1999 | 45 | 68.9% | 31.1% | Suspension |
| 2000 | 58 | 69.0% | 31.0% | Suspension |
| 2001 | 240 | 68.8% | 31.3% | Suspension |
| 2002 | 553 | 67.5% | 32.6% | Brakes |
| 2003 | 271 | 66.8% | 33.2% | Brakes |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 18.1% | 233 |
| 2 | Suspension | 17.2% | 221 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 16.2% | 208 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 13.6% | 175 |
| 5 | Visibility | 7.9% | 102 |
| 6 | Tyres | 6.8% | 87 |
| 7 | Steering | 6.6% | 85 |
| 8 | Emissions & environmental | 5.5% | 70 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 162 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 131 |
| 3 | Rigid brake pipes | 119 |
| 4 | Service brake imbalance | 92 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 90 |
| 6 | Prescribed areas | 81 |
| 7 | Pins and bushes | 76 |
| 8 | Wipers | 74 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 41.4% | 532 |
| 2 | Suspension | 30.4% | 391 |
| 3 | Tyres | 27.8% | 357 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 24.7% | 317 |
| 5 | Other defects | 16.3% | 210 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 13.3% | 171 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 62 | 22.6% |
| 60-90k | 211 | 28.0% |
| 90-120k | 358 | 33.0% |
| 120-150k | 335 | 35.8% |
| 150k+ | 286 | 32.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 418 | 35.2% |
| 2022 | 303 | 31.4% |
| 2023 | 246 | 33.7% |
| 2024 | 175 | 32.6% |
| 2025 | 143 | 24.5% |
What to check before buying a SEAT Inca
- Brakes (18.1% 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.
- Suspension (17.2% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (16.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 Inca?
67.5% of the 1,285 SEAT Inca MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 32.5% fail rate, across model years 1996–2022.
What does the SEAT Inca most often fail its MOT on?
Brakes, recorded in 18.1% of tests, then suspension (17.2%).
How much does mileage affect Inca MOT results?
Fail rates run at 22.6% for cars in the 30-60k band and 32.5% for 150k+, a 9.9-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,285 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.