2013 SEAT Leon — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2013 SEAT Leon passed 82.9% of its 70,147 recorded MOT tests. That is 2.2 percentage points better than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 19.4%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (6.8%) and lighting & signalling (6.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, tread depth and headlamp aim — coil spring alone was recorded 2,641 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 20.6% once past 150k — 2.3× the risk.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 16.4% of the time against 17.6% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 27.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 15.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 6.8% | 4,743 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 6.1% | 4,287 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.7% | 4,029 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.6% | 3,254 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.9% | 2,003 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.4% | 1,711 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 2,641 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 2,362 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 2,339 |
| 4 | Shock absorbers | 1,843 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 1,841 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 1,485 |
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 | 27.2% | 19,090 |
| 2 | Suspension | 25.4% | 17,792 |
| 3 | Brakes | 22.1% | 15,539 |
| 4 | Other defects | 9.1% | 6,413 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 4.3% | 3,050 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.6% | 2,532 |
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 | 991 | 8.8% |
| 30-60k | 10,109 | 12.1% |
| 60-90k | 25,231 | 16.3% |
| 90-120k | 21,544 | 19.1% |
| 120-150k | 8,964 | 20.3% |
| 150k+ | 3,299 | 20.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 45,205 | 17.6% |
| Petrol | 24,942 | 16.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 14,395 | 15.0% |
| 2022 | 14,316 | 16.1% |
| 2023 | 14,129 | 17.6% |
| 2024 | 13,836 | 18.0% |
| 2025 | 13,471 | 19.1% |
What to check before buying a 2013 Leon
On a 2013 Leon, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (6.8% 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 (6.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.7% 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.
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 2013 SEAT Leons pass their MOT?
82.9% of the 70,147 2013 SEAT Leon MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 SEAT Leon?
Suspension, recorded in 6.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (6.1%).
Does the 2013 Leon get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.8% in the 0-30k band to 20.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 70,147 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.