2015 SEAT Leon — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2015 SEAT Leon passed 86.5% of its 99,174 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail 15.5% of the time, so this is 2.0pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.7%) and suspension (4.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, shock absorbers and brake pads — tread depth alone was recorded 3,038 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 16.7% versus 7.4%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 1.8pp more often than petrol ones (14.4% vs 12.6%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 25.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 11.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 15.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.7% | 5,608 |
| 2 | Suspension | 4.2% | 4,120 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.8% | 3,743 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.9% | 2,856 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 2,795 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.5% | 1,511 |
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 | 3,038 |
| 2 | Shock absorbers | 2,750 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 2,668 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 2,091 |
| 5 | Washers | 1,832 |
| 6 | Coil spring | 1,685 |
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 | 25.6% | 25,394 |
| 2 | Suspension | 24.3% | 24,049 |
| 3 | Brakes | 20.7% | 20,538 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.5% | 8,412 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 2,795 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.0% | 1,962 |
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 | 3,908 | 7.4% |
| 30-60k | 30,053 | 10.4% |
| 60-90k | 38,350 | 14.2% |
| 90-120k | 18,539 | 16.8% |
| 120-150k | 5,984 | 17.6% |
| 150k+ | 2,337 | 16.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 51,664 | 14.4% |
| Petrol | 47,510 | 12.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 19,820 | 11.1% |
| 2022 | 19,957 | 12.7% |
| 2023 | 19,947 | 13.9% |
| 2024 | 19,893 | 14.8% |
| 2025 | 19,557 | 15.2% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Leon
On a 2015 Leon, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- 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.
- Suspension (4.2% 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.
- Brakes (3.8% 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 2015 SEAT Leons pass their MOT?
86.5% of the 99,174 2015 SEAT Leon MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 SEAT Leon?
Tyres, recorded in 5.7% of tests, followed by suspension (4.2%).
Does the 2015 Leon get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.4% in the 0-30k band to 16.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 99,174 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.