2016 SEAT Leon — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 SEAT Leon passed 87.6% of its 90,215 recorded MOT tests. Against small family cars of a similar age (13.7% fail rate), the 2016 Leon comes out 1.3pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.7%) and suspension (3.3%) 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 shock absorbers — tread depth alone was recorded 2,838 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 16.0% once past 150k — 2.4× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 11.7% fail against 13.5% for diesel, a 1.8-point gap across 90,215 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 9.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.7% | 5,146 |
| 2 | Suspension | 3.3% | 2,981 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.3% | 2,942 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.8% | 2,521 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 2.3% | 2,110 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.1% | 1,033 |
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 | 2,838 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 2,288 |
| 3 | Shock absorbers | 1,827 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 1,796 |
| 5 | Washers | 1,609 |
| 6 | Coil spring | 1,327 |
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 | 25.2% | 22,769 |
| 2 | Suspension | 19.2% | 17,330 |
| 3 | Brakes | 19.0% | 17,130 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.1% | 7,305 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.6% | 2,387 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.8% | 1,582 |
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 | 7,049 | 6.8% |
| 30-60k | 38,115 | 10.6% |
| 60-90k | 30,492 | 14.2% |
| 90-120k | 10,698 | 16.2% |
| 120-150k | 2,777 | 16.4% |
| 150k+ | 1,079 | 16.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 52,270 | 11.7% |
| Diesel | 37,945 | 13.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17,889 | 9.9% |
| 2022 | 17,978 | 11.2% |
| 2023 | 18,160 | 12.8% |
| 2024 | 18,124 | 13.6% |
| 2025 | 18,064 | 14.5% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Leon
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 5.7% of tests. Start there.
- 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 (3.3% 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 (3.3% 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 2016 SEAT Leons pass their MOT?
87.6% of the 90,215 2016 SEAT Leon MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 SEAT Leon?
Tyres, recorded in 5.7% of tests, followed by suspension (3.3%).
Does the 2016 Leon get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.8% in the 0-30k band to 16.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 90,215 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.