2017 SEAT Leon — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 103,240 MOT tests, the 2017 SEAT Leon recorded an 88.0% pass rate. Small family cars of a similar age fail at 11.9%, so the 2017 Leon sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.6%) and visibility (3.5%) 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 wipers — tread depth alone was recorded 3,280 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 14.9% versus 6.7%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 11.6% of the time against 12.9% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 8.8% 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 | 5.6% | 5,790 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.5% | 3,587 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.4% | 3,470 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.7% | 2,773 |
| 5 | Brakes | 2.6% | 2,673 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 572 |
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 | 3,280 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 2,502 |
| 3 | Wipers | 2,269 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 2,254 |
| 5 | Shock absorbers | 2,177 |
| 6 | Washers | 1,978 |
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 | 24.9% | 25,746 |
| 2 | Suspension | 19.9% | 20,522 |
| 3 | Brakes | 17.9% | 18,514 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.4% | 7,695 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.5% | 2,576 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.0% | 1,041 |
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 | 15,371 | 6.7% |
| 30-60k | 51,182 | 11.3% |
| 60-90k | 27,394 | 14.7% |
| 90-120k | 7,155 | 17.0% |
| 120-150k | 1,517 | 16.6% |
| 150k+ | 612 | 14.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 69,298 | 11.6% |
| Diesel | 33,942 | 12.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 20,295 | 8.8% |
| 2022 | 20,438 | 10.5% |
| 2023 | 20,642 | 12.0% |
| 2024 | 20,817 | 13.6% |
| 2025 | 21,048 | 15.2% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Leon
On a 2017 Leon, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (5.6% 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.
- Visibility (3.5% 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.
- Suspension (3.4% 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.
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 2017 SEAT Leons pass their MOT?
88.0% of the 103,240 2017 SEAT Leon MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 SEAT Leon?
Tyres, recorded in 5.6% of tests, followed by visibility (3.5%).
Does the 2017 Leon get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.7% in the 0-30k band to 14.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 103,240 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.