2018 SEAT Leon — MOT failures & pass rate
119,860 MOT tests on the 2018 SEAT Leon are in this dataset, and 88.4% of them passed. That is 1.2 percentage points worse than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 10.4%. Failures cluster in tyres, suspension and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.5%) and suspension (3.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, coil spring and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 3,824 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 17.3% versus 6.7%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 11.4% of the time against 12.7% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 8.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 15.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.5% | 6,631 |
| 2 | Suspension | 3.8% | 4,559 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.9% | 3,497 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.5% | 2,982 |
| 5 | Brakes | 2.1% | 2,492 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 519 |
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 | 3,824 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 3,063 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 2,464 |
| 4 | Shock absorbers | 2,383 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 2,303 |
| 6 | Washers | 2,170 |
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 | 24.7% | 29,600 |
| 2 | Suspension | 19.4% | 23,209 |
| 3 | Brakes | 15.3% | 18,300 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.4% | 8,869 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.2% | 2,689 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.7% | 838 |
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 | 34,751 | 6.7% |
| 30-60k | 59,575 | 12.5% |
| 60-90k | 20,221 | 16.2% |
| 90-120k | 3,974 | 17.2% |
| 120-150k | 899 | 13.9% |
| 150k+ | 433 | 17.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 94,041 | 11.4% |
| Diesel | 25,819 | 12.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 23,947 | 8.1% |
| 2022 | 23,625 | 9.4% |
| 2023 | 23,868 | 11.8% |
| 2024 | 23,937 | 13.3% |
| 2025 | 24,483 | 15.5% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Leon
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 5.5% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (5.5% 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 (3.8% 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.
- Visibility (2.9% 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.
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 2018 SEAT Leons pass their MOT?
88.4% of the 119,860 2018 SEAT Leon MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 SEAT Leon?
Tyres, recorded in 5.5% of tests, followed by suspension (3.8%).
Does the 2018 Leon get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.7% in the 0-30k band to 17.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 119,860 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.