2020 SEAT Tarraco — MOT failures & pass rate
6,524 MOT tests on the 2020 SEAT Tarraco are in this dataset, and 89.1% of them passed. Large SUVs of a similar age fail 9.3% of the time, so this is 1.6pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, seat belts & restraints and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.5%) and seat belts & restraints (3.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, srs malfunction indicator lamp and brake pads — tread depth alone was recorded 194 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 13.1% versus 8.6%.
Fuel type barely separates them — diesel fails 10.4% of the time against 11.4% for petrol.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 23.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 9.9% of tests failed in 2022 against 12.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.5% | 297 |
| 2 | Seat belts & restraints | 3.0% | 197 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.7% | 177 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.1% | 135 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.3% | 84 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.9% | 61 |
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 | 194 |
| 2 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 181 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 168 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 110 |
| 5 | Wipers | 62 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 58 |
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 | 23.8% | 1,554 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.6% | 1,146 |
| 3 | Other defects | 11.1% | 722 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.5% | 226 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.1% | 203 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.8% | 53 |
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 | 2,590 | 8.6% |
| 30-60k | 3,272 | 12.7% |
| 60-90k | 584 | 10.4% |
| 90-120k | 61 | 13.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 3,359 | 10.4% |
| Petrol | 3,165 | 11.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 151 | 9.9% |
| 2023 | 2,205 | 10.5% |
| 2024 | 2,081 | 10.2% |
| 2025 | 2,085 | 12.1% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Tarraco
On a 2020 Tarraco, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (4.5% 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.
- Seat belts & restraints (3.0% of tests): Belt damage or faulty pretensioners — usually straightforward but safety-critical. Typical repair: £50–£300.
- Brakes (2.7% 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 2020 SEAT Tarracos pass their MOT?
89.1% of the 6,524 2020 SEAT Tarraco MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 SEAT Tarraco?
Tyres, recorded in 4.5% of tests, followed by seat belts & restraints (3.0%).
Does the 2020 Tarraco get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.6% in the 0-30k band to 13.1% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,524 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.