2006 SEAT Toledo — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 1,513 MOT tests, the 2006 SEAT Toledo recorded a 68.9% pass rate. That is 3.7 percentage points worse than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 27.3%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (16.7%) and lighting & signalling (14.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, joints and headlamp aim — coil spring alone was recorded 130 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 19.0% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 31.9% once past 150k.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 36.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 16.7% | 253 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 14.0% | 211 |
| 3 | Brakes | 11.9% | 180 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.8% | 148 |
| 5 | Tyres | 8.4% | 127 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 7.1% | 108 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 130 |
| 2 | Joints | 122 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 112 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 93 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 81 |
| 6 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 79 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 36.8% | 556 |
| 2 | Tyres | 34.8% | 527 |
| 3 | Brakes | 32.5% | 492 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 19.7% | 298 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 13.4% | 203 |
| 6 | Other defects | 12.8% | 194 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 58 | 19.0% |
| 60-90k | 188 | 30.3% |
| 90-120k | 493 | 31.9% |
| 120-150k | 404 | 30.9% |
| 150k+ | 367 | 31.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 1,283 | 30.7% |
| Petrol | 230 | 33.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 493 | 31.0% |
| 2022 | 378 | 32.3% |
| 2023 | 287 | 30.3% |
| 2024 | 205 | 30.2% |
| 2025 | 150 | 30.7% |
What to check before buying a 2006 Toledo
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 16.7% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (16.7% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (14.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (11.9% 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 2006 SEAT Toledos pass their MOT?
68.9% of the 1,513 2006 SEAT Toledo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 31.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2006 SEAT Toledo?
Suspension, recorded in 16.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (14.0%).
Does the 2006 Toledo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 19.0% in the 30-60k band to 31.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,513 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.