2013 SEAT Toledo — MOT failures & pass rate
6,472 MOT tests on the 2013 SEAT Toledo are in this dataset, and 77.7% of them passed. Against small family cars of a similar age (19.0% fail rate), the 2013 Toledo comes out 3.3pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (10.6%) and lighting & signalling (9.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, pins and bushes and coil spring — headlamp aim alone was recorded 344 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 12.5% in the 0-30k band and 25.2% in the 150k+ band, a 12.7-point spread — more than double.
The petrol cars hold up better: 19.7% fail against 23.2% for diesel, a 3.4-point gap across 6,472 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 26.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 20.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 23.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 10.6% | 687 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 9.6% | 624 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.8% | 442 |
| 4 | Tyres | 6.1% | 392 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.7% | 366 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.3% | 212 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 344 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 282 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 282 |
| 4 | Joints | 271 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 221 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 179 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 26.8% | 1,737 |
| 2 | Tyres | 26.5% | 1,716 |
| 3 | Suspension | 24.0% | 1,552 |
| 4 | Other defects | 13.8% | 896 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.0% | 582 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 7.3% | 474 |
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 | 96 | 12.5% |
| 30-60k | 826 | 17.4% |
| 60-90k | 1,515 | 21.1% |
| 90-120k | 1,232 | 22.7% |
| 120-150k | 811 | 22.8% |
| 150k+ | 1,991 | 25.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 4,799 | 23.2% |
| Petrol | 1,673 | 19.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,612 | 20.7% |
| 2022 | 1,482 | 21.9% |
| 2023 | 1,278 | 21.8% |
| 2024 | 1,146 | 24.3% |
| 2025 | 954 | 23.7% |
What to check before buying a 2013 Toledo
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 10.6% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (10.6% 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 (9.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.8% 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 2013 SEAT Toledos pass their MOT?
77.7% of the 6,472 2013 SEAT Toledo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 22.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 SEAT Toledo?
Suspension, recorded in 10.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (9.6%).
Does the 2013 Toledo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.5% in the 0-30k band to 25.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,472 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.