2014 SEAT Toledo — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 SEAT Toledo passed 81.0% of its 6,054 recorded MOT tests. Against small family cars of a similar age (17.2% fail rate), the 2014 Toledo comes out 1.9pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (8.9%) and suspension (8.7%) 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 tread depth — headlamp aim alone was recorded 332 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 8.6% in the 0-30k band and 22.8% in the 150k+ band, a 14.2-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 4.9pp more often than petrol ones (21.2% vs 16.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 27.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 17.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 20.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.9% | 539 |
| 2 | Suspension | 8.7% | 525 |
| 3 | Tyres | 6.1% | 370 |
| 4 | Brakes | 5.6% | 339 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.2% | 254 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.0% | 183 |
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 | 332 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 252 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 196 |
| 4 | Joints | 175 |
| 5 | Brake discs | 142 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 141 |
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 | 27.6% | 1,669 |
| 2 | Tyres | 26.3% | 1,589 |
| 3 | Brakes | 25.2% | 1,527 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.5% | 514 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 8.1% | 493 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.7% | 408 |
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 | 233 | 8.6% |
| 30-60k | 1,136 | 14.8% |
| 60-90k | 1,539 | 19.3% |
| 90-120k | 986 | 20.1% |
| 120-150k | 615 | 19.2% |
| 150k+ | 1,544 | 22.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 3,400 | 21.2% |
| Petrol | 2,654 | 16.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,405 | 17.7% |
| 2022 | 1,322 | 18.4% |
| 2023 | 1,218 | 19.2% |
| 2024 | 1,102 | 19.6% |
| 2025 | 1,007 | 20.9% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Toledo
On a 2014 Toledo, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 8.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (8.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (8.7% 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.
- Tyres (6.1% 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.
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 2014 SEAT Toledos pass their MOT?
81.0% of the 6,054 2014 SEAT Toledo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 SEAT Toledo?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.9% of tests, followed by suspension (8.7%).
Does the 2014 Toledo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.6% in the 0-30k band to 22.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,054 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.