2016 SEAT Toledo — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 3,687 MOT tests, the 2016 SEAT Toledo recorded an 82.6% pass rate. Small family cars of a similar age fail 13.4% of the time, so this is 4.0pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.6%) and suspension (6.8%) 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 brake pads — headlamp aim alone was recorded 186 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 21.8% versus 9.6%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 4.8pp more often than petrol ones (19.0% vs 14.1%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 21.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 15.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 20.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.6% | 281 |
| 2 | Suspension | 6.8% | 252 |
| 3 | Tyres | 6.0% | 220 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.5% | 166 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.6% | 133 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.9% | 108 |
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 | 186 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 132 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 95 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 91 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 88 |
| 6 | Shock absorbers | 68 |
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 | 21.5% | 794 |
| 2 | Suspension | 20.8% | 765 |
| 3 | Brakes | 18.6% | 687 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 7.1% | 261 |
| 5 | Other defects | 5.5% | 202 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.1% | 151 |
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 | 208 | 9.6% |
| 30-60k | 863 | 12.9% |
| 60-90k | 636 | 17.9% |
| 90-120k | 490 | 19.2% |
| 120-150k | 446 | 17.0% |
| 150k+ | 1,043 | 21.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 2,505 | 19.0% |
| Petrol | 1,182 | 14.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 821 | 15.0% |
| 2022 | 796 | 15.2% |
| 2023 | 743 | 16.8% |
| 2024 | 693 | 20.6% |
| 2025 | 634 | 20.5% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Toledo
On a 2016 Toledo, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (7.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (6.8% 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.
- Tyres (6.0% 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 2016 SEAT Toledos pass their MOT?
82.6% of the 3,687 2016 SEAT Toledo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 SEAT Toledo?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.6% of tests, followed by suspension (6.8%).
Does the 2016 Toledo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.6% in the 0-30k band to 21.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,687 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.