2017 SEAT Toledo — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 SEAT Toledo passed 84.3% of its 4,472 recorded MOT tests. Against small family cars of a similar age (11.8% fail rate), the 2017 Toledo comes out 3.9pp worse. Failures cluster in tyres, suspension and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (7.2%) and suspension (6.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, headlamp aim and tread depth — pins and bushes alone was recorded 226 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 11.4% in the 0-30k band and 17.7% in the 150k+ band, a 6.3-point spread.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 15.6% of the time against 15.9% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 11.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 7.2% | 323 |
| 2 | Suspension | 6.0% | 267 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 5.1% | 229 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.1% | 140 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.9% | 130 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.5% | 69 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 226 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 174 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 107 |
| 4 | Wipers | 91 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 72 |
| 6 | Shock absorbers | 61 |
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 | 24.9% | 1,114 |
| 2 | Suspension | 19.1% | 855 |
| 3 | Brakes | 17.4% | 780 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.7% | 301 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.7% | 166 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.3% | 103 |
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 | 851 | 11.4% |
| 30-60k | 1,595 | 16.3% |
| 60-90k | 754 | 17.5% |
| 90-120k | 392 | 16.3% |
| 120-150k | 292 | 15.4% |
| 150k+ | 587 | 17.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 2,874 | 15.6% |
| Diesel | 1,598 | 15.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 921 | 11.0% |
| 2022 | 916 | 14.0% |
| 2023 | 905 | 16.5% |
| 2024 | 879 | 18.3% |
| 2025 | 851 | 19.1% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Toledo
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 7.2% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (7.2% 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.
- Suspension (6.0% 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 (5.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 2017 SEAT Toledos pass their MOT?
84.3% of the 4,472 2017 SEAT Toledo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 SEAT Toledo?
Tyres, recorded in 7.2% of tests, followed by suspension (6.0%).
Does the 2017 Toledo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.4% in the 0-30k band to 17.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,472 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.