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SEAT Altea years to avoid? MOT pass rate by year

8,661 initial MOT tests in 2025 on cars first used 2007–2013 · DVSA data · For guidance only · How we count

SEAT Altea years with MOT pass rates below the average for vehicles first used in the same year: 2007 and 2009. None is clearly above it. The other 5 years can't be told apart from average.

The MOT pass rate is one signal, not the whole story. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't record gearbox or engine faults, and a pass rate also reflects mileage and upkeep, so the table shows median mileage too. Whatever the year, the car in front of you matters more than its model's average.

59.0%passed first time

First-time pass rate, all years together: initial tests passed with no repairs. 95% range 57.9% to 60.0%.

In 2025, 59.0% of the 8,661 initial MOT tests on SEAT Altea cars were passed with no repairs. The same-age average, for all vehicles first used in the same years, was 60.3%. That is 1.4 points below the same-age average.

Check a specific Altea

Its own MOT history, free.

SEAT Altea MOT pass rate by year

Year is when the car was first used. Older vehicles fail more often, so each year is compared with all vehicles first used that year.

YearChartTestsmedian milesPassed first timeAgainst all vehicles that year
2013age 121,15692,30063.7%±2.9−2.1 ptsall: 65.8%
2012age 131,388100,30065.3%±2.6+1.8 ptsall: 63.5%
2011age 141,130106,50060.5%±2.9−0.7 ptsall: 61.2%
2010age 151,071110,20060.1%±3.0+0.8 ptsall: 59.3%
2009age 161,194118,00054.5%±2.9−3.8 ptsall: 58.3%
2008age 171,282123,50054.7%±2.8−2.5 ptsall: 57.2%
2007age 181,440122,80054.4%±2.6−3.0 ptsall: 57.4%

Tests are initial MOT tests in 2025, not retests. Median miles is the middle odometer reading at the test: half had more, half had less. ± is the 95% margin of error in points (Wilson interval): a difference smaller than that could be chance. Years without a link have fewer than 10,000 tests, so they are listed here but don't have their own page.

When a car's mileage doesn't add up

Does mileage matter?

SEAT Altea first-time pass rates by the mileage at the initial test, all years together, against all vehicles of the same age and mileage.

63.8% of SEAT Altea tests at 60,000 to 89,999 miles passed first time, against 54.7% at 120,000 miles or more. For all vehicles of the same age and mileage, the figures are 62.2% and 55.8%.

Miles at the testTestsPassed first timeAgainst all vehicles, same age and mileage
60,000–89,9991,87163.8%±2.3+1.6 ptsall: 62.2%
90,000–119,9992,76258.0%±1.9+0.8 ptsall: 57.2%
120,000 or more3,45154.7%±1.7−1.0 ptsall: 55.8%

Against all vehicles of the same age and mileage, Altea tests were about average in every band shown.

Mileage is only one factor. How a car has been driven and looked after matters too. These figures show an association across all SEAT Altea tests in 2025, not what mileage does to a particular car.

Mileage is the odometer reading at the initial test. Each band is compared with all vehicles first used in the same year with a reading in the same band, weighted by this model's own tests in each year. Bands need at least 1,000 tests. Not shown, with fewer than 1,000 tests: under 30,000 and 30,000–59,999. 10 tests (0.1%) had no usable odometer reading and are left out. How we count

Common Altea problems at the MOT

Share of the 3,555 failed tests with a fault in each area, all years together. A test can count in more than one area, so these add up to more than 100%.

MOT records show roadworthiness faults, not engine or gearbox problems. Each year page compares that year's failure areas with all vehicles first used in the same year.

What to check when viewing a Altea

Based on the areas where SEAT Altea MOT tests fail most often. These are general checks anyone can do, not a mechanical inspection.

  1. Suspension

    In 44.1% of failed Altea tests

    • Push down hard on each corner. The car should rise once and settle, not keep bouncing.
    • On the test drive, listen for knocks or clunks over speed bumps and potholes.
    • The car should sit level when parked on flat ground.

  2. Lights and electrics

    In 40.0% of failed Altea tests

    • Ask the seller to help you check every light: dipped and main beam, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp.
    • Look for cracked, misted or yellowed headlight lenses.
    • Warning lights on the dashboard should come on with the ignition and go out once the engine starts.

  3. Brakes

    In 27.8% of failed Altea tests

    • On a clear road, brake firmly. The car should stop in a straight line without juddering or pulling to one side.
    • Check the handbrake holds the car on a slope.
    • Look through the wheels at the brake discs for deep grooves or a raised lip at the edge.

  4. Body, chassis, structure

    In 20.0% of failed Altea tests

    • Look for rust or damage under the sills, around the wheel arches and on the floor where you can see it.
    • Open and close every door, the bonnet and the boot. They should latch properly.
    • Check the seats are secure and adjust properly.

Then read the car's own MOT history. Advisories in the same area at several tests are worth asking about.

Check a Altea's MOT history

After an MOT advisory

SEAT Altea cars that passed their 2024 MOT first time with an advisory, and what their next MOT found, against similar cars that passed with nothing noted in that area. All first-use years together.

Tyres

Of SEAT Altea cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a tyre advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 10.5% failed on tyres, against 4.9% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 1,334 and 3,511 cars.

  • With a tyre advisory10.5%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted4.9%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 22.3% of those with a tyre advisory and 18.5% of the others.

Brakes

Of SEAT Altea cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a brake advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 12.9% failed on brakes, against 7.8% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 1,145 and 3,750 cars.

  • With a brake advisory12.9%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted7.8%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 23.6% of those with a brake advisory and 18.3% of the others.

Suspension

Of SEAT Altea cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a suspension advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 20.1% failed on suspension, against 15.0% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 1,220 and 3,403 cars.

  • With a suspension advisory20.1%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted15.0%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 26.0% of those with a suspension advisory and 17.2% of the others.

Similar cars are the same model, first-use year and mileage band. Areas are the DVSA's top-level groups, so the later fail may not be the fault that was advised. These figures describe what happened to these cars. They don't show what a repair would have changed.

How we worked this outAll models compared, with the data

SEAT Altea questions

Which SEAT Altea years have lower MOT pass rates?

Compared with all vehicles first used in the same year, these model years have below-average MOT pass rates: 2007 and 2009. None is clearly above average. The rest can't be told apart from average. A pass rate is one signal: it also reflects mileage and upkeep, and doesn't record engine or gearbox faults.

Is the SEAT Altea reliable?

MOT results show only part of the picture. In 2025, 59.0% of initial MOT tests on SEAT Altea cars were passed with no repairs, against a same-age average of 60.3%. That is 1.4 points below average. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't measure breakdowns, engine or gearbox faults, or repair costs.

What are the most common SEAT Altea problems at the MOT?

The most common failure areas are suspension (in 44.1% of failed tests), lights and electrics (in 40.0% of failed tests) and brakes (in 27.8% of failed tests). A failed test can count in more than one area.

What mileage is normal for a 15-year-old SEAT Altea?

At their 2025 MOT tests, SEAT Altea cars first used in 2010, about 15 years old, had a median of 110,200 miles. Half had more and half had less.

How do I check a specific Altea's MOT history?

Enter its registration in our free check. It lists that car's own MOT results, the faults and advisories recorded and the mileage at each test, and flags repeated advisories and mileage that goes down.

Check a car's MOT history for free

What MOT data can't tell you about any SEAT Altea

Outstanding finance, write-offs, theft and plate changes aren't in MOT records. For a particular car, you need a history check.

Compare history checksWhat MOT history doesn't show

Other SEAT models

Points above (+) or below (−) the same-age average for all vehicles.

All 8 SEAT modelsCars ranked by MOT pass rate, by age

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests, 2025. For guidance only: these figures describe all SEAT Altea cars tested, not the one you're looking at. How we count