Seat Alhambra
From 43,862 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Alhambras fare better: 2020 models pass at 86% vs 60.2% for 2004.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre cords visible or damaged and tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 2,435 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 2,435 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 1,404 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 990 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 889 |
| the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired | 608 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 599 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 557 |
| engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction | 501 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 417 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 413 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 17.3% of Alhambra failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 60% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £134.
Seat Alhambra on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 1,002 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 2 newly registered, a net loss of 1,000. At this rate, roughly 25.7 years until none remain. Now at 78.6% of its peak (32,768 in 2019 Q2).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 22,788 | 2,954 | +0 | -205 | -205 |
| 2025 Q2 | 23,032 | 2,915 | +1 | -185 | -184 |
| 2025 Q1 | 23,249 | 2,882 | +1 | -212 | -211 |
| 2024 Q4 | 23,462 | 2,880 | +0 | -400 | -400 |
| 2024 Q3 | 23,826 | 2,916 | +2 | -320 | -318 |
| 2024 Q2 | 24,148 | 2,912 | +2 | -195 | -193 |
| 2024 Q1 | 24,344 | 2,909 | +2 | -331 | -329 |
| 2023 Q4 | 24,730 | 2,852 | +3 | -281 | -278 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alhambra Xcellence Tdi S-A | Diesel | 4,095 | 21% |
| Alhambra Se Lux Tdi S-A | Diesel | 3,113 | 16% |
| Alhambra Se Ecomotive Cr Tdi | Diesel | 1,871 | 10% |
| Alhambra Se Tdi S-A | Diesel | 1,553 | 8% |
| Alhambra Xcellence Tdi | Diesel | 1,238 | 6% |
| Alhambra Ecomotive Se Tdi | Diesel | 1,200 | 6% |
| Alhambra Se Ecomo Cr Tdi 140Sa | Diesel | 881 | 4% |
| Alhambra Se Lux Cr Tdi S-A | Diesel | 805 | 4% |
| Alhambra Se Lux Ecomo Cr Tdi | Diesel | 644 | 3% |
| Alhambra Se Lux Eco Crtdi140Sa | Diesel | 500 | 3% |
| Alhambra Ecomotive S Tdi | Diesel | 491 | 2% |
| Alhambra S Cr Ecomotive Tdi | Diesel | 485 | 2% |
| Alhambra S Tdi S-A | Diesel | 476 | 2% |
| Alhambra Stylance Tdi | Diesel | 447 | 2% |
| Alhambra Ecomotive Se Lux Tdi | Diesel | 429 | 2% |
| Alhambra Reference Tdi | Diesel | 341 | 2% |
| Alhambra S Ecomotive Cr Tdi Sa | Diesel | 325 | 2% |
| Alhambra Se L Tdi S-A | Diesel | 291 | 1% |
| Alhambra Se Tdi | Diesel | 252 | 1% |
| Alhambra Se Lux Eco Crtdi170Sa | Diesel | 224 | 1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 86% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2019 | 85.8% | a tyre cords visible or damaged, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2018 | 86.1% | a tyre cords visible or damaged, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2017 | 83.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre cords visible or damaged |
15 earlier years
| 2016 | 81% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre cords visible or damaged |
| 2015 | 79.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre cords visible or damaged |
| 2014 | 78.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre cords visible or damaged |
| 2013 | 75% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2012 | 73.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre cords visible or damaged |
| 2011 | 73.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2010 | 68.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2009 | 62.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 2008 | 60.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 2007 | 56.9% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2006 | 63.2% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2005 | 64.8% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 2004 | 60.2% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2003 | 61.2% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2002 | 59.8% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
Typical mileage
Half of all Alhambras tested had between 121,536 and 166,445 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 139,730 median miles, the Alhambra has 0.015 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Seat models
| Seat Ibiza | 74.7% |
| Seat Leon | 80.8% |
| Seat Ateca | 89.9% |
| Seat Arona | 87.2% |
| Seat Mii | 80.5% |
Common questions
What is the Seat Alhambra MOT pass rate?
The Seat Alhambra has a 78.8% MOT pass rate based on 43,862 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Seat Alhambra?
The most common MOT failure on the Seat Alhambra is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 2,435 failures. Other common issues include a tyre cords visible or damaged.
How many Seat Alhambras are on UK roads?
There are 22,788 Seat Alhambras currently licensed on UK roads, with 2,954 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Seat Alhambra at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Seat Alhambra is 139,730 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 121,536 and 166,445 miles.
Buying a used Alhambra?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 78.8% pass rate and an average repair bill of £134 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.