Seat Ateca
From 58,291 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Atecas fare better: 2022 models pass at 93% vs 88.8% for 2016.
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm and a tyre seriously damaged. The top issue, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, caused 1,237 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.
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 1,237 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 895 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 810 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 337 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 308 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 233 |
| engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction | 201 |
| a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage | 191 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 186 |
| brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn | 169 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 55.2% of Ateca failures are safety items (worn brakes, tyre damage, steering play). The car still drives, but you shouldn't. Only 8.6% are the kind that would actually strand you. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £108.
Seat Ateca on UK roads
The fleet is growing: 4,217 newly registered in the past year with 648 leaving, a net gain of 3,569. Currently at its highest numbers ever.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 70,363 | 227 | +496 | -284 | +212 |
| 2025 Q2 | 70,171 | 207 | +619 | -0 | +691 |
| 2025 Q1 | 69,491 | 196 | +1,398 | -62 | +1,336 |
| 2024 Q4 | 68,151 | 200 | +1,704 | -302 | +1,402 |
| 2024 Q3 | 66,811 | 138 | +2,762 | -547 | +2,215 |
| 2024 Q2 | 64,598 | 136 | +2,882 | -71 | +2,811 |
| 2024 Q1 | 61,761 | 162 | +3,283 | -0 | +3,521 |
| 2023 Q4 | 58,226 | 176 | +2,669 | -35 | +2,634 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ateca Xperience Ecotsi S-A | Petrol | 6,038 | 14% |
| Ateca Se Tech Ecomotive Tsi | Petrol | 4,517 | 10% |
| Ateca Fr Ecotsi S-A | Petrol | 2,701 | 6% |
| Ateca Xcellence Ecotsi | Petrol | 2,696 | 6% |
| Ateca Se Technology Tsi Evo | Petrol | 2,221 | 5% |
| Ateca Se Technology Ecotsi | Petrol | 2,162 | 5% |
| Ateca Se Technology Ecotsi S-A | Petrol | 2,126 | 5% |
| Ateca Se Ecomotive Tsi | Petrol | 2,052 | 5% |
| Ateca Fr Sport Ecotsi S-A | Petrol | 1,939 | 4% |
| Ateca Fr Tsi Evo | Petrol | 1,912 | 4% |
| Ateca Fr Ecotsi | Petrol | 1,884 | 4% |
| Ateca Se Tech Ecomotive Tdi | Diesel | 1,833 | 4% |
| Ateca Xperience Ecotsi | Petrol | 1,743 | 4% |
| Ateca Se Tech Tsi Evo | Petrol | 1,721 | 4% |
| Ateca Se Technology Tdi | Diesel | 1,522 | 3% |
| Ateca Se Technology Tsi Evo Sa | Petrol | 1,513 | 3% |
| Ateca Fr Sport Tsi Evo S-A | Petrol | 1,499 | 3% |
| Ateca Xperience Tsi Evo S-A | Petrol | 1,423 | 3% |
| Ateca Lux Ecotsi S-A | Petrol | 1,387 | 3% |
| Ateca Fr Tsi Evo S-A | Petrol | 1,365 | 3% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 93% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2021 | 88.2% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2020 | 91.8% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2019 | 91.5% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
3 earlier years
| 2018 | 88.6% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2017 | 88.3% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2016 | 88.8% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
Typical mileage
Half of all Atecas tested had between 27,236 and 42,598 miles on the clock. Relatively low mileage overall. Many are still fairly young.
At 32,305 median miles, the Ateca has 0.031 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Seat models
| Seat Ibiza | 74.7% |
| Seat Leon | 80.8% |
| Seat Arona | 87.2% |
| Seat Alhambra | 78.8% |
| Seat Mii | 80.5% |
Common questions
What is the Seat Ateca MOT pass rate?
The Seat Ateca has a 89.9% MOT pass rate based on 58,291 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Seat Ateca?
The most common MOT failure on the Seat Ateca is tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, which caused 1,237 failures. Other common issues include a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm.
How many Seat Atecas are on UK roads?
There are 70,363 Seat Atecas currently licensed on UK roads, with 227 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Seat Ateca at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Seat Ateca is 32,305 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 27,236 and 42,598 miles.
Buying a used Ateca?
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.
Some links are to services we may earn from. Disclosure.
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.