Seat Exeo
From 7,886 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Exeos fare better: 2013 models pass at 75.9% vs 71.6% for 2009.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened and tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 330 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 | 330 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 314 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 240 |
| a flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched | 232 |
| steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 220 |
| engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction | 170 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 150 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 147 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 139 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 133 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 23.3% of Exeo failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 29.5% 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 £115.
Fuel type matters
Petrol versions pass at 79.7% while Diesel versions pass at 72.7%, a 7 percentage point gap.
Seat Exeo on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 442 scrapped or exported in the past year, a net loss of 442. At this rate, roughly 10.3 years until none remain. Now at 56.6% of its peak (7,971 in 2013 Q2).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 3,992 | 522 | +0 | -108 | -108 |
| 2025 Q2 | 4,120 | 502 | +0 | -128 | -128 |
| 2025 Q1 | 4,269 | 481 | +0 | -86 | -86 |
| 2024 Q4 | 4,365 | 471 | +0 | -120 | -120 |
| 2024 Q3 | 4,507 | 449 | +2 | -118 | -116 |
| 2024 Q2 | 4,626 | 446 | +0 | -104 | -104 |
| 2024 Q1 | 4,757 | 419 | +0 | -122 | -122 |
| 2023 Q4 | 4,896 | 402 | +0 | -84 | -84 |
16 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exeo Se Tech Cr Tdi | Diesel | 625 | 17% |
| Exeo Se Cr Tdi | Diesel | 561 | 15% |
| Exeo Se Tech Tdi Cr | Diesel | 413 | 11% |
| Exeo Sport Tech Tdi Cr | Diesel | 364 | 10% |
| Exeo Sport Tech Cr Tdi141 | Diesel | 357 | 10% |
| Exeo Sport Cr Tdi 141 | Diesel | 284 | 8% |
| Exeo Sport Tech Cr Tdi168 | Diesel | 209 | 6% |
| Exeo Sport Cr Tdi 168 | Diesel | 181 | 5% |
| Exeo S Cr Tdi | Diesel | 136 | 4% |
| Exeo Se Tech Tdi Ecomotive Cr | Diesel | 113 | 3% |
| Exeo Sport Tsi | Petrol | 88 | 2% |
| Exeo Se Lux Cr Tdi 141 | Diesel | 62 | 2% |
| Exeo Se Tech Tdi Cr Cvt | Diesel | 61 | 2% |
| Exeo Se Cr Lux Tdi 168 | Diesel | 59 | 2% |
| Exeo Se Lux Cr Tdi 168 | Diesel | 58 | 2% |
| Exeo Se Tdi Ecomotive Cr | Diesel | 50 | 1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 75.9% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2012 | 74.7% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2011 | 71.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2010 | 72.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
1 earlier years
| 2009 | 71.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
Typical mileage
Half of all Exeos tested had between 113,585 and 157,330 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 130,459 median miles, the Exeo has 0.021 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 Alhambra | 78.8% |
Common questions
What is the Seat Exeo MOT pass rate?
The Seat Exeo has a 72.8% MOT pass rate based on 7,886 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Seat Exeo?
The most common MOT failure on the Seat Exeo is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 330 failures. Other common issues include a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened.
How many Seat Exeos are on UK roads?
There are 3,992 Seat Exeos currently licensed on UK roads, with 522 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Seat Exeo at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Seat Exeo is 130,459 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 113,585 and 157,330 miles.
Buying a used Exeo?
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 72.8% pass rate and an average repair bill of £115 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.