Seat Leon
From 278,381 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Leons fare better: 2021 models pass at 83.7% vs 71.3% for 2002.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened and a tyre seriously damaged. The top issue, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, caused 6,551 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 | 6,551 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 5,810 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 4,680 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 4,600 |
| a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage | 4,575 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 3,770 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 3,714 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 3,420 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 3,144 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 2,385 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 24.3% of Leon failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 37.8% 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 £126.
Seat Leon on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 7,562 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 2,634 newly registered, a net loss of 4,928. At this rate, roughly 38.9 years until none remain.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 179,315 | 12,203 | +749 | -1,928 | -1,179 |
| 2025 Q2 | 180,759 | 11,938 | +638 | -1,983 | -1,345 |
| 2025 Q1 | 182,245 | 11,797 | +770 | -1,890 | -1,120 |
| 2024 Q4 | 183,488 | 11,674 | +477 | -1,761 | -1,284 |
| 2024 Q3 | 184,854 | 11,592 | +557 | -2,191 | -1,634 |
| 2024 Q2 | 186,682 | 11,398 | +605 | -1,638 | -1,033 |
| 2024 Q1 | 187,867 | 11,246 | +949 | -1,954 | -1,005 |
| 2023 Q4 | 189,275 | 10,843 | +735 | -1,079 | -344 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leon Fr Technology Tsi | Petrol | 16,064 | 14% |
| Leon Fr Tsi Evo | Petrol | 14,545 | 13% |
| Leon Fr Technology Tdi | Diesel | 12,412 | 11% |
| Leon Se Technology Tdi | Diesel | 7,799 | 7% |
| Leon Se Technology Tsi | Petrol | 7,723 | 7% |
| Leon Se Dynamic Technology Tsi | Petrol | 6,161 | 6% |
| Leon Se Dynamic Tsi Evo | Petrol | 5,838 | 5% |
| Leon Fr Technology Ecotsi | Petrol | 4,902 | 4% |
| Leon Fr Tdi | Diesel | 4,628 | 4% |
| Leon Se Tdi | Diesel | 4,239 | 4% |
| Leon Se Tsi | Petrol | 3,186 | 3% |
| Leon Fr Technology Tdi S-A | Diesel | 3,074 | 3% |
| Leon Fr Sport Tsi Evo | Petrol | 2,822 | 3% |
| Leon Fr Cr Tdi | Diesel | 2,715 | 2% |
| Leon Se Dynamic Technology Tdi | Diesel | 2,689 | 2% |
| Leon Cupra 290 Tsi S-A | Petrol | 2,640 | 2% |
| Leon Se Dynamic Tdi | Diesel | 2,612 | 2% |
| Leon Fr Phev S-A | Plug-In Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 2,566 | 2% |
| Leon Se Dynamic Tsi | Petrol | 2,559 | 2% |
| Leon Se Copa Cr Tdi | Diesel | 2,434 | 2% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 83.7% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, number plate does not conform to the specified requirements |
| 2020 | 87.9% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2019 | 86.1% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2018 | 85.3% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
17 earlier years
| 2017 | 84.8% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2016 | 84.3% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2015 | 83.1% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage |
| 2014 | 81.9% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage |
| 2013 | 79.9% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2012 | 75.2% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2011 | 73% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2010 | 72.3% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2009 | 72.9% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2008 | 70.2% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2007 | 68.3% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2006 | 66.7% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2005 | 70.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2004 | 71.8% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2003 | 69.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2002 | 71.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2001 | 67.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
Typical mileage
Half of all Leons tested had between 45,061 and 77,698 miles on the clock.
At 58,661 median miles, the Leon has 0.033 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Seat models
| Seat Ibiza | 74.7% |
| Seat Ateca | 89.9% |
| Seat Arona | 87.2% |
| Seat Alhambra | 78.8% |
| Seat Mii | 80.5% |
Common questions
What is the Seat Leon MOT pass rate?
The Seat Leon has a 80.8% MOT pass rate based on 278,381 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Seat Leon?
The most common MOT failure on the Seat Leon is tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, which caused 6,551 failures. Other common issues include a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened.
How many Seat Leons are on UK roads?
There are 179,315 Seat Leons currently licensed on UK roads, with 12,203 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Seat Leon at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Seat Leon is 58,661 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 45,061 and 77,698 miles.
Buying a used Leon?
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 80.8% pass rate and an average repair bill of £126 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.