SEAT Altea Xl: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The SEAT Altea Xl fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 11.2 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 1,286 individual SEAT Altea Xl tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 65.5% first-time pass rate means roughly 35 in every 100 SEAT Altea Xls presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average SEAT Altea Xl tested had covered 111,431 miles and was built around 2010.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The SEAT Altea Xl sits 11.2 points below the national average, ranked 1,861 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific SEAT Altea Xl rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see recorded closing bids for damaged SEAT Altea Xls at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a SEAT Altea Xl

1. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 9.9% of tests (5.37x the national rate for this defect)
2. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 6.6% of tests (4.32x the national rate for this defect)
3. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 4.1% of tests (3.98x the national rate for this defect)
4. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 7.8% of tests (3.31x the national rate for this defect)
5. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 7.1% of tests (3.11x the national rate for this defect)
6. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 2.9% of tests (3.03x the national rate for this defect)
7. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 4.2% of tests (2.5x the national rate for this defect)
8. Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 3.3% of tests (2.46x the national rate for this defect)
9. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 2.5% of tests (2.46x the national rate for this defect)
10. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 2.8% of tests (2.15x the national rate for this defect)

From 1,285 DVSA-tracked SEAT Altea Xl tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 5.5% of these flagged SEAT Altea Xl defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a SEAT Altea Xl

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a SEAT Altea Xl before it actually fails on it.

1. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 4.6% of tests (4.15x the national rate for this advisory)
2. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 7.4% of tests (3.7x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
3. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 16.3% of tests (3.16x the national rate for this advisory)
4. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 11.8% of tests (3.02x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
5. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 8.6% of tests (3.01x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
6. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 11.1% of tests (2.34x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
7. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 3% of tests (2.22x the national rate for this advisory)
8. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 5.8% of tests (2.17x the national rate for this advisory)
9. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 19.3% of tests (1.58x the national rate for this advisory)
10. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 39.5% of tests (1.48x the national rate for this advisory)

From 1,285 DVSA-tracked SEAT Altea Xl tests, 2024.

SEAT Altea Xl pass rate by model year

Pass rates fall steadily as cars age, so the model year matters as much as the model. First-time pass rate for each SEAT Altea Xl year:

• 2008 SEAT Altea Xl - 61.7% first-time pass, 269 tests
• 2013 SEAT Altea Xl - 74% first-time pass, 250 tests

Other SEAT models

• SEAT Ibiza - 71.3%
• SEAT Leon - 79.5%
• SEAT Arona - 86.6%
• SEAT Ateca - 89.7%
• SEAT Alhambra - 77.7%
• SEAT Mii - 82.1%
• SEAT Altea - 65.9%
• SEAT Tarraco - 86.6%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Volkswagen Bora - 65.6%
• Hyundai Veloster - 65.6%
• Mazda B Series - 65.5%
• Chrysler Grand Voyager - 65.4%
• Fiat 500 C - 65.3%
• Toyota Dyna - 65.3%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate