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

First-time pass rate65.5%
UK national average76.7%
Difference-11.2 points
Tests analysed1,286
Average mileage at test111,431 miles
Average year of manufacture2010
Reliability rank1,861 of 2,005 models

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. On a SEAT Altea Xl bought as a 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 what damaged SEAT Altea Xls actually sold for 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, 7.8% of tests (5.82x the national rate for this defect)
  2. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 3.7% of tests (4.79x the national rate for this defect)
  3. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 5.4% of tests (4.78x the national rate for this defect)
  4. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 6.1% of tests (3.49x the national rate for this defect)
  5. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 5.7% of tests (3.49x 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, 2.3% of tests (3.24x the national rate for this defect)
  7. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 3.3% of tests (2.7x 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, 2.6% of tests (2.65x the national rate for this defect)
  9. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 1.9% of tests (2.45x the national rate for this defect)
  10. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 3.7% of tests (2.38x the national rate for this defect)

From 1,774 DVSA-tracked SEAT Altea Xl tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 5.53% of these flagged SEAT Altea Xl defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.

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:

Other SEAT models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

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SEAT Altea Xl MOT pass rate badge: 65.5%

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate