Petrol SEAT Altea: MOT pass rate

61.1% of petrol SEAT Alteas pass the MOT first time, measured across 2,250 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 99,850.

Petrol against the other SEAT Altea versions

Why the fuel type changes the number

Petrol cars avoid the DPF and emissions failures that catch diesels, and usually fail on the same consumables as any other car.

On the SEAT Altea specifically, diesel is the strongest at 67.4%, and this petrol version sits 5.2 points below the 66.3% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The petrol SEAT Altea fails more often than the model average, so budget for the items that catch this fuel type and treat a fresh MOT as worth paying for. Buying a damaged one? run it through the analyzer, check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.

Mileage is part of the answer

The average petrol SEAT Altea had covered 99,850 miles at test, against 112,430 for the diesel. That is above average and into the range where cambelts and water pumps are due if they have not already been done, so ask for the service history rather than take the mileage on trust.

Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the SEAT Altea page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a petrol SEAT Altea

1. Emissions levels exceed default limits, 3.8% of tests (10.83x the national rate for this defect)
2. Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer, 4.7% of tests (9.15x the national rate for this defect)
3. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 10.7% of tests (5.81x the national rate for this defect)
4. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 7.9% of tests (5.15x the national rate for this defect)
5. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 4.5% of tests (4.48x the national rate for this defect)
6. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 4.6% of tests (4.42x the national rate for this defect)
7. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 5.4% of tests (4.2x the national rate for this defect)
8. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 7.4% of tests (3.27x the national rate for this defect)
9. Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 4.3% of tests (3.17x the national rate for this defect)
10. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 5.7% of tests (2.44x the national rate for this defect)

From 2,271 DVSA-tracked petrol SEAT Altea tests, 2024, split out from the SEAT Altea's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 3.76% of these flagged defects as "dangerous", against 5.11% nationally. See which fuel type fails on the most dangerous defects nationally for how that compares across the whole fleet.

Most common MOT advisories on a petrol SEAT Altea

Flagged but doesn't fail the car, a different list from the failures above.

1. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 13.2% of tests (4.63x the national rate for this defect), also fails
2. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 22.3% of tests (4.31x the national rate for this defect)
3. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 7.7% of tests (3.86x the national rate for this defect), also fails
4. A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, 1.9% of tests (3.38x the national rate for this defect)
5. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 11.1% of tests (2.85x the national rate for this defect)
6. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 3% of tests (2.75x the national rate for this defect)
7. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 7.3% of tests (2.74x the national rate for this defect)
8. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 9.6% of tests (2.03x the national rate for this defect), also fails
9. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 19.3% of tests (1.58x the national rate for this defect)
10. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 8% of tests (1.43x the national rate for this defect)

From 2,271 DVSA-tracked petrol SEAT Altea tests, 2024.

Other SEAT Altea fuel types

• Diesel SEAT Altea - 67.4%

All SEAT Altea MOT data · Every model