SEAT
46,468 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where Alhambras pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 0.8 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
78.3%
Pass-after-fix
3.5%
Fail
17.6%
Avg miles
99,532
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Some examples of this model are borderline — a small number of diesels were certified Euro 6 before September 2015. Check your registration on the government's ULEZ checker to be certain. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 · Bristol £9.00 .
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 46,393 tests
Pass rate climbs 9.0 points across the cohorts — newer Alhambra examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
76.8%
Fail
18.9%
PRS
3.7%
Avg mileage at test
108,656 mi
Pass
85.8%
Fail
11.1%
PRS
2.7%
Avg mileage at test
55,007 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
Generations on file · 2
SEAT Alhambra · UK market
1996–2010
2010–2020
Photos: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA / CC BY / public domain.
The picture
The SEAT Alhambra is a diesel-powered car sold in the UK market across multiple generations, covering a broad date range in the test population.
MOT data from 34,618 tests puts this car on a 77.9% first-time pass rate, roughly in line with the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 91,333 miles. The most common fail item is worn suspension pin or bush, followed by tyre with exposed cords.
The SEAT Alhambra was in production from 2010 until 2020, during which time it cemented a reputation for being one of the best seven-seat MPVs you can buy. It shares much in common with the Volkswagen Sharan, but a more affordable price and arguably nicer styling give the Alhambr.
Buyers weighing up a used Alhambra should treat the failure breakdown as a pre-purchase checklist. The pass rate is reasonable, but the gap between first attempt and a clean sheet narrows with age and mileage.
ABI Insurance Group
Around the UK fleet average for insurance cost. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
20–28
out of 50
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A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
1,943 occurrences · 4.2% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
1,431 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
1,212 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
950 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
656 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
582 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
549 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
538 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
429 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
429 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£200–£430
If every one of this Alhambra's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 9.0-point gap between bands means the year you buy SEAT Alhambra has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.
Best band to buy
85.8%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 85.8% — a 9.0-point improvement. Tests in this band average 55,007 miles — roughly 54K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: has ply or cords exposed, pin or bush excessively worn — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. The stricter post-2018 MOT test rules meant manufacturers had to tighten up emissions and electrical checks, but this band still shows far fewer major failures on suspension and bodywork than the older fleet.
Band to be cautious about
76.8%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 76.8% pass rate against a fleet average of 85.8% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: pin or bush excessively worn, has ply or cords exposed, and damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view. Average mileage on test for this band is 108,656 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (85.8% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (76.8% pass). That's a 9.0-point spread across 38,611 older tests and 7,782 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
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Owner reports · Honest John
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
What's good
But what if we told you that the SEAT Alhambra is just as cheap to run, offered the same commanding driving position and is infinitely more practical than the majority of SUVs on sale today? Would you be prepared to look beyond the slightly drab styling?
Where it falls short
All models are well-equipped, but we’d recommend one with electric sliding doors. We’d also suggest opting for the 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine, especially if you intend to travel ‘seven-up’ on a regular basis. If you can stretch to a facelift model, introduced in October 2015, even better. You’ll enjoy an improved cabin, enhanced safety equipment, an updated infotainment system and better fuel economy.
Recall history
The Alhambra has 12 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own an Alhambra and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.
