SEAT
3,306 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Ateca SE Technology Tsi Evos pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 10.9 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
88.4%
Pass-after-fix
3.0%
Fail
8.0%
Avg miles
28,502
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Petrol cars first registered from January 2006 meet Euro 4 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 3,306 tests
Pass rate climbs 2.3 points across the cohorts — newer Ateca SE Technology Tsi Evo examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
86.7%
Fail
9.9%
PRS
2.4%
Avg mileage at test
33,540 mi
Pass
89.0%
Fail
7.3%
PRS
3.2%
Avg mileage at test
26,711 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 637 MOT tests, the Ateca Se Technology Tsi Evo returns 87.9% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. A seriously damaged tyre and a defective wiper blade round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 25,642, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
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 →
18–28
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Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
113 occurrences · 3.4% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
36 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
31 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
28 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
24 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
Wiper blade defective
24 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
22 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
18 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
13 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
11 occurrences · 0.3% 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
£160–£300
If every one of this Ateca SE Technology Tsi Evo'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 2.4-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy SEAT Ateca SE Technology Tsi Evo makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
89.0%
2021+ registration
the 2021-on band climbs to 89.0% — a 2.4-point improvement. Tests in this band average 26,711 miles — roughly 7K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, does not clear the windscreen effectively — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. Post-2020 examples are early in their MOT life and generally show the cleanest records.
Band to be cautious about
86.7%
2018–2020 registration
On the 2018–2020 band, the data shows a 86.7% pass rate against a fleet average of 89.0% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, less than 1.5 mm thick, and damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view. Average mileage on test for this band is 33,540 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2021+ (89.0% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2018-2020 (86.7% pass). That's a 2.4-point spread across 869 older tests and 2,437 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.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
Search Amazon UK
Item 03 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Hycote
Hycote Touch Up Colour Paint Brush Seat Flash Red 12.5ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Hycote
Hycote Seat Black Magic Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Hycote
Hycote Seat Candy White Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Hycote
Hycote Seat Emocion Red Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
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
The SEAT Ateca is a well-rounded compact SUV on the MQB platform, offering genuine value against Volkswagen and Skoda equivalents. Reliable, practical and reasonably priced.
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 Ateca SE Technology Tsi Evo 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.
