The picture

Ibiza Fr Mpi: a strong MOT record by UK norms

Across 1,988 MOT tests, the Ibiza Fr Mpi returns 87.7% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. Windscreen washers not working and a seriously damaged tyre round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 25,613, 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

Group 3–18

Below the fleet average — generally reasonable to insure. 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 →

3–18

out of 50

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Top ten reasons for rejection.

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01

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

99 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
02

Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated

60 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
03

A tyre seriously damaged

42 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
04

Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view

41 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
05

Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen

28 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
06

a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm

22 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
07

A tyre seriously damaged

16 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
08

Wiper blade defective

14 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
09

A tyre cords visible or damaged

12 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
10

Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen

12 occurrences · 0.4% 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 2 failures

£140–£335

If every one of this Ibiza FR Mpi'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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Tools that pre-empt a retest.

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.

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My Motor World · affiliate

Parts & supplies for this fix

Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.

Hycote

Hycote Touch Up Colour Paint Brush Seat Flash Red 12.5ml

£6.59

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Hycote

Hycote Seat Black Magic Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml

£6.59

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Hycote

Hycote Seat Candy White Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml

£6.59

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Hycote

Hycote Seat Emocion Red Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml

£6.59

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Click Mechanic · affiliate

Book a mobile mechanic

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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.

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Owner reports · Honest John

What owners actually report.

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 Ibiza is one of the best small hatchbacks you can buy today. Its 1.0-litre petrol engine is punchy yet economical, while the interior might be enough to make you think twice about a Volkswagen Polo. It's also one of the most practical cars in its class.

Recent owner-reported faults

4 Jul 2019
Report of ACC of 1,900 mile October 2018 SEAT Ibiza suddenly slamming on the brakes on a country road. (Might have been due to a low flying bird crossing the path of the car.) Owner now disables the Driver Assist each time he drives the car because SEAT dealer cannot look at it for 3 weeks. Compare new SEAT Ibiza deals Buy new from £16,766(list price from £21,350) View offers Google Pixel 10 Pro 512GB In Obsidian | Verizon (With 36 Monthly Installment Payments + Plan)Meet the new status pro. Pixel 10 Pro is the ultimate Pixel experience, featuring advanced AI with Gemini, unbelievable camera quality, i...Verizon Wireless
12 Nov 2018
Another report of problem with centre rear seatbelt buckle of 2017 SEAT Ibiza. (Problem shared with the SEAT Arona.) Owner received recall letter. Initial fix was to give him a sticker stating the rear centre seat can't be used. Months later there is still no permanent fix.
19 Oct 2018
Report that problem with centre rear seatbelt in SEAT Ibizas and Aronas remains unusable with no solution in sight. This turns a 5 seater car into a 4 seater, which is not acceptable to byers who need a 5 seater.
13 Jun 2018
Problems reported with steering of September 2017 SEAT Ibiza 1.0 MPI 75 Start/Stop SE: Warning lights appeared, steering wheel, ESP, skid logo. Turned off ignition and steering wheel sign went on and off. Took it to SEAT dealer and OK for a week. Then again steering wheel sign and difficulty steering. Yellow steering wheel sign turned red with bleeping. Car taken back to dealer on low loader.

Source: honestjohn.co.uk · 4 reports indexed

Buying or keeping an Ibiza FR Mpi?

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 Ibiza FR Mpi 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.