SEAT
12,470 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Tarracos pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 9.7 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
87.2%
Pass-after-fix
2.1%
Fail
10.4%
Avg miles
41,193
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Diesel cars registered from September 2015 generally meet Euro 6 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 12,470 tests
Pass rate climbs 2.1 points across the cohorts — newer Tarraco examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
87.0%
Fail
10.5%
PRS
2.2%
Avg mileage at test
42,072 mi
Pass
89.0%
Fail
9.2%
PRS
1.3%
Avg mileage at test
33,549 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 7,063 MOT tests, the Tarraco returns 86.5% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. An airbag warning light and brake pads worn below 1.5 mm round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 33,217, 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
Above average — worth comparing quotes before buying. 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 →
22–32
out of 50
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Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
270 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
173 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
172 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction
158 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
138 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
102 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
90 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
Wiper blade defective
84 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator
74 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
64 occurrences · 0.5% 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–£255
If every one of this Tarraco'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 →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 2.1-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy SEAT Tarraco 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 2.1-point improvement. Tests in this band average 33,549 miles — roughly 9K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, less than 1.5 mm thick — 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
87.0%
2018–2020 registration
On the 2018–2020 band, the data shows a 87.0% 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, damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, and warning lamp indicates a fault. Average mileage on test for this band is 42,072 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 (87.0% pass). That's a 2.1-point spread across 11,182 older tests and 1,288 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
My Motor World · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
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Click Mechanic · affiliate
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Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
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Recall history
The Tarraco has 7 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 a Tarraco 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.
