SEAT Altea Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the SEAT Altea fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 24,385 MOT tests across 12 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: family car | Fuel: Diesel
74%
SEAT Altea pass rate
85%
SEAT average
82%
All-model average
The SEAT Altea has an average MOT pass rate of 74%, which is 11 points below the SEAT average and 8 points below the average across all models in our data. Newer SEAT Alteas pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 8 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the SEAT Altea Fails Its MOT On
Of the 4,542 MOT tests on the SEAT Altea that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Suspension
43%Cars and vans the same age: 40% · Typical repair £150-£600
Lights and electrics
40%Cars and vans the same age: 46% · Typical repair £15-£200
Brakes
28%Cars and vans the same age: 25% · Typical repair £80-£450
Body, chassis and structure
20%Cars and vans the same age: 16% (the Altea fails on this more often) · Typical repair £200-£1200
Tyres
20%Cars and vans the same age: 18% · Typical repair £50-£300
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Coil spring: fractured or broken (15% of failed tests, suspension)
- Drive shaft CV boot split or insecure (12% of failed tests, body, chassis and structure)
- Stop lamp: not working (10% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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SEAT Altea Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each Altea year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
Passed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points more often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
SEAT Altea Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Diesel | 1.6L | 83% | 16% | - |
| 2014 | Diesel | 1.6L | 81% | 19% | 82% (-1) |
| 2013 | Diesel | 1.6L | 78% | 22% | 80% (-2) |
| 2012 | Diesel | 1.6L | 77% | 22% | 79% (-2) |
| 2011 | Diesel | 1.6L | 75% | 24% | 77% (-2) |
| 2010 | Diesel | 1.6L | 74% | 26% | 75% (-1) |
| 2009 | Diesel | 2.0L | 73% | 27% | 75% (-2) |
| 2008 | Diesel | 2.0L | 71% | 28% | 74% (-3) |
| 2007 | Diesel | 2.0L | 72% | 27% | 73% (-1) |
| 2006 | Diesel | 2.0L | 70% | 28% | 73% (-3) |
| 2005 | Diesel | 2.0L | 68% | 30% | 73% (-5) |
| 2004 | Diesel | 2.0L | 66% | 33% | - |
SEAT Altea Running Costs
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SEAT Altea FAQ
What are the most common SEAT Altea problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the SEAT Altea that failed at the first attempt most often failed on suspension (43% of the 4,542 failed tests), lights and electrics (40%) and brakes (28%). The single most common fault was "Coil spring: fractured or broken" (15%). Across 24,385 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 74% ended in a pass.
Is the SEAT Altea reliable?
The SEAT Altea has an average MOT pass rate of 74%, from 24,385 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed within 2 points of other cars of the same age, so about average for its age.
Which SEAT Altea years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2005 (68% of 1,174 tests passed, against 73% for all 2005 cars), the 2008 (71% of 3,140 tests passed, against 74% for all 2008 cars) and the 2006 (70% of 2,255 tests passed, against 73% for all 2006 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common SEAT Altea faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a SEAT Altea typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other SEAT Models
Common problems pages for other SEAT models