SEAT Leon Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the SEAT Leon 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 315,197 MOT tests across 22 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: family car | Fuel: Petrol, Diesel
84%
SEAT Leon pass rate
85%
SEAT average
82%
All-model average
The SEAT Leon has an average MOT pass rate of 84%, which is 1 point below the SEAT average and 2 points above the average across all models in our data. Newer SEAT Leons pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 9 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the SEAT Leon Fails Its MOT On
Of the 41,368 MOT tests on the SEAT Leon 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
38%Cars and vans the same age: 31% · Typical repair £150-£600
Tyres
26%Cars and vans the same age: 24% · Typical repair £50-£300
Lights and electrics
25%Cars and vans the same age: 36% (the Leon fails on this less often) · Typical repair £15-£200
Brakes
22%Cars and vans the same age: 22% · Typical repair £80-£450
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
16%Cars and vans the same age: 15% · Typical repair £10-£350
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Coil spring: fractured or broken (18% of failed tests, suspension)
- Tyre tread depth below the 1.6mm limit (10% of failed tests, tyres)
- Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (9.9% of failed tests, suspension)
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 Leon 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 Leon 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
- 2019: 88% passed, against 91% for all 2019 cars (3 points lower, 33,662 tests)
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 Leon 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Petrol | 2.0L | 85% | 15% | - |
| 2020 | Diesel | 1.6L | 90% | 10% | 92% (-2) |
| 2019 | Petrol | 1.4L | 88% | 11% | 91% (-3) |
| 2018 | Petrol | 1.4L | 88% | 12% | 89% (-1) |
| 2017 | Petrol | 1.4L | 88% | 12% | 87% (+1) |
| 2016 | Petrol | 1.4L | 87% | 13% | 86% (+1) |
| 2015 | Petrol | 1.4L | 86% | 14% | 84% (+2) |
| 2014 | Petrol | 1.4L | 85% | 14% | 82% (+3) |
| 2013 | Petrol | 1.4L | 83% | 16% | 80% (+3) |
| 2012 | Diesel | 2.0L | 79% | 20% | 79% (0) |
| 2011 | Petrol | 1.2L | 78% | 22% | 77% (+1) |
| 2010 | Diesel | 1.9L | 77% | 23% | 75% (+2) |
| 2009 | Diesel | 1.9L | 77% | 23% | 75% (+2) |
| 2008 | Diesel | 1.9L | 76% | 23% | 74% (+2) |
| 2007 | Diesel | 1.9L | 75% | 24% | 73% (+2) |
| 2006 | Diesel | 1.9L | 74% | 25% | 73% (+1) |
| 2005 | Diesel | 1.9L | 76% | 23% | 73% (+3) |
| 2004 | Diesel | 1.9L | 77% | 22% | 72% (+5) |
| 2003 | Diesel | 1.9L | 76% | 23% | 72% (+4) |
| 2002 | Diesel | 1.9L | 76% | 24% | 73% (+3) |
| 2001 | Diesel | 1.9L | 75% | 25% | - |
| 2000 | Petrol | 1.8L | 76% | 24% | - |
SEAT Leon Running Costs
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SEAT Leon FAQ
What are the most common SEAT Leon problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the SEAT Leon that failed at the first attempt most often failed on suspension (38% of the 41,368 failed tests), tyres (26%) and lights and electrics (25%). The single most common fault was "Coil spring: fractured or broken" (18%). Across 315,197 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 84% ended in a pass.
Is the SEAT Leon reliable?
The SEAT Leon has an average MOT pass rate of 84%, from 315,197 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 1 point of other cars of the same age, so about average for its age.
Which SEAT Leon years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2019 (88% of 33,662 tests passed, against 91% for all 2019 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. The years that passed most often for their age were the 2004 (77% of 2,724 tests passed, against 72% for all 2004 cars), the 2003 (76% of 2,090 tests passed, against 72% for all 2003 cars) and the 2014 (85% of 33,359 tests passed, against 82% for all 2014 cars). 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 Leon faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a SEAT Leon 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