In 2025, 25,944 SEAT Alhambra cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 74% passed first time, compared with 74% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the Alhambra about average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 122 of the 217 most-tested car models.
That comparison matters: older cars fail more often, so a raw pass rate flatters models that are mostly young. We compare each model against every car on the road at the same age.
Pass rate by age
At 5 years old, 87% of Alhambras passed first time (all cars that age: 86%). By 19 years, that figure is 51% (all cars: 57%). It starts out ahead of the average car but falls behind from around 16 years, which is worth knowing if you are buying an older one.
SEAT Alhambra All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | Alhambra passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 years | 811 | 87% | 86% | 51,743 |
| 6 years | 2,547 | 84% | 84% | 69,304 |
| 7 years | 2,509 | 81% | 81% | 85,217 |
| 8 years | 5,912 | 80% | 78% | 102,078 |
| 9 years | 4,099 | 77% | 75% | 120,159 |
| 10 years | 2,108 | 74% | 72% | 120,879 |
| 11 years | 1,795 | 70% | 69% | 117,205 |
| 12 years | 1,490 | 67% | 66% | 116,263 |
| 13 years | 1,343 | 66% | 63% | 127,854 |
| 14 years | 1,148 | 65% | 61% | 133,151 |
| 15 years | 308 | 58% | 59% | 139,179 |
| 16 years | 270 | 47% | 58% | 140,957 |
| 17 years | 357 | 54% | 57% | 144,496 |
| 18 years | 302 | 49% | 57% | 139,979 |
| 19 years | 231 | 51% | 57% | 141,676 |
What fails most on a SEAT Alhambra
The area that lets the Alhambra down most, relative to other cars, is tyres: 13.0% of tests failed on it, 1.5 times the rate for the average car. It does comparatively well on visibility and lights and electrics.
Share of Alhambra tests failing on this area Average car
The six most common failure items
| Failure item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | Suspension | 8.1% |
| A tyre cords visible or damaged | Tyres | 5.0% |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | Tyres | 3.8% |
| A tyre seriously damaged | Tyres | 3.2% |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 2.8% |
| Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction | Emissions and leaks | 2.7% |
What to check when buying a used Alhambra
Based on where the Alhambra fails more often than other cars, these are the checks worth making before you buy:
- Tyres: Check tread across the whole width (uneven wear hints at alignment or suspension faults), and look for cuts, bulges and mismatched brands. Repair guide
- Suspension: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, look for leaking shock absorbers, and check the car sits level. Ask whether springs, bushes or drop links have been replaced. Repair guide
- Body and structure: Get underneath with a torch: sills, jacking points, subframe mounts and floor pans. Structural rust is the failure that can make a car uneconomic to fix. Repair guide
Then check the individual car: its own MOT history will show whether it follows the pattern. A car with repeated advisories in the same weak area is more likely to fail its next test.
Check a specific Alhambra
Enter the registration to see its full MOT history, mileage record and reliability score, compared with these figures.
Check a AlhambraFrequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a SEAT Alhambra?
In 2025, 74% of SEAT Alhambra cars passed their MOT first time, across 25,944 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 74%.
What do SEAT Alhambra cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (8.1% of tests); a tyre cords visible or damaged (5.0% of tests); tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements (3.8% of tests).
Other SEAT models
SEAT Ibiza (66%), SEAT Leon (74%), SEAT Arona (83%), SEAT Ateca (87%). All SEAT models
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 (class 4 normal tests; first-time pass means passed with no faults fixed at the test). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.