181,023 Leons had an MOT in 2025. 76.0% passed first time, against 73.0% for other cars of the same age and mileage. That is 2.9 points better than comparable cars. Those registered from 2021 onwards pass as often as other cars their age.
Each dot compares how often Leons of that year failed on one area of the test with cars of the same age and mileage.
| Year | Passed first time | Against same age and mileage | MOTs | Suspension | Steering | Brakes | Tyres | Lights & electrics | Visibility | Body & structure | Emissions & leaks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 60.4% | +5.0 | 1,259 | ||||||||
| 2006 | 55.4% | +0.4 | 2,047 | ||||||||
| 2007 | 59.7% | +4.3 | 3,209 | ||||||||
| 2008 | 60.0% | +4.8 | 3,693 | ||||||||
| 2009 | 59.8% | +3.8 | 4,031 | ||||||||
| 2010 | 61.0% | +4.1 | 5,012 | ||||||||
| 2011 | 63.5% | +4.4 | 5,785 | ||||||||
| 2012 | 65.5% | +4.5 | 8,076 | ||||||||
| 2013 | 71.4% | +7.9 | 11,054 | ||||||||
| 2014 | 76.6% | +10.2 | 18,117 | ||||||||
| 2015 | 78.6% | +8.7 | 16,739 | ||||||||
| 2016 | 79.7% | +6.2 | 15,602 | ||||||||
| 2017 | 78.5% | +1.6 | 18,035 | ||||||||
| 2018 | 78.5% | −1.5 | 20,949 | ||||||||
| 2019 | 77.7% | −5.1 | 19,223 | ||||||||
| 2020 | 83.9% | −1.5 | 13,547 | ||||||||
| 2021 | 87.2% | +0.4 | 11,120 | ||||||||
| 2022 | 88.7% | +0.8 | 3,525 |
Much worse: failed on that area at least 1.5 times as often. Worse: 1.15 to 1.5 times. Better: up to 0.87 times. Much better: two-thirds as often or less. Gaps under half a percentage point count as about the same. Registration year is the year the car was first used.
Well behind: 5 or more points below cars of the same age and mileage. Behind: 1.5 to 5 points below. Level: within 1.5 points. Ahead: 1.5 or more points above.
8.9% of Leon MOTs failed on suspension, against 8.4% for cars of the same age and mileage, and 6.6% on tyres, against 6.7%.
Up to 60,000 miles, Leons pass as often as cars of the same age and mileage. Ahead from there: 60–90,000 miles 3.9 points, 90–120,000 miles 5.9 points, 120,000+ miles 4.9 points.
Diesels passed 71.2% first time, 4.9 points above comparable cars; petrols passed 78.5%, 1.7 points above comparable cars. Diesels had a median of 104,351 miles at the test, against 58,742 for petrols. Hybrids are mostly newer cars (median 35,258 miles), so compare them with care.
| Fuel | MOTs | Passed first time | Same age and mileage | Gap (pts) | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 105,684 | 78.5% | 76.8% | +1.7 | 58,742 |
| Diesel | 69,776 | 71.2% | 66.3% | +4.9 | 104,351 |
| Hybrid | 3,554 | 88.3% | 86.8% | +1.5 | 35,258 |
| Other | 2,008 | 87.6% | 85.8% | +1.8 | 40,583 |
Cars registered 2014 to 2021, each against cars of the same age and mileage. The Leon ranks 8 of 15.
| Model | MOTs | Passed first time | Same age and mileage | Gap (pts) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. VW Golf | 453,675 | 84.7% | 77.2% | +7.5 | |
| 2. Audi A3 | 236,485 | 83.4% | 76.3% | +7.1 | |
| 3. Skoda Octavia | 130,349 | 81.5% | 75.7% | +5.8 | |
| 4. Toyota Corolla | 55,580 | 89.2% | 84.2% | +5.1 | |
| 5. Toyota Auris | 78,822 | 78.5% | 73.7% | +4.8 | |
| 6. Honda Civic | 96,393 | 82.2% | 77.5% | +4.8 | |
| 7. BMW 1 Series | 216,359 | 81.6% | 77.1% | +4.5 | |
| 8. Seat Leon | 133,332 | 79.6% | 77.2% | +2.3 | |
| 9. Mercedes A-Class | 285,897 | 80.7% | 79.2% | +1.6 | |
| 10. Ford Focus | 433,954 | 77.1% | 76.9% | +0.2 | |
| 11. Kia Ceed | 68,633 | 75.8% | 76.8% | −1.0 | |
| 12. Vauxhall Astra | 259,770 | 73.6% | 75.2% | −1.6 | |
| 13. Hyundai i30 | 54,108 | 73.1% | 75.3% | −2.2 | |
| 14. Nissan Leaf | 42,108 | 78.9% | 81.7% | −2.7 | |
| 15. Peugeot 308 | 69,563 | 71.2% | 75.2% | −4.0 |
What testers most often noted as advisories on Leons in 2025: wear that passed but was close to failing. Figures in brackets are for cars of the same age and mileage.
At the MOT, 76.0% of 181,023 Leon MOTs in 2025 passed first time, against 73.0% for cars of the same age and mileage. 2005: ahead (+5.0 points). 2006: level (+0.4 points). 2007 to 2017: ahead (+1.6 to +10.2 points). 2018: behind (−1.5 points). 2019: well behind (−5.1 points). 2020: behind (−1.5 points). 2021 to 2022: level (+0.4 to +0.8 points).
Going by 2025 MOT results, 2018 and 2019 and 2020. Those cars passed first time −1.5 and −5.1 and −1.5 points against comparable cars.
Coil spring: fractured or broken: 4.2% of Leon MOTs, against 2.4% for cars of the same age and mileage.
Petrol Leons passed 78.5% first time and diesels 71.2%. Against cars of the same age and mileage, petrols were 1.7 points above and diesels 4.9 points above.
For cars registered 2014 to 2021, the VW Golf passed 84.7% first time, +7.5 points against comparable cars. The Leon passed 79.6%, +2.3 points.
Data. Every car MOT in Great Britain in 2025 (31,475,521 first tests on cars first used 2005 to 2022), from DVSA's anonymised MOT test data. Retests are left out.
Passed first time. A car passed if its first test that year ended in a pass. Cars that failed and were fixed within the hour count as fails, as DVSA counts them.
Same age and mileage. We group every car by the year it was first used and its mileage (under 30k, 30–60k, 60–90k, 90–120k, over 120k). The comparison figure is what those groups scored, weighted to match the Leon's mix of ages and mileages.
Model. Every car DVSA records as a Seat Leon: 60 recorded model names, from "LEON" to trims such as "LEON FR TSI EVO".
The full method, including how each report-card dot and year group is decided.