MOT performance
SEAT Arona diesel: MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 10,540 MOT tests on diesel SEAT Aronas in 2023–2024 (on average 4.3 years old at test, median 38,621 miles), 81.2% passed first time, against 86.0% of 78,827 petrol SEAT Arona tests. Allowing for age, mileage and fuel, diesel SEAT Aronas failed 18% more often than comparable cars — 1.18× against 1.09× for the SEAT Arona as a whole.
10,540 MOT tests on 5,187 vehicles, 2023–2024 · Source: DVSA (Open Government Licence) · Analysis: 73 Auto
Check a specific car's MOT history and running costsAt a glance
| Figure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| First-time pass rate | 81.2% | ±0.7 pts (95%), n = 10,540 |
| All SEAT Aronas | 85.5% | n = 89,368 |
| Failures vs similar cars | 1.18× | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00; SEAT Arona overall 1.09× |
| Tests with a dangerous defect | 7.8% | n = 10,540 |
| Average age at test | 4.3 years | n = 10,540 |
| Registration years covered | 2017–2021 | DVSA first-use date |
Diesel against the other SEAT Arona fuels
Official DVSA test results by fuel, with 73 Auto's adjusted ratio (failures against cars of the same age, mileage and fuel).
| Fuel | Tests | Average age | First-time pass | vs similar cars | Dangerous |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 78,827 | 3.5 yrs | 86.0% | +8% | 5.2% |
| Diesel | 10,540 | 4.3 yrs | 81.2% | +18% | 7.8% |
Where diesel SEAT Aronas differ
- Steering: diesel SEAT Aronas failed 62% more often than the SEAT Arona overall, relative to comparable cars (15.27× vs 9.42×).
- Tyres: diesel SEAT Aronas failed 22% more often than the SEAT Arona overall, relative to comparable cars (1.23× vs 1.01×).
| Area | Diesel (vs similar) | All SEAT Aronas (vs similar) |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 6.5% (+23%) | 4.7% (+1%) |
| Brakes | 5.7% (+82%) | 4.3% (+85%) |
| Steering | 3.6% (+1427%) | 2.5% (+842%) |
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 3.0% (-24%) | 2.1% (-29%) |
| Driver's view of the road | 1.9% (-42%) | 1.9% (-40%) |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 1.2% (-17%) | 0.6% (-1%) |
Most common diesel SEAT Arona failure items
| Item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick | Brakes | 3.19% |
| Track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | Steering | 2.75% |
| Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 1.79% |
| Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Tyres | 1.67% |
| Condition: has ply or cords exposed | Tyres | 1.66% |
Pass rate by age, by fuel
| Age at test (years) | diesel pass rate (tests) | petrol pass rate (tests) |
|---|---|---|
| 3-4 | 84.3% (5,992) | 87.4% (44,127) |
| 5-6 | 76.3% (4,294) | 79.7% (16,952) |
SEAT Arona by registration year
Registration-year pages cover every fuel of that year.
- 2018 SEAT Arona · 79.9%
- 2019 SEAT Arona · 87.3%
- 2020 SEAT Arona · 88.7%
- 2021 SEAT Arona · 87.6%
What this does and doesn't tell you
Fuel is DVSA's recorded fuel type; plug-in and self-charging hybrids are grouped as hybrid. A difference between fuels can come from the engines themselves, or from how the cars are used — diesels typically cover more miles, and the adjusted ratio allows for mileage band but not for every difference in use. For one car, its own MOT history is the better guide: see MOT check.
Check a specific diesel SEAT Arona
Enter a UK registration to see that car's own MOT history and what it is likely to cost to own. Your first check is free and shows the vehicle summary and its headline ownership cost. The category-by-category breakdown is part of a paid check.
UK number plate or 17-character VIN
About this data. These are MOT test results, not a measure of mechanical reliability: a car's MOT outcome reflects its condition on the day, which depends on how it has been maintained and driven as well as how it was built. Figures cover class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans), normal tests only (retests excluded), outcomes pass, fail and pass after rectification at the station; vehicles at least 2.5 years old at test. Tests from 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-30. “Compared with similar cars” means compared with the national rate for cars of the same age, mileage band and fuel. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Makes and models are matched to 73 Auto's vehicle catalogue; tests that can't be matched are left out rather than guessed. See how the MOT figures are produced.