2018 SEAT Alhambra MOT pass rate: 86.3% (7,484 tests)

2018-registered SEAT Alhambras passed 86.3% of 7,484 MOT tests in 2023–2025 — broadly in line with same-age cars (86.4%).

86.3%Pass rate, 2018 cars

99.9Age-adjusted index (100 = average)

7,484Tests analysed

57,254 miMedian mileage at test

82.7% / 86.4%Petrol vs diesel pass rate

Is the 2018 Alhambra getting worse?

Pass rate of 2018-registered cars across recent test years:

Test year	Pass rate
2023	87.6% -0.4 vs same-age
2024	86.2% -0.0 vs same-age
2025	85.0% +0.2 vs same-age

The raw rate normally falls as cars age. The “vs same-age” figure compares this cohort with all UK cars registered in the same year, so normal ageing is not mistaken for a bad model year.

What fails on a 2018 Alhambra

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Tyres	777	41.2%
2	Suspension	345	18.3%
3	Brakes	274	14.5%
4	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	194	10.3%
5	Visibility	101	5.4%
6	Noise, emissions and leaks	68	3.6%

All Alhambra years compared

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2011	3,600	70.1%	+1.0 pts	121,392
2012	4,170	70.3%	-0.9 pts	113,216
2013	4,593	72.7%	-0.7 pts	100,272
2014	5,507	75.8%	-0.1 pts	99,101
2015	6,448	78.6%	-0.2 pts	95,206
2016	12,436	82.2%	+0.8 pts	87,252
2017	17,763	84.2%	+0.2 pts	71,343
2018 (this page)	7,484	86.3%	-0.1 pts	57,254
2019	7,856	87.1%	-1.3 pts	44,514
2020	2,445	88.1%	-1.8 pts	33,253

Weighing up which year to buy? See the full ranking: SEAT Alhambra years to avoid.

Buying a 2018 Alhambra? Two checks first

Free MOT history checkThe exact car’s failures, advisories and mileage trail — sellers can’t edit it
Topdon OBD2 scannersTopdon diagnostic scanners with full-system readouts
XTOOL diagnostic toolsXTOOL code readers for petrol and diesel cars
Autel UK testersAutel professional-grade diagnostic testers

FAQs

Is a 2018 SEAT Alhambra reliable?

2018-registered examples passed 86.3% of their MOT tests (7,484 tests, 2023–2025), -0.1 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 8 years old with a median 57,254 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.

What mileage is too high for a 2018 Alhambra?

The median tested example shows 57,254 miles. Anything far beyond that isn't automatically bad — a motorway-mile car with consistent service records often beats a low-mileage school-run car — but price accordingly and scrutinise the mileage trail for gaps or drops.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023–2025 extracts (96 million Class 4 initial tests; retests excluded). Only vehicles old enough for a routine first MOT are included. Age-adjusted figures compare the model-year cohort with all vehicles of the same registration year tested in the same calendar year. Contains public sector information licensed under OGL v3.0.