2012 SEAT Altea MOT pass rate: 71.7% (4,444 tests)
Is the 2012 Altea getting worse?
Pass rate of 2012-registered cars across recent test years:
Scroll horizontally to read every trend column.
| Test year | Pass rate | Pass-rate bar |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 72.1% -0.2 vs same-age |
72.1% visual scale |
| 2024 | 71.4% +0.4 vs same-age |
71.4% visual scale |
| 2025 | 71.4% +1.1 vs same-age |
71.4% visual scale |
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 2012 Altea
Scroll horizontally to read every failure column.
| # | System | Defects recorded | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 908 | 28.0% |
| 2 | Brakes | 676 | 20.8% |
| 3 | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 650 | 20.0% |
| 4 | Tyres | 429 | 13.2% |
| 5 | Body, chassis, structure | 199 | 6.1% |
| 6 | Visibility | 163 | 5.0% |
All Altea years compared
Scroll horizontally to compare every registration-year column.
| Registration year | Tests | Pass rate | Vs same-age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 1,768 | 59.4% | -5.1 pts | 125,599 |
| 2006 | 3,477 | 61.1% | -3.3 pts | 119,974 |
| 2007 | 5,654 | 62.4% | -2.7 pts | 121,226 |
| 2008 | 4,774 | 61.6% | -3.5 pts | 119,902 |
| 2009 | 4,242 | 63.2% | -3.2 pts | 113,407 |
| 2010 | 3,638 | 65.2% | -2.2 pts | 106,114 |
| 2011 | 3,566 | 68.4% | -0.8 pts | 100,981 |
| 2012 (this page) | 4,444 | 71.7% | +0.4 pts | 94,665 |
| 2013 | 3,598 | 73.0% | -0.4 pts | 85,827 |
| 2014 | 2,089 | 76.5% | +0.7 pts | 75,961 |
- Free MOT history checkThe exact car’s failures, advisories and mileage trail — sellers can’t edit it
FAQs
Is a 2012 SEAT Altea reliable?
2012-registered examples passed 71.7% of their MOT tests (4,444 tests, 2023–2025), +0.4 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 14 years old with a median 94,665 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.
What mileage is too high for a 2012 Altea?
The median tested example shows 94,665 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.
Before you agree to the work
A fault or an advisory is a quote waiting to happen. These pages set out what a garage has to tell you, what a comparable written quote should include, and what you can do if the bill is not what you agreed.
- When a repair costs more than the car — what a comparable quote should include, plus any verified UK figures we have sourced.
- Estimates, quotes and extra work — what a price has to cover, and when a garage may charge more than it first said.
- What a diagnostic test costs — what the fee should include, and when it should come off the repair.
- Tools — when to buy and when to skip — how to choose a diagnostic tool, and when a garage visit is cheaper than owning one.
- Choosing a garage you can check — what to verify before you hand over the keys.
- Your rights after a car repair — what to do when the work is not right, and how to put it in writing.
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 the Open Government Licence v3.0.