1997 SEAT Arosa — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

65.6%

Latest Pass Rate

4,639

Total Tests (All Years)

54,912 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1997 SEAT Arosa as it ages.

12 yrs54.2%

→ ↓2.1%

13 yrs52.1%

→ ↑0.2%

14 yrs52.3%

→ ↑1.2%

15 yrs53.5%

→ ↓5.7%

16 yrs47.8%

→ ↑5.6%

17 yrs53.4%

→ ↑7.7%

18 yrs61.1%

→ ↓4.2%

19 yrs56.9%

→ ↓2.9%

20 yrs54.0%

→ ↑10.0%

21 yrs64.0%

→ ↓5.3%

22 yrs58.7%

→ ↑3.8%

23 yrs62.5%

→ ↑7.5%

24 yrs70.0%

→ ↓20.0%

25 yrs50.0%

→ ↑11.3%

26 yrs61.3%

→ ↑4.3%

27 yrs65.6%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	54.2%	831
13 yrs	52.1%	758
14 yrs	52.3%	666
15 yrs	53.5%	572
16 yrs	47.8%	467
17 yrs	53.4%	358
18 yrs	61.1%	265
19 yrs	56.9%	195
20 yrs	54.0%	139
21 yrs	64.0%	75
22 yrs	58.7%	75
23 yrs	62.5%	56
24 yrs	70.0%	50
25 yrs	50.0%	40
26 yrs	61.3%	31
27 yrs	65.6%	61

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 SEAT Arosa pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	65.6%	61
2023 (26 yrs)	61.3%	31
2022 (25 yrs)	50%	40
2021 (24 yrs)	70%	50
2020 (23 yrs)	62.5%	56
2019 (22 yrs)	58.7%	75
2018 (21 yrs)	64%	75
2017 (20 yrs)	54%	139
2016 (19 yrs)	56.9%	195
2015 (18 yrs)	61.1%	265
2014 (17 yrs)	53.4%	358
2013 (16 yrs)	47.8%	467
2012 (15 yrs)	53.5%	572
2011 (14 yrs)	52.3%	666
2010 (13 yrs)	52.1%	758
2009 (12 yrs)	54.2%	831

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

54.2%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 831Avg Mileage 62,964Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.8%

2010High Fail Rate

52.1%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 758Avg Mileage 66,288Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.3%

2011High Fail Rate

52.3%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 666Avg Mileage 67,534Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.1%

2012High Fail Rate

53.5%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 572Avg Mileage 71,552Top Failure Suspension — 27.6%

2013High Fail Rate

47.8%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 467Avg Mileage 70,343Top Failure Brakes — 57.4%

2014High Fail Rate

53.4%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 358Avg Mileage 70,347Top Failure Brakes — 55.9%

2015High Fail Rate

61.1%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 265Avg Mileage 68,602Top Failure Brakes — 47.5%

2016High Fail Rate

56.9%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 195Avg Mileage 64,110Top Failure Suspension — 47.2%

2017High Fail Rate

54.0%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 139Avg Mileage 61,397Top Failure Suspension — 54.0%

2018High Fail Rate

64.0%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 75Avg Mileage 62,745Top Failure Suspension — 50.7%

2019High Fail Rate

58.7%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 75Avg Mileage 62,901Top Failure Suspension — 56.0%

2020High Fail Rate

62.5%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 56Avg Mileage 60,666Top Failure Brakes — 37.5%

2021

70.0%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 50Avg Mileage 63,473Top Failure Suspension — 50.0%

2022High Fail Rate

50.0%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 40Avg Mileage 62,348Top Failure Suspension — 57.5%

2023High Fail Rate

61.3%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 31Avg Mileage 63,438Top Failure Suspension — 83.9%

2024

65.6%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 61Avg Mileage 54,912Top Failure Brakes — 34.4%

MOT results for 1997 SEAT Arosa by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	54.2%	831	62,964	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.8%
2010	13	52.1%	758	66,288	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.3%
2011	14	52.3%	666	67,534	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.1%
2012	15	53.5%	572	71,552	Suspension — 27.6%
2013	16	47.8%	467	70,343	Brakes — 57.4%
2014	17	53.4%	358	70,347	Brakes — 55.9%
2015	18	61.1%	265	68,602	Brakes — 47.5%
2016	19	56.9%	195	64,110	Suspension — 47.2%
2017	20	54.0%	139	61,397	Suspension — 54.0%
2018	21	64.0%	75	62,745	Suspension — 50.7%
2019	22	58.7%	75	62,901	Suspension — 56.0%
2020	23	62.5%	56	60,666	Brakes — 37.5%
2021	24	70.0%	50	63,473	Suspension — 50.0%
2022	25	50.0%	40	62,348	Suspension — 57.5%
2023	26	61.3%	31	63,438	Suspension — 83.9%
2024	27	65.6%	61	54,912	Brakes — 34.4%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 SEAT Arosa, with age trends.

Suspension

43.8%

— Consistent

Brakes

37.2%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

34.8%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

33.0%

↑ Increases with age

Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions

22.8%

↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	19.0% (12 yrs)	34.4% (27 yrs)	+15.4%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	20.6% (12 yrs)	19.7% (27 yrs)	-0.9%	⚪ —

Other Manufacture Years

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

← Back to SEAT Arosa overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the SEAT Arosa page →

About This Data

This page shows how SEAT Arosa cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 4,639 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.