Used car guide · 2017–2024

SEAT Ibiza Mk5: best and worst years, and what goes wrong

How every year of the SEAT Ibiza Mk5 did at its MOT in 2025 compared with other cars the same age, the weak spots that keep coming up, and what to check before you buy one. From 60,902 MOT tests.

2020best year: 86% pass first time, 0 points above all 2020 cars
2018weakest year: 72% pass first time, 9 points below all 2018 cars
Track rod endsthe weak spot that shows up in 3 different years

Year by year

First-time MOT pass rate for each year of the SEAT Ibiza Mk5, against all cars registered the same year. Older cars fail more, so the comparison with cars the same age is what matters.

60%80%100%2017: 71% pass first time (all 2017 cars: 78%) 71% 2017*2018: 72% pass first time (all 2018 cars: 81%) 72% 20182019: 82% pass first time (all 2019 cars: 84%) 82% 20192020: 86% pass first time (all 2020 cars: 86%) 86% 20202021: 87% pass first time (all 2021 cars: 87%) 87% 20212022: 88% pass first time (all 2022 cars: 89%) 88% 2022
This model, first-time pass rate All cars registered that year · * changeover year: some cars are the previous or next generation
YearPass first timeAll cars that yearStands outMOT tests
2017*71%78% -7Shock absorbers 4× usual15,721
201872%81% -9Track rod ends 11.8× usual12,945
201982%84% -2Track rod ends 6.5× usual11,612
202086%86% +0Track rod ends 6.1× usual7,527
202187%87% +0Nothing unusual8,452
202288%89% -1Nothing unusual4,645

Weak spots across the SEAT Ibiza Mk5

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, in more than one year of this generation. Repeat findings like these are much less likely to be chance.

  • Track rod endsup to 11.8× usual

    Stands out in 3 years: 2020, 2019, 2018.

    Rough price £50–£150 (one end, plus about £30–£50 if it needs a wheel alignment) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

  • Washersup to 1.8× usual

    Stands out in 2 years: 2019, 2018.

    Rough price £15–£60 our estimate

    At the viewing: Test the wipers and washers on every speed.

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting each car's main test of the year (not retests). A weak spot needs at least 30 cars flagged and must stay 1.5× the usual rate even at the cautious end of a 95% confidence range. Generation years are approximate: cars registered in a changeover year (*) can be either generation. How we score

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