Used car guide

2021 SEAT Leon: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2021 SEAT Leons, from 11,126 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

11,126MOT tests in 2025
87%pass first time (all 2021 cars: 87%)
8,900typical miles a year
6.7×the usual rate for shock absorbers

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2021 SEAT Leons than on all cars registered in 2021.

  • Shock absorbers6.7× usual
    SEAT Leon
    11.4% All 2021 cars
    1.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.2%, against 0.3% of all 2021 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints2.1× usual
    SEAT Leon
    2.3% All 2021 cars
    1.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.5%, against 0.2% of all 2021 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

By area

The share of 2021 SEAT Leon MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    30% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Suspension
    14% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Brakes
    8% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    4% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Lights and electrics
    4% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    3% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

Looking at a SEAT Leon?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20223,531Tyres 33%
202013,607Tyres 30%
201919,238Tyres 30%
201820,936Tyres 30%
201718,077Tyres 30%
201615,606Tyres 31%
201516,770Suspension 32%
201418,128Suspension 34%
201311,070Suspension 37%
20128,104Suspension 46%
20115,816Suspension 51%
20105,030Suspension 53%
20094,056Suspension 53%
20083,709Suspension 51%
20073,235Suspension 52%
20062,060Suspension 51%
20051,262Suspension 47%
20041,106Suspension 44%
2003851Suspension 45%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2021 SEAT Leons registered in 2021. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score