Used car guide

2022 SEAT Leon: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2022 SEAT Leons, from 3,531 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

3,531MOT tests in 2025
89%pass first time (all 2022 cars: 89%)
9,000typical miles a year
10.3×the usual rate for shock absorbers

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2022 SEAT Leons than on all cars registered in 2022.

  • Shock absorbers10.3× usual
    SEAT Leon
    12.3% All 2022 cars
    1.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1%, against 0.2% of all 2022 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.

  • Tyre condition2.1× usual
    SEAT Leon
    19.8% All 2022 cars
    9.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 5.1%, against 3.8% of all 2022 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £70–£150 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges. Uneven wear can point to tracking or suspension problems.

Better than most

Brake discs: 1.4% here, against 4.6% of all 2022 cars.

By area

The share of 2022 SEAT Leon MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    33% 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
    13% 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.

  • 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.

  • Brakes
    4% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    3% 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
    2% of testsRough price £80–£250

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

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
202111,126Tyres 30%
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 2022 SEAT Leons registered in 2022. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score