Used car guide

2020 SEAT Tarraco: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2020 SEAT Tarracos, from 2,061 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

2,061MOT tests in 2025
84%pass first time (all 2020 cars: 86%)
8,900typical miles a year
32×the usual rate for airbag warning light

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2020 SEAT Tarracos than on all cars registered in 2020.

  • Airbag warning light32× usual
    SEAT Tarraco
    3.2% All 2020 cars
    0.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.1%, against 0.1% of all 2020 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints2.1× usual
    SEAT Tarraco
    3.8% All 2020 cars
    1.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1%, against 0.3% of all 2020 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 2020 SEAT Tarraco MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    31% 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.

  • Brakes
    19% 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
    7% 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
    7% of testsRough price £80–£250

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

  • Suspension
    5% 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.

Looking at a SEAT Tarraco?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2022883Tyres 29%
20211,114Tyres 29%
20194,159Tyres 32%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2020 SEAT Tarracos registered in 2020. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score