2016 Seat Ibiza — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 113,166 MOT tests analysed for the 2016 Seat Ibiza, the most common recorded failure areas were suspension, tyres and visibility. Its pass rate of 80.5% was below the average for superminis of a similar age (84.5%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 24.6% in the 150k+ group versus 12.0% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 8.3% | 9,388 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.9% | 7,807 |
| 3 | Visibility | 6.0% | 6,813 |
| 4 | Brakes | 5.1% | 5,762 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 4.3% | 4,897 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.8% | 2,064 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 7,477 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 5,149 |
| 3 | Wipers | 4,131 |
| 4 | Washers | 3,856 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 3,411 |
| 6 | Catalyst emissions | 2,916 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 28.8% | 32,597 |
| 2 | Suspension | 22.0% | 24,861 |
| 3 | Brakes | 21.6% | 24,417 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.1% | 8,025 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.1% | 3,558 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.1% | 2,402 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 16,174 | 12.0% |
| 30-60k | 58,202 | 18.7% |
| 60-90k | 31,186 | 23.4% |
| 90-120k | 6,401 | 25.9% |
| 120-150k | 998 | 29.0% |
| 150k+ | 191 | 24.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 110,290 | 19.5% |
| Diesel | 2,876 | 21.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 21,914 | 15.6% |
| 2022 | 22,315 | 17.3% |
| 2023 | 22,852 | 20.2% |
| 2024 | 23,086 | 21.9% |
| 2025 | 22,999 | 22.6% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Ibiza
Before buying a 2016 Seat Ibiza, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Suspension accounted for 8.3% of tests for this year.
- Suspension (8.3% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Tyres (6.9% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Visibility (6.0% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2016 Seat Ibizas pass their MOT?
80.5% of the 113,166 2016 Seat Ibiza MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Seat Ibiza?
Suspension, recorded in 8.3% of tests, followed by tyres (6.9%).
Does the 2016 Ibiza get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.0% in the 0-30k band to 24.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 113,166 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.