Car
SEAT Ibiza
77.6%
pass rate across 710,421 tests
71.8% first-time pass rate
SEAT Ibiza vs Volkswagen Polo
The two cars compared on 2,990,385 real MOT tests: pass rates, first-time passes, the failures each is known for, repair costs and how both have moved year by year.
Car
Volkswagen Polo
78.3%
pass rate across 2,279,964 tests
73.0% first-time pass rate
The short answer
Volkswagen Polo edges the MOT comparison
Across 2,990,385 tests, the Volkswagen Polo has the stronger first-time record: 73.0% against 71.8%, a 1.2-point gap. Even after adjusting for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Volkswagen Polo is −1.8 points against its expected rate, the SEAT Ibiza −3.4. A typical repair bill is similar: £34–£94 for the SEAT Ibiza and £32–£89 for the Volkswagen Polo; at their pass rates that is roughly £768–£2,111 versus £689–£1,932 per 100 tests. The costliest common failure on the SEAT Ibiza is Play in steering rack inner joint at 4.5% of tests, up to £300 to fix.
- First-time pass: 71.8% vs 73.0%.
- All MOTs: 77.6% vs 78.3%.
- Like-for-like: −3.4 vs −1.8 points.
- Typical repair bill: £34–£94 vs £32–£89.
- At 90,000–120,000 miles: 71.3% vs 70.2%.
| Measure | Ibiza | Polo |
|---|---|---|
| MOT tests on record | 710,421 | 2,279,964 |
| Pass rate, all MOTs | 77.6% | 78.3% stronger figure |
| First-time pass rate | 71.8% | 73.0% stronger figure |
| Against the UK average | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts stronger figure |
| Like-for-like, age and mileage adjusted | −3.4 pts | −1.8 pts stronger figure |
| Average mileage at test | 74,155 mi | 69,715 mi |
| Model years on record | 2000–2023 (24) | 2000–2023 (24) |
| Best model year | 2023 · 91.9% | 2023 · 94.9% |
| Worst model year | 2008 · 69.2% | 2005 · 68.3% |
| Typical repair bill | £34–£94 | £32–£89 stronger figure |
| Expected repair spend per 100 tests | £768–£2,111 | £689–£1,932 stronger figure |
| Main fuel | Petrol 90% | Petrol 92% |
| Variants recorded | 2 | 5 |
A ✓ marks the stronger figure in each row. It is a comparison between the two cars, not a judgement against the national average.
What goes wrong most often
The most common priced failures on each model, as a share of all its tests. Repair costs are estimates from UK parts data, not quotes.
Ibiza
- Shock absorber leaking 11.4% £30–£75
- Exhaust system leaking 5.7% £45–£120
- Play in steering rack inner joint 4.5% £120–£300
- Track rod end dust cover damaged 2.8% £18–£45
Polo
- Exhaust system leaking 6.1% £45–£120
- Track rod end dust cover damaged 3.1% £18–£45
- Service brake imbalance across an axle 1.5% £45–£110
- Linkage ball joint dust cover insecure 1.5% £18–£45
Year by year
The newest 8 years with published results. A model's headline rate hides a wide spread between its best and worst years.
| Model year | Ibiza | Polo |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 78.5% · 68,317 tests | 82.9% · 179,713 tests |
| 2017 | 79.7% · 58,073 tests | 84.3% · 156,704 tests |
| 2018 | 82.8% · 45,620 tests | 83.3% · 151,895 tests |
| 2019 | 89.3% · 37,977 tests | 88.0% · 120,567 tests |
| 2020 | 90.5% · 24,540 tests | 92.1% · 79,229 tests |
| 2021 | 91.0% · 18,017 tests | 92.5% · 59,188 tests |
| 2022 | 91.4% · 4,885 tests | 94.0% · 22,339 tests |
| 2023 | 91.9% · 385 tests | 94.9% · 808 tests |
Does the pass rate hold at higher mileage?
Pass rate by the mileage recorded at test, pooled across every published year. A car that stays strong past 90,000 miles is doing something right.
| Mileage | Ibiza | Polo |
|---|---|---|
| 0–30,000 mi | 90.5% · 76,186 tests | 91.0% · 331,793 tests |
| 30,000–60,000 mi | 81.8% · 209,711 tests | 82.8% · 697,945 tests |
| 60,000–90,000 mi | 75.4% · 219,940 tests | 75.3% · 642,037 tests |
| 90,000–120,000 mi | 71.3% · 138,146 tests | 70.2% · 397,278 tests |
| 120k+ | 70.0% · 66,107 tests | 67.5% · 209,648 tests |
What to check before you buy
SEAT Ibiza
- Shock absorber leaking — 11.4% of tests, £30–£75 to put right.
- Exhaust system leaking — 5.7% of tests, £45–£120 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2008 at 69.2%; check that generation's MOT history closely.
Volkswagen Polo
- Exhaust system leaking — 6.1% of tests, £45–£120 to put right.
- Track rod end dust cover damaged — 3.1% of tests, £18–£45 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2005 at 68.3%; check that generation's MOT history closely.
Both columns cover every published year for the model. Pass rates are test-weighted, so a model with more recent tests is not dragged down by its oldest ones. Repair figures are estimates from UK parts data; a garage quote is the only number that matters for a specific car. The same car can be tested in more than one year, so these are test outcomes, not a count of individual vehicles.
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