SEAT Ibiza, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls
214,118 SEAT Ibizas are licensed in the UK, the 42nd most common model on the road. In 2025 they passed 66% of initial MOT tests, 6.3 points below the 72.3% UK average.
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SEAT Ibiza at the MOT
66% of 190,096 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the Ibiza 414th of 575 models. SEAT Ibizas aged 3 to 5 years passed 86% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 56.4%.
First-time pass rate, 2025
Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.
Pass rate by age at test
SEAT Ibiza tests in 2025.
Where Ibizas fail
Share of all failure items recorded on SEAT Ibiza tests in 2025.
The items testers recorded most often were pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn (6.6%), tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.1%) and coil spring fractured or broken (3.6%).
The MOT page lists every common Ibiza MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.
What to look at on a viewing
The Ibiza's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.
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Suspension
Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters.22.4% of Ibiza failure items
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Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting.20.1% of Ibiza failure items
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Brakes
Make sure the pedal feels firm, the car stops in a straight line, the handbrake holds on a slope and no brake warning light is showing.16.7% of Ibiza failure items
SEAT Ibizas in the UK
214,118 were licensed at the end of June 2026, more than any other SEAT. The number licensed has grown 12% since the end of 2014.
- Change since 2014
- +12%from 190,360 licensed
- Typical year of first use
- 2016half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2016 or earlier
- First registered in 2025
- 10,756against 20,352 in 2015
- Declared off the road
- 16,5967.2% of those registered, under SORN
Licensed SEAT Ibizas since 2014
Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.
Show the figures
| Date | Licensed |
|---|---|
| End of 2014 | 190,360 |
| End of 2015 | 200,724 |
| End of 2016 | 211,390 |
| End of 2017 | 217,119 |
| End of 2018 | 218,284 |
| End of 2019 | 220,539 |
| End of 2020 | 217,425 |
| End of 2021 | 217,250 |
| End of 2022 | 214,252 |
| End of 2023 | 213,364 |
| End of 2024 | 214,856 |
| End of 2025 | 215,024 |
| End of June 2026 | 214,118 |
How old they are
Licensed SEAT Ibizas by year of first use.
- Licensed at the end of 2025
- First registered that year
A further 2,694 were first used before 2006.
Show the figures
| First used | Licensed, end 2025 | First registered that year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10,346 | 10,756 |
| 2024 | 11,084 | 11,457 |
| 2023 | 8,106 | 8,570 |
| 2022 | 4,984 | 5,349 |
| 2021 | 8,316 | 8,739 |
| 2020 | 7,980 | 8,399 |
| 2019 | 12,843 | 13,605 |
| 2018 | 12,648 | 13,522 |
| 2017 | 15,587 | 16,842 |
| 2016 | 18,267 | 20,079 |
| 2015 | 17,886 | 20,352 |
| 2014 | 19,060 | |
| 2013 | 15,498 | |
| 2012 | 12,365 | |
| 2011 | 12,229 | |
| 2010 | 8,803 | |
| 2009 | 6,973 | |
| 2008 | 3,907 | |
| 2007 | 2,608 | |
| 2006 | 1,766 |
17,886 Ibizas first used in 2015 were still licensed at the end of 2025, roughly 88% of the 20,352 first registered that year.
Ibiza engines and fuel
1.0 litre engines made up 33% of SEAT Ibiza MOT tests in 2025, followed by 1.4 litre at 33%. Petrol accounts for 93% of licensed Ibizas and diesel for 7%.
Engine size at MOT, 2025
Share of 190,081 initial MOT tests in 2025.
Fuel type, licensed Ibizas
DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.
| Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 199,218 | 93% |
| Diesel | 14,894 | 7% |
| Hybrid electric | 1 | <0.1% |
| Gas | 5 | <0.1% |
SEAT Ibiza recalls
13 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the SEAT Ibiza. The 8 most recent are below. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every Ibiza is affected.
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Jun 2025 R/2025/230
Passenger airbag replacement
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles defective passenger airbags may have been fitted. On affected vehicles the passenger airbag should be deactivated and the passenger seat not used until the recall action has been completed.
- Remedy
- Affected vehicles will be checked and the passenger airbags replaced if necessary.
-
Sep 2023 R/2023/273
Front driver airbag replacement
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- In vehicles produced in a specific period with airbags from manufacturer Takata in the event of an accident with airbag activation the driver airbag gas generator housing may explode.
- Remedy
- Inspect the driver's airbag and replace it if necessary.
-
Apr 2020 R/2020/113
The bracket of the double belt buckle may have been damaged during the forming process
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- It is possible that the bracket of the double belt buckle has been damaged during the forming process.
- Remedy
- The double belt buckle must be replaced in all affected vehicles.
-
Mar 2020 R/2020/090
The engine oil may possibly reach the brake servo through the vacuum hose
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- It is possible that engine oil reaches the brake servo through the vacuum hose from the tandem pump to the brake servo.
- Remedy
- The vacuum line from the tandem pump is replaced. It must also be checked whether other components have come into contact with oil and therefore need to be replaced too.
-
May 2019 R/2019/157
The driver's air bag may not inflate fast enough in the event of activation
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Drivers air bag may not inflate at the correct rate.
- Remedy
- Replace the drivers front air bag.
-
Feb 2019 R/2019/039
The adjusted handbrake lever travel for parking can increase
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Hand brake lever travel increase due to adjuster nut movement.
- Remedy
- Re-adjust assembly and fit locking device to nut.
-
Nov 2018 R/2018/138
The left rear seat belt double buckle may unfasten involuntarily
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Left rear seat belt may unfasten involuntarily.
- Remedy
- On Affected vehicles a spacer will be fitted in the double buckle of the rear seat.
-
Mar 2018 R/2018/060
Starter motor may malfunction and overheat
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On vehicles with diesel engines and stop/start system the starter motor may be permanently activated because the return spring in the solenoid switch is bent or broken. If the permanent current supply to the starter motor is not noticed overheating of the component with local scorching damage and a vehicle fire is possible.
- Remedy
- Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and replace the solenoid switch.
Ibiza vs similar cars
Head-to-head comparisons on the same 2025 DVSA data.
Other SEAT models
The most-tested SEAT models in 2025, against the Ibiza's 66% MOT pass rate.
SEAT Ibiza FAQs
How many SEAT Ibizas are there in the UK?
214,118 SEAT Ibizas were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 16,596 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.
Is the SEAT Ibiza reliable?
MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is a 66% first-time pass rate for the SEAT Ibiza across 190,096 tests in 2025, below the 72.3% average for all cars.
Has the SEAT Ibiza had any recalls?
13 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the SEAT Ibiza. The most recent was published in June 2025. A recall applies to vehicles built in a set period, so check a specific car on the GOV.UK vehicle recall checker.
What should I check before buying a used SEAT Ibiza?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: suspension, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and brakes. Then check the individual car's own records. Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and police stolen markers are not part of the MOT record, so they take a history check.
How do I check a SEAT Ibiza's history?
Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.
Already found an Ibiza?
Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.
Across the 1,382 vehicles of every make Carpeep has checked since November 2025, 19% had outstanding finance recorded and 13% an insurance write-off. More on the SEAT history check. To confirm a car's identity, see the SEAT VIN check.
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off records
- Stolen markers
- Mileage history
- Previous keepers
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), which also gives the engine sizes. Licensed, SORN, fuel and registration figures are from the Department for Transport vehicle licensing statistics (VEH0120, VEH0124, VEH0160). Recalls are from the DVSA vehicle recalls data, with recalls launched up to July 2026. Government data is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability. History-check findings are anonymous counts from reports bought on Carpeep, each vehicle counted once, and are published only where at least 100 vehicles returned an answer.