SEAT Tarraco, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls
12,997 SEAT Tarracos are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 84.8% of initial MOT tests, 12.5 points above the 72.3% UK average.
Looking at a specific Tarraco? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
SEAT Tarraco at the MOT
84.8% of 10,122 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the Tarraco 121st of 575 models. SEAT Tarracos aged 3 to 5 years passed 84.9% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 6 to 10 years that fell to 82.1%.
First-time pass rate, 2025
Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.
Pass rate by age at test
SEAT Tarraco tests in 2025.
Where Tarracos fail
Share of all failure items recorded on SEAT Tarraco tests in 2025.
The items testers recorded most often were tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (15.3%), brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick (9.9%) and condition has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (9.5%).
The MOT page lists every common Tarraco MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.
What to look at on a viewing
The Tarraco's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.
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Tyres
Check tread depth across the full width of every tyre (the legal minimum is 1.6mm), and look for cuts, bulges and uneven wear.34.1% of Tarraco 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.18.4% of Tarraco 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.12.6% of Tarraco failure items
SEAT Tarracos in the UK
12,997 were licensed at the end of June 2026. The number licensed has grown 212% since the end of 2019.
- Change since 2019
- +212%from 4,166 licensed
- Typical year of first use
- 2020half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2020 or earlier
- First registered in 2025
- 21against 4,439 in 2019
- Declared off the road
- 440.3% of those registered, under SORN
Licensed SEAT Tarracos since 2019
Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.
Show the figures
| Date | Licensed |
|---|---|
| End of 2019 | 4,166 |
| End of 2020 | 7,046 |
| End of 2021 | 9,089 |
| End of 2022 | 10,052 |
| End of 2023 | 11,357 |
| End of 2024 | 13,013 |
| End of 2025 | 13,111 |
| End of June 2026 | 12,997 |
How old they are
Licensed SEAT Tarracos by year of first use.
- Licensed at the end of 2025
- First registered that year
Show the figures
| First used | Licensed, end 2025 | First registered that year |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,766 | 1,831 |
| 2023 | 1,422 | 1,473 |
| 2022 | 1,066 | 1,146 |
| 2021 | 2,003 | 2,087 |
| 2020 | 2,681 | 2,824 |
| 2019 | 4,167 | 4,439 |
Tarraco engines and fuel
1.5 litre engines made up 54% of SEAT Tarraco MOT tests in 2025, followed by 2.0 litre at 46%. Petrol accounts for 59% of licensed Tarracos and diesel for 41%.
Engine size at MOT, 2025
Share of 10,122 initial MOT tests in 2025.
Fuel type, licensed Tarracos
DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.
| Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 7,633 | 59% |
| Diesel | 5,364 | 41% |
SEAT Tarraco recalls
8 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the SEAT Tarraco. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every Tarraco is affected.
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Oct 2026 R/2026/362
48T7 - Steering housing bolt Ateca and Tarraco
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- SEAT S.A. has identified that in vehicles manufactured during a specific production period there is a possibility that moisture ingress may cause corrosion of a steering mounting bolt. If this corrosion progresses the steering attachment may become compromised. This could ultimately lead to a loss of steering control and increase the risk of an accident.
- Remedy
- In affected vehicles this steering mounting bolt will be replaced with a bolt featuring enhanced corrosion resistance. If you notice unusual metallic rattling noises coming from the front axle area or any irregularities while steering you must not continue driving the vehicle. Park the vehicle safely and contact an authorised SEAT Service Partner immediately.
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Mar 2024 R/2024/116
Replacement of curtain airbag
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- In Terraco vehicles within a specified range of VINs curtain airbags with a defective gas generator may have been installed due to a manufacturing error. A defective gas generator may cause the airbag not to work correctly and therefore not provide the required level of protection. In the event of an accident where the curtain airbag is deployed components from the gas generator may become detached and injure vehicle passengers
- Remedy
- Replace curtain airbag
-
Jul 2023 R/2023/200
Possibility that four of the six welding points on the bottom connection of the impact beam for the rear left door are too small
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On vehicles manufactured in a specific period there is a possibility that four of the six welding points on the bottom connection of the impact beam for the rear left door are too small.
- Remedy
- The serial number of the rear left door must be checked and if necessary the rear left door must be replaced.
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Apr 2022 R/2022/088
In some vehiclesthe fuse in the high-voltage system has been produced in part with an insufficient amount of extinguishing sand
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- In some vehicles the fuse in the high-voltage system has been produced in part with an insufficient amount of extinguishing sand.
- Remedy
- An insulating mat must be placed above the switching unit for the high-voltage battery in all of the affected vehicles.
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Mar 2022 R/2022/076
Engine design covers could detach from their fixing
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- In some vehicles within the range of specified VINs it is possible that they have engine design covers installed that could detach from their fixing depending on use (very sporty driving or poor road conditions) and the operating time.
- Remedy
- The engine design cover must be removed on all affected vehicles.
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Feb 2020 R/2020/031
The fuel tank walls may not be to the correct thickness
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The specified wall thickness of the fuel tank can in some places fall below the threshold.
- Remedy
- For all affected vehicles the fuel tank has to be replaced
-
Sep 2019 R/2019/305
At low engine speeds the engine produces insufficient torque
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Too little torque may be provided by the engine at low engine speeds.
- Remedy
- On the affected vehicles the software of the engine control unit must be updated.
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Jul 2019 R/2019/230
Cracks in the right side of the seat frame/pan
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- There is a possibility that due to a manufacturing error there is a crack on the frame of the left front seat.
- Remedy
- Check and replace the seat frame if a crack is found.
Other SEAT models
The most-tested SEAT models in 2025, against the Tarraco's 84.8% MOT pass rate.
SEAT Tarraco FAQs
How many SEAT Tarracos are there in the UK?
12,997 SEAT Tarracos were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 44 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.
Is the SEAT Tarraco 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 an 84.8% first-time pass rate for the SEAT Tarraco across 10,122 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.
Has the SEAT Tarraco had any recalls?
8 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the SEAT Tarraco. The most recent was published in October 2026. 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 Tarraco?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: tyres, brakes and lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment. 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 Tarraco'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 a Tarraco?
Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.
Across the 1,548 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 October 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.