Seat Ibiza (1999)

6,021 real MOT outcomes analysed • 68.3% first-time pass rate

1999 Seat Ibiza

CarHunch analysed 6,021 real MOT records for the 1999 Seat Ibiza. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.

Below average reliability 11.7% below UK average
68.3%
pass MOT first time
UK average: ~80%
74,984
typical mileage
60,613–90,266 middle half
20.7%
ever had a dangerous defect
recorded at any MOT
3.36
avg MOT failures per car
over 10.1 tests on record

Petrol vs Diesel

Pass rate difference of 1.8 percentage points — worth knowing if you're choosing between the two.

68.4%
Petrol
5,509 vehicles
66.6%
Diesel
510 vehicles

What to check before buying a 1999 Seat Ibiza

Practical pre-purchase checks for this age and model.

  • 📋 Check the full MOT history. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. Enter the reg below for a full AI analysis.
  • 🔍 Inspect for corrosion in person. Brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that's expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.
  • 🛞 Check tyres and brakes. The most common advisory items at this age. Budget for replacement if they're near the limit — factor this into your offer price.
  • ⚠️ 20.7% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Enter the reg below — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.
  • 📄 Run an HPI check. The MOT history won't show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status — an HPI check will.

Before you buy a Seat Ibiza

MOT history is one piece of the puzzle. These checks can reveal what CarHunch can't.

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Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type Vehicles Pass rate Avg failures
Petrol (91%) 5,509 68.4% 3.33
Diesel (8%) 510 66.6% 3.76
Other (0%) 1 100% 0
LPG (0%) 1 62.5% 3

Mileage Distribution

Most 1999 Seat Ibiza vehicles sit in the blue band. If the car you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

60,613
low mileage
74,984
typical
90,266
high mileage

Half of all 1999 Seat Ibiza vehicles fall between 60,613 and 90,266 miles.

1999 Seat Ibiza — Still on the Road

Numbers are declining — 83 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2024 (5% of peak).

1,527 83 2014 2024

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2024.

MOT History Averages

10.1
Avg MOT tests per vehicle
3.36
Avg failures per vehicle
12.5
Avg advisories per vehicle

Most Common MOT Issues — 1999 Seat Ibiza

Based on actual MOT test records for this model. Percentage shows how often each item appears across all vehicles in this cohort.

  • 55.7%
    Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
  • 52.9%
    Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
  • 41.4%
    Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit
  • 37.2%
    Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit
  • 31.6%
    Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm
  • 30.3%
    Oil leak
  • 29.5%
    Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases
  • 27.7%
    Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1999. Counts include advisories and failures.

Found a specific Seat Ibiza?

Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.

UK

Other model years — Seat Ibiza:

1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023