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Ford Focus vs SEAT Leon: which is the better used buy?

On DVSA MOT records the Ford Focus and the SEAT Leon are too close to call — 1.1 percentage points apart on first-time MOT passes once you allow for the age of each fleet, which is inside what the choice of cars counted can move. A winner is named only at 2 points or more. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure. Choose on the fault patterns and running costs below.

MOT first-time pass rate

Counted from DVSA’s anonymised MOT test records. “vs age-matched” compares each model against what the national fleet scores at the same age — the only fair better-or-worse number, because an older fleet fails more whatever its build quality.

Ford Focus
Pass rate74.7%
Age-matched national74.8%
Difference-0.1
Tests93,066
SEAT Leon
Pass rate80.1%
Age-matched national79.1%
Difference+1.0
Tests19,349

These figures count every generation still on the road, not only the one described below: mostly Ford Focus registered 2001–2022 and SEAT Leons registered 2007–2022.

Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0). National first-time pass rate 77.3%. Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a first-time pass; DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. The difference is worked out before rounding, so it can be 0.1 away from the two rounded figures beside it.

Ford Focus

Mk4, 2018–2025 · compact family hatch

The Mk4 Ford Focus (2018–2025) drives brilliantly. The critical check is the 1.0 EcoBoost engine: early non-hybrid cars have a wet cam belt that owners report failing, while the 2020-on mild hybrid uses a chain-driven camshaft. Best-buy: 2021+ mild hybrid. Worst: early 2019.

What goes wrong

  • Safety recall R/2022/171recall
    The right-hand engine oil seperator may have been damaged prior to engine assembly.
    9,818 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 4 February 2020 and 18 March 2021
    Smaller recall — 9,818 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • 1.0 EcoBoost wet-belt failurecritical
    Loss of compression; check engine; belt debris in oil; in worst case complete engine destruction
    Non-hybrid Mk4 1.0 EcoBoost with the original wet cam belt (2018 into 2019/2020). The mild hybrid (2020 on) uses a chain-driven camshaft; a smaller wet belt still drives the oil pump. The cut-over was not a clean model-year change, so confirm by engine code · On cars with the original wet cam belt, independent specialists advise changing it nearer 60,000 miles or 7 years than Ford's original interval · Belt + tensioner + labour: £700–£1,100 preventatively. Engine rebuild after failure: £4,500–£7,000.
    Check: Confirm the engine version by engine code. On an original wet-cam-belt car, ask for a dated invoice for the belt change; no record means budgeting for it now. On a mild hybrid, ask about the oil-pump belt. An oil-pan inspection at an independent garage is the best confirmation.
  • 1.5 EcoBlue diesel oil dilutionmajor
    Engine oil level rising between services; oil smells of diesel
    1.5 EcoBlue diesel, all years · Service interval reduction; in worst cases injector replacement £600–£1,200
    Check: Dipstick check pre-purchase: if oil level above max line, oil dilution is occurring.
  • Rear suspension bushing wearminor
    Knocking over rough surfaces; vague handling
    All Mk4 · 75,000+ miles · £250–£450
    Check: Rough-road portion of test drive.
Typical asking price:
£6,457–£15,495, median £9,490 (middle 80% and median, cars on Autoza on 29 October 2026)
Fuel economy:
44–51 mpg real-world for 1.0 EcoBoost 125PS
Vehicle tax:
£200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025 (2026/27 rates). A car registered from April 2017 that listed at over £40,000 new (options included) also pays the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 — it is the price when new that counts, not what you pay for it used.
Best years:
2021, 2022, 2023
Years to avoid:
early 2019
Used Ford Focus for saleFull Focus fault guideUsed Fords

Also compare:

SEAT Leon

Mk3 2012–2020, Mk4 2020+ · compact family hatchback / estate

The SEAT Leon is one of the UK's best-value compact hatches, sharing its MQB platform with the VW Golf. The Mk3 (2012–2020) is strong overall, but owners report DSG mechatronic faults and oil consumption on early TSI engines. The Mk4 (2020+) has better infotainment. Best buy: 2021+ Mk4 1.5 eTSI mild hybrid. Worst: no single year stands out on DVSA MOT results.

What goes wrong

  • Safety recall R/2023/273recall
    Front driver airbag replacement
    50,140 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 19 March 2012 and 18 April 2017
    Large recall — 50,140 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Safety recall R/2019/356recall
    Possible fault in a turn signal
    23,732 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 1 November 2016 and 5 July 2018
    Large recall — 23,732 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • 1.4 TSI timing belt (Mk3)major
    No warning before a belt fails; a failed belt can cause serious engine damage
    Mk3 1.2, 1.4 and 1.5 TSI (EA211 engines, including the 1.4 TSI ACT) — the camshafts are driven by a toothed belt, not a chain · £350–£600 belt and tensioner replacement at an independent specialist
    Check: Check the service history for the cambelt inspection or change at the interval SEAT's schedule sets for the engine code. No record on a high-mileage or older car means budgeting for it now.
  • DSG mechatronic unit (Mk3 2012–2016)major
    Judder or shudder from standstill; harsh downshift; gearbox warning light
    Mk3 2012–2016 automatics: the 7-speed dry-clutch DQ200 on the smaller TSI petrols and 1.6 TDI, the 6-speed wet-clutch DQ250 on the 2.0 TDI and Cupra · Above 50,000 miles · £600–£1,200 mechatronic repair; £2,000–£3,500 full DSG replacement
    Check: Confirm which gearbox the car has from its engine, then test in slow traffic and from cold. The wet-clutch DQ250 has a scheduled gearbox oil change, so look for it in the history; the dry-clutch DQ200 has none. A fluid change (£200–£300) often helps early-stage judder.
Typical asking price:
£4,995–£11,995, median £7,495 (middle 80% and median, cars on Autoza on 29 October 2026)
Fuel economy:
44–51 mpg (1.5 eTSI mild hybrid, real-world UK mixed); 54–63 mpg (1.6 TDI diesel)
Vehicle tax:
£200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. A car registered from April 2017 with a list price over £40,000 when new adds the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 (£640 in all). Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).
Best years:
2021, 2022, 2023
Used SEAT Leons for saleFull Leon fault guideUsed SEATs

Also compare:

Which one suits you

Ford Focus

Good for: Driver-focused family buyers; commuters wanting small petrol; buyers who can verify wet-belt change documentation.

Less good for: Anyone considering an early non-hybrid 1.0 EcoBoost without belt-change evidence.

SEAT Leon

Good for: Buyers wanting Golf-level engineering at a lower price. Family buyers who need the Leon ST (estate) for boot space. Performance fans who want the CUPRA Leon. Buyers doing mixed town/motorway commutes.

Less good for: Buyers who want the simplest possible ownership — the Golf has better dealer network depth in the UK. Mk3 DSG buyers doing city-only miles with no gearbox history. Buyers of an older TSI with no record of a cambelt inspection or change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is more reliable, the Ford Focus or the SEAT Leon?
Neither stands out on the MOT measure. Their first-time MOT pass rates sit 1.1 percentage points apart once each is compared against the national rate for cars of the same age, which is too close to call (we name a winner only at 2 points or more). A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure. The MOT checks safety and emissions items, not the engine, clutch or gearbox, so this is one measure of how each car holds up rather than a full reliability verdict. Pick on the specific faults each is prone to instead.
How do the MOT pass rates of the Ford Focus and the SEAT Leon compare?
74.7% of Ford Focus pass their MOT first time (93,066 tests in DVSA's records) and 80.1% of SEAT Leons pass their MOT first time (19,349 tests). The national first-time rate is 77.3%, but cars of the Ford Focus's age average 74.8% and cars of the SEAT Leon's age 79.1% — so the Ford Focus runs 0.1 points worse than its age group and the SEAT Leon runs 1.0 points better than its own. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.
Which years of the Ford Focus and SEAT Leon should I avoid?
Ford Focus: Early Mk4 1.0 EcoBoost wet-belt failures were catastrophic when they occurred — £4,000+ engine rebuild on a £15k car. The DVSA MOT table on this page rates 2018 registrations above all cars registered that year, so it is not named as a year to avoid. SEAT Leon: Early Mk3 (2013–2014) cars are the oldest and highest-mileage Leons on sale, and their automatics carry the most owner reports of DSG judder. The 1.4 TSI has a toothed timing belt, not a chain, so check when it was last inspected or changed. The DVSA MOT table on this page rates 2013 and 2014 registrations above all cars registered those years, so they are not named as years to avoid. Judge a Leon by its registration, service history and the checks below rather than by year.
Is the Ford Focus or the SEAT Leon cheaper to run?
On fuel the SEAT Leon has the edge: its most economical version returns up to 63 mpg, against up to 51 mpg for the Ford Focus, on the figures in our model guides. For cars registered from April 2017, vehicle tax works the same way for both: the £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included, plus the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 on a car that listed at over £40,000 new — the price when new, not what you pay for it used. Any Ford Focus or SEAT Leon registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pays a CO2 band instead, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates). Insurance differs mainly by driver and postcode rather than by model, so treat any model-level insurance figure with caution.

MOT figures are counted from DVSA records and are the only measured statistic here. Prices, economy and tax bands are indicative and vary by specification, condition and where the car has lived. Last reviewed: 2026-10-06 / 2026-10-06.