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What to check: SEAT Arona

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Ranked across all years of the SEAT Arona, from its own MOT record and from what owners report. Tick it off at the car.

From this model's MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

Rubber boots and gaitersRuns high on this modelOn full steering lock, look in behind each front wheel at the concertina rubber boots on the driveshafts and steering rack. Splits, or grease flung around the arch, mean dirt is getting into a joint that costs far more than the boot protecting it.Recorded on 12.1% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.7%

Bushes and ball jointsDrive slowly over broken tarmac with the windows down and listen for clonks from either end. Back at the car, have someone rock the steering wheel while you rest a hand on each front wheel; play you can feel through the tyre is a worn joint.Recorded on 2.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 5.9%

A binding brakeRuns high on this modelAfter the test drive, hold the back of your hand near each wheel hub. One wheel running much hotter than the rest is a sticking caliper. A car that slows itself down when you lift off on a flat road is saying the same thing.Recorded on 1.1% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.6%

DampersLook for oil misting on the damper body behind each wheel, then push down hard on each corner of the car. It should settle in one bounce. A floaty or crashy ride on the test drive is the same fault felt from the driver's seat.Recorded on 1.4% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.3%

Coil springsLook through the wheel spokes at the bottom coil of each spring; when springs snap it is usually there, and the break is visible. Step back and check the car sits level too. A dropped corner is often a broken spring.Recorded on 1.1% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.4%

Steering playWith the engine running and the car parked, waggle the wheel lightly about the straight-ahead. The wheels should respond almost at once. A dead zone before anything happens means wear in the rack or the track rod ends.Recorded on 1.1% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.1%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller's upkeep rather than the model.

Tyres, all fourRuns high on this modelCheck the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 21.8% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 11.1%

Pads and discsRuns high on this modelLook through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 18.4% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 10.1%

Windscreen and wipersScan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 1.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.0%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the owner reports rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

Start the engine stone cold and pull away gently in first gear.Any stutter, bump or hesitation before it settles points to the 1.5 TSI cold-start issue.

Turn the wheel to full lock at walking pace, both directions.A squeak or click from underneath is worth checking as a driveshaft gaiter issue, look for a split boot on the ramp if you can.

On an automatic, do a proper test drive including a hill start and a stop-start cycle in traffic.Hesitation on pull-away or a shudder changing gear at low speed suggests DSG clutch pack or mechatronic wear.

Check the middle rear seatbelt buckle clicks in firmly and stays latched.If it's loose or pops open, the 2018 recall fix may not have been done, or done properly.

Try the touchscreen on a warm day, or after the car's been sat in the sun.Screen freezing, going black or restarting itself is a reported heat-related fault.

Pull the full service history and look for very early repairs, clutch, injectors, anything before 10,000 miles.A car that needed a big-ticket repair when almost new may have had a rough start generally.

Run the registration through the official DVSA recall checker before you view.Confirms the seatbelt recall and any other outstanding safety work was actually completed, not just scheduled.

Full SEAT Arona reliability report