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What to check: SEAT Tarraco

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Ranked across all years of the SEAT Tarraco, 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.

DampersRuns high on this modelLook 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 8.9% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.3%

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 7.5% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 5.9%

Warning lights on ignitionRuns high on this modelTurn the ignition on without starting the engine and watch the dash. Every warning light should appear, then go out once it is running. Be more suspicious of a light that never comes on at all than of one that stays on; warning bulbs have been known to vanish before a sale.Recorded on 3.0% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.2%

Lights and horn walkroundWith a helper, run every light: dipped, main beam, indicators, brake lights including the high-level one, reverse, fog, and the horn. On newer cars a dead LED section can mean replacing the whole lamp unit rather than a bulb.Recorded on 0.8% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.0%

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 32.6% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 20.1%

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 14.7% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 8.7%

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 2.0% 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 it stone cold and pull away gently, ideally on a slight incline.Hopping, hesitation or a jerky clutch bite in the first minute or two is the 1.5 TSI kangarooing fault.

On DSG cars, do several stop-start pulls away from rest.Any shudder, delay or a gearbox warning light points to DQ381 clutch pack or mechatronic wear.

Drive slowly over speed humps and a rough patch of road with the radio off.Knocks, creaks or a rattle under light acceleration suggest the front suspension wear reported by owners.

Pair a phone over CarPlay or Android Auto and use the touchscreen for a few minutes.Freezing, lag or a dropped connection is the known MIB3 infotainment gremlin.

Run the registration through the DVSA recall checker before you view the car.An outstanding fuel tank or curtain airbag recall means it has not had a mandatory free fix.

Ask to see the service history for any software or ECU update entries.No update recorded despite juddering symptoms means the free fix has not been done yet.

Check the MOT history for repeated suspension advisories.The same component flagged two or three years running lines up with the measured suspension fault for this class of car.

Full SEAT Tarraco reliability report