Verdict
The Fiat 500 passes its MOT first time on 69.9% of tests, 6.5 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (76.4%). That puts it ahead of 12% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2008 500 does best (beats 29% of cars) and the 2015 worst (beats 4%).
Of its engines, the 1.0 Petrol does best (beats 17%) and the 1.2 Petrol worst (beats 11%).
Better than average on steering.
Watch these weak spots
MOT pass rate by age
First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.
Best and worst years
By year of first registration, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.
Engines
All years, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 69.7% | Beats 11% | E |
| 0.9 Petrol | 68.9% | Beats 12% | E |
| 1.0 Petrol | 87.3% | Beats 17% | E |
| 1.4 Petrol | 59.1% | Beats 25% | D |
| 1.2 Diesel | 56.3% | Beats 24% | D |
| 1.6 Diesel | 63.0% | Beats 5% | E |
Where it fails
Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.
Every MOT area
Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).
Buying one or MOT due? Check these
- Shock absorbers 6.5× typical
Push down hard on each corner: it should rebound once and settle. Look for oily dampers. - Suspension arm bushes 5.3× typical
Listen for knocks over speed bumps and feel for wandering or vague steering. - Handbrake performance 2.8× typical
Check the handbrake holds the car firmly on a slope. - Exhaust system 2.3× typical
Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look for heavy corrosion underneath. - Windscreen washers 1.5× typical
Test the washers and wipers: a cheap fix, but a very common MOT fail. - Headlight bulbs & units 1.6× typical
Check dipped and main beam on both sides.
Pass rate by mileage
First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.
Most common MOT failures
| Item | This car | Typical | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shock absorbers | 5.0% | 0.8% | 6.5× |
| Suspension arm bushes | 4.3% | 0.8% | 5.3× |
| Tyre damage & cracking | 3.9% | 3.2% | 1.2× |
| Headlight aim | 3.1% | 2.4% | 1.3× |
| Windscreen wipers | 2.6% | 2.2% | 1.2× |
| Windscreen washers | 2.6% | 1.7% | 1.5× |
| Tyre tread depth | 2.4% | 1.9% | 1.2× |
| Headlight bulbs & units | 2.3% | 1.4% | 1.6× |
| Suspension ball joints | 2.2% | 1.1% | 2.1× |
| Handbrake performance | 2.0% | 0.7% | 2.8× |
Specific defects found
Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.
| Defect | per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 64.7 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 31.1 |
| A shock absorber bush excessively worn | 27.6 |
| Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 25.8 |
| Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 25.8 |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 23.6 |
| A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage | 23.5 |
| A tyre seriously damaged | 20.8 |
Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.
Every year and engine
Tap a year to see its engines. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
2023 Fiat 5001 engine90.3% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 90.3% | Beats 58% | C |
2022 Fiat 5001 engine89.1% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 89.1% | Beats 31% | D |
2021 Fiat 5001 engine86.9% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 86.9% | Beats 16% | E |
2020 Fiat 5003 engines85.4% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 85.2% | Beats 11% | E |
| 1.0 Petrol | 85.5% | Beats 7% | E |
| 0.9 Petrol | 87.2% | Beats 18% | E |
2019 Fiat 5003 engines83.9% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 84.0% | Beats 9% | E |
| 0.9 Petrol | 84.6% | Beats 12% | E |
| 1.4 Petrol | 76.0% | Beats 0% | E |
2018 Fiat 5003 engines82.1% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 82.2% | Beats 9% | E |
| 0.9 Petrol | 82.2% | Beats 9% | E |
| 1.4 Petrol | 75.2% | Beats 0% | E |
2017 Fiat 5002 engines79.7% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 79.8% | Beats 8% | E |
| 0.9 Petrol | 78.3% | Beats 4% | E |
2016 Fiat 5002 engines76.3% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 76.3% | Beats 5% | E |
| 0.9 Petrol | 77.1% | Beats 6% | E |
2015 Fiat 5002 engines72.6% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 72.5% | Beats 3% | E |
| 0.9 Petrol | 74.6% | Beats 6% | E |
2014 Fiat 5004 engines70.3% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 70.2% | Beats 7% | E |
| 0.9 Petrol | 72.2% | Beats 15% | E |
| 1.2 Diesel | 67.3% | Beats 12% | E |
| 1.6 Diesel | 63.0% | Beats 5% | E |
2013 Fiat 5003 engines68.1% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 67.9% | Beats 13% | E |
| 0.9 Petrol | 70.5% | Beats 22% | D |
| 1.2 Diesel | 69.3% | Beats 40% | C |
2012 Fiat 5002 engines64.5% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 64.6% | Beats 15% | E |
| 0.9 Petrol | 64.0% | Beats 12% | E |
2011 Fiat 5004 engines61.2% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 61.5% | Beats 16% | E |
| 0.9 Petrol | 59.7% | Beats 10% | E |
| 1.4 Petrol | 60.4% | Beats 11% | E |
| 1.2 Diesel | 60.2% | Beats 21% | D |
2010 Fiat 5004 engines59.0% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 59.1% | Beats 20% | E |
| 1.4 Petrol | 60.0% | Beats 18% | E |
| 1.2 Diesel | 54.0% | Beats 16% | E |
| 0.9 Petrol | 55.9% | Beats 7% | E |
2009 Fiat 5003 engines56.5% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 56.5% | Beats 21% | D |
| 1.4 Petrol | 59.1% | Beats 29% | D |
| 1.2 Diesel | 53.2% | Beats 21% | D |
2008 Fiat 5003 engines55.5% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Petrol | 55.4% | Beats 27% | D |
| 1.4 Petrol | 57.0% | Beats 32% | D |
| 1.2 Diesel | 53.8% | Beats 30% | D |
2007 Fiat 5001 engine51.7% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 51.7% | Beats 21% | D |
FAQ
What is the Fiat 500 MOT pass rate?
69.9% of MOT tests on the Fiat 500 were passed first time, based on 2,586,188 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2007–2023. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 76.4% of the time.
Is the Fiat 500 reliable?
On MOT results it rates E (poor): it passes first time less often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 12% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Fiat 500 year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2008 500 does best for its age and mileage: it beats 29% of cars on UK roads. The 2015 does worst: it beats 4%.
Which Fiat 500 engine is best?
Across all years, the 1.0 Petrol does best: it beats 17% of cars on UK roads. The 1.2 Petrol does worst: it beats 11%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Fiat 500?
The most common failure items are shock absorbers, suspension arm bushes, tyre damage & cracking. Compared with similar cars, shock absorbers comes up 6.5× as often.