Fiat 500C Reliability: MOT Pass Rate by Year & Engine

Verdict

The Fiat 500C passes its MOT first time on 69.9% of tests, 6.9 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (76.8%). That puts it ahead of 10% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.

By year of first registration, the 2014 500C does best (beats 10% of cars) and the 2015 worst (beats 4%).

Of its engines, the 0.9 Petrol does best (beats 11%) and the 1.2 Petrol worst (beats 10%).

Better than average on steering.

Watch these weak spots

Suspension2.1×as often as a typical car

Body & structure1.4×as often as a typical car

Shock absorbers8.9×as often as a typical car

Suspension arm bushes5.0×as often as a typical car

MOT pass rate by age

First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.

Fiat 500CTypical car, same age & mileage

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.

Beats 15%

Beats 14%

Beats 13%

Beats 12%

Beats 15%

Beats 10%

Beats 4%

Beats 7%

Beats 10%

Beats 23%

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	Years	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	2009–2018	111,976	69.9%	Beats 10%	E
0.9 Petrol	2011–2017	25,491	70.6%	Beats 11%	E
1.4 Petrol	2010–2010	1,563	59.3%	Beats 19%	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.

Better than typicalTypicalWorse than typical

Suspension: 13.2% of tests fail on suspension, against 6.3% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.

Every MOT area

Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).

Suspension

13.2% vs 6.3%

Lights & electrics

9.7% vs 8.1%

Tyres

6.5% vs 5.3%

Brakes

5.4% vs 4.6%

Visibility

5.0% vs 4.1%

Body & structure

2.7% vs 1.9%

Emissions & leaks

2.0% vs 1.7%

Seat belts & airbags

0.4% vs 0.5%

Steering

0.3% vs 1.1%

Wheels

0.1% vs 0.2%

Buying one or MOT due? Check these

Shock absorbers 8.9× typical
Push down hard on each corner: it should rebound once and settle. Look for oily dampers.
Suspension arm bushes 5.0× typical
Listen for knocks over speed bumps and feel for wandering or vague steering.
Handbrake performance 2.6× typical
Check the handbrake holds the car firmly on a slope.
Headlight bulbs & units 1.5× typical
Check dipped and main beam on both sides.
Exhaust emissions (catalyst) 2.3× typical
Check past MOT emissions readings in the car's history: rising readings can mean catalyst or sensor problems.
Number plate lights 1.9× typical
Walk around with the lights on: bulb failures are the easiest MOT fails to avoid.

Pass rate by mileage

First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.

Fiat 500CTypical car

Most common MOT failures

Item	This car	Typical	vs typical
Shock absorbers	6.7%	0.8%	8.9×
Tyre damage & cracking	4.3%	3.1%	1.4×
Suspension arm bushes	3.9%	0.8%	5.0×
Headlight aim	2.7%	2.2%	1.2×
Windscreen wipers	2.5%	2.1%	1.2×
Windscreen washers	2.2%	1.7%	1.3×
Suspension ball joints	2.1%	1.0%	2.1×
Headlight bulbs & units	2.1%	1.3%	1.5×
Tyre tread depth	2.1%	1.8%	1.1×
Brake lights	1.9%	1.6%	1.2×

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	61.2
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage	41.5
A shock absorber bush excessively worn	28.8
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements	27.1
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen	25.2
A tyre seriously damaged	24.3
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen	22.3
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements	20.5

Check another car

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.

2018 Fiat 500C1 engine84.5% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	3,044	84.5%	Beats 23%	D

2017 Fiat 500C2 engines81.2% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	8,754	81.2%	Beats 10%	E
0.9 Petrol	1,951	80.9%	Beats 9%	E

2016 Fiat 500C2 engines77.8% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	14,725	77.7%	Beats 7%	E
0.9 Petrol	2,549	78.2%	Beats 7%	E

2015 Fiat 500C2 engines73.3% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	18,686	73.2%	Beats 4%	E
0.9 Petrol	3,650	73.7%	Beats 3%	E

2014 Fiat 500C2 engines72.4% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	16,040	72.0%	Beats 9%	E
0.9 Petrol	4,169	73.8%	Beats 15%	E

2013 Fiat 500C2 engines69.5% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	13,469	69.1%	Beats 14%	E
0.9 Petrol	3,941	70.7%	Beats 18%	E

2012 Fiat 500C2 engines65.0% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	13,773	64.4%	Beats 11%	E
0.9 Petrol	5,239	66.5%	Beats 15%	E

2011 Fiat 500C2 engines61.3% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	7,279	62.0%	Beats 16%	E
0.9 Petrol	3,992	59.9%	Beats 9%	E

2010 Fiat 500C2 engines57.3% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	10,668	57.0%	Beats 13%	E
1.4 Petrol	1,563	59.3%	Beats 19%	E

2009 Fiat 500C1 engine55.7% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	5,538	55.7%	Beats 15%	E

FAQ

What is the Fiat 500C MOT pass rate?

69.9% of MOT tests on the Fiat 500C were passed first time, based on 139,030 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2009–2018. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 76.8% of the time.

Is the Fiat 500C 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 10% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.

Which Fiat 500C year is best?

Among years with enough data, the 2014 500C does best for its age and mileage: it beats 10% of cars on UK roads. The 2015 does worst: it beats 4%.

Which Fiat 500C engine is best?

Across all years, the 0.9 Petrol does best: it beats 11% of cars on UK roads. The 1.2 Petrol does worst: it beats 10%.

What are the most common MOT failures on the Fiat 500C?

The most common failure items are shock absorbers, tyre damage & cracking, suspension arm bushes. Compared with similar cars, shock absorbers comes up 8.9× as often.

How we calculate this. We use official MOT results for cars tested in Great Britain from 2018 to 2026. Each car is compared with typical cars of the same age and mileage, so old and new cars are judged fairly; “pts” are percentage points above or below them. Differences also reflect how cars are used and maintained, not only how they are built.

Fiat 500C reliability

Verdict

Watch these weak spots

MOT pass rate by age

Best and worst years

Engines

Where it fails

Every MOT area

Buying one or MOT due? Check these

Pass rate by mileage

Most common MOT failures

Specific defects found

Every year and engine

FAQ