Verdict
The Fiat 500L passes its MOT first time on 68.4% of tests, 6.7 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (75.1%). 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 2013 500L does best (beats 22% of cars) and the 2015 worst (beats 6%).
Of its engines, the 1.6 Diesel does best (beats 14%) and the 1.4 Petrol worst (beats 9%).
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 Diesel | 68.7% | Beats 14% | E |
| 1.4 Petrol | 70.7% | Beats 9% | E |
| 1.6 Diesel | 66.1% | Beats 14% | E |
| 0.9 Petrol | 65.3% | Beats 16% | 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
- Coil springs 2.2× typical
Look behind each wheel for a snapped coil (often the bottom one) and listen for clunks over bumps. - Suspension arm bushes 3.9× typical
Listen for knocks over speed bumps and feel for wandering or vague steering. - Brake lights 2.1× typical
Walk around with the lights on: bulb failures are the easiest MOT fails to avoid. - Handbrake performance 3.6× typical
Check the handbrake holds the car firmly on a slope. - Windscreen wipers 1.6× typical
Test the washers and wipers: a cheap fix, but a very common MOT fail. - Track rod ends 1.9× typical
Feel for play or knocking in the steering and check for wear on the inner edges of the front tyres.
Pass rate by mileage
First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.
Most common MOT failures
| Item | This car | Typical | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coil springs | 4.9% | 2.2% | 2.2× |
| Tyre damage & cracking | 4.0% | 3.3% | 1.2× |
| Brake lights | 3.5% | 1.7% | 2.1× |
| Headlight aim | 3.4% | 2.5% | 1.4× |
| Suspension arm bushes | 3.2% | 0.8% | 3.9× |
| Windscreen wipers | 3.2% | 2.1% | 1.6× |
| Brake pads | 2.8% | 2.0% | 1.4× |
| Handbrake performance | 2.5% | 0.7% | 3.6× |
| Headlight bulbs & units | 2.3% | 1.6% | 1.5× |
| Tyre tread depth | 2.3% | 2.4% | 1.0× |
Specific defects found
Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.
| Defect | per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 49.1 |
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 40.4 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 34.3 |
| Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 34.2 |
| Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 31.9 |
| A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 27.2 |
| A tyre seriously damaged | 24.5 |
| Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 23.7 |
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 500L1 engine73.2% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 73.2% | Beats 0% | E |
2017 Fiat 500L2 engines72.2% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 70.6% | Beats 0% | E |
| 1.2 Diesel | 74.7% | Beats 3% | E |
2016 Fiat 500L3 engines73.1% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Diesel | 72.4% | Beats 2% | E |
| 1.4 Petrol | 74.7% | Beats 4% | E |
| 1.6 Diesel | 71.5% | Beats 6% | E |
2015 Fiat 500L3 engines71.6% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Diesel | 71.4% | Beats 6% | E |
| 1.4 Petrol | 73.9% | Beats 8% | E |
| 1.6 Diesel | 69.3% | Beats 6% | E |
2014 Fiat 500L4 engines67.9% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Diesel | 68.3% | Beats 14% | E |
| 1.6 Diesel | 65.4% | Beats 12% | E |
| 1.4 Petrol | 70.0% | Beats 12% | E |
| 0.9 Petrol | 71.2% | Beats 18% | E |
2013 Fiat 500L4 engines66.7% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 Diesel | 66.6% | Beats 23% | D |
| 1.4 Petrol | 68.1% | Beats 20% | D |
| 1.6 Diesel | 65.0% | Beats 20% | D |
| 0.9 Petrol | 70.0% | Beats 31% | D |
2012 Fiat 500L1 engine61.8% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.9 Petrol | 61.8% | Beats 9% | E |
2011 Fiat 500L1 engine61.2% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.9 Petrol | 61.2% | Beats 14% | E |
FAQ
What is the Fiat 500L MOT pass rate?
68.4% of MOT tests on the Fiat 500L were passed first time, based on 180,611 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2011–2018. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 75.1% of the time.
Is the Fiat 500L 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 500L year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2013 500L does best for its age and mileage: it beats 22% of cars on UK roads. The 2015 does worst: it beats 6%.
Which Fiat 500L engine is best?
Across all years, the 1.6 Diesel does best: it beats 14% of cars on UK roads. The 1.4 Petrol does worst: it beats 9%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Fiat 500L?
The most common failure items are coil springs, tyre damage & cracking, brake lights. Compared with similar cars, coil springs comes up 2.2× as often.