Fiat 124
From 4,909 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, a tyre seriously damaged and wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen. The top issue, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, caused 85 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 85 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 65 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 64 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 42 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 40 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 40 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 34 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 30 |
| significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake | 25 |
| brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured | 23 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 46.7% of 124 failures are safety items (worn brakes, tyre damage, steering play). The car still drives, but you shouldn't. Only 9.4% are the kind that would actually strand you. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £102.
Fiat 124 on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 28 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 7 newly registered, a net loss of 21.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 2,844 | 227 | +2 | -15 | -13 |
| 2025 Q2 | 2,864 | 220 | +1 | -0 | +8 |
| 2025 Q1 | 2,804 | 272 | +1 | -0 | +14 |
| 2024 Q4 | 2,808 | 254 | +3 | -13 | -10 |
| 2024 Q3 | 2,866 | 206 | +1 | -22 | -21 |
| 2024 Q2 | 2,907 | 186 | +0 | -0 | +31 |
| 2024 Q1 | 2,869 | 193 | +4 | -0 | +17 |
| 2023 Q4 | 2,819 | 226 | +1 | -22 | -21 |
7 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 124 Spider Lusso Multiair | Petrol | 999 | 36% |
| 124 Spider Lusso + Multiair | Petrol | 825 | 29% |
| 124 Spider Classica Multiair | Petrol | 423 | 15% |
| 124 | Diesel | 174 | 6% |
| 124 Spider Lusso + Multiair A | Petrol | 150 | 5% |
| 124 Spider S-Design | Petrol | 118 | 4% |
| 124 Spider Anniv Edit Multiair | Petrol | 109 | 4% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 88.4% | a tyre seriously damaged, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2017 | 87.9% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2016 | 86.7% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
Typical mileage
Half of all 124s tested had between 18,019 and 34,874 miles on the clock. Relatively low mileage overall. Many are still fairly young.
At 29,459 median miles, the 124 has 0.042 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Fiat models
| Fiat 500 | 75% |
| Fiat Ducato | 75.4% |
| Fiat Panda | 71.7% |
| Fiat Punto | 65.7% |
| Fiat Doblo | 71.6% |
Common questions
What is the Fiat 124 MOT pass rate?
The Fiat 124 has a 87.7% MOT pass rate based on 4,909 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Fiat 124?
The most common MOT failure on the Fiat 124 is a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, which caused 85 failures. Other common issues include a tyre seriously damaged.
How many Fiat 124s are on UK roads?
There are 2,844 Fiat 124s currently licensed on UK roads, with 227 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Fiat 124 at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Fiat 124 is 29,459 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 18,019 and 34,874 miles.
Buying a used 124?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.