Fiat 500
From 455,896 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer 500s fare better: 2021 models pass at 85.4% vs 67.8% for 2008.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a shock absorber bush excessively worn and a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 29,826 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 suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 29,826 |
| a shock absorber bush excessively worn | 12,904 |
| a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage | 8,324 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 8,274 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 8,253 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 6,751 |
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 6,223 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 5,970 |
| exhaust system leaking or insecure | 5,361 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 5,267 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 51.7% of 500 failures are safety items (worn brakes, tyre damage, steering play). The car still drives, but you shouldn't. Only 14.1% are the kind that would actually strand you. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £128.
The warranty question
A 3-year-old 500 passes its MOT 89.9% of the time. By 7 years old that drops to 77.5%, a 12.4 percentage point fall, right as the manufacturer warranty runs out. At 10 years it's down to 73.4%. With an average repair bill of £128 when things go wrong, an extended warranty can make sense on a 500 that's past its third birthday.
Fuel type matters
Petrol versions pass at 75.1% while Diesel versions pass at 69.7%, a 5 percentage point gap.
Fiat 500 on UK roads
The fleet is growing: 4,985 newly registered in the past year with 4,012 leaving, a net gain of 973. Currently at its highest numbers ever.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 401,169 | 10,785 | +232 | -2,102 | -1,870 |
| 2025 Q2 | 403,509 | 10,315 | +201 | -502 | -301 |
| 2025 Q1 | 404,104 | 10,021 | +2,720 | -670 | +2,050 |
| 2024 Q4 | 403,139 | 8,936 | +1,832 | -738 | +1,094 |
| 2024 Q3 | 403,135 | 7,846 | +3,059 | -1,448 | +1,611 |
| 2024 Q2 | 401,924 | 7,446 | +2,476 | -797 | +1,679 |
| 2024 Q1 | 399,937 | 7,754 | +4,783 | -2,084 | +2,699 |
| 2023 Q4 | 397,780 | 7,212 | +2,046 | -770 | +1,276 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 Lounge | Diesel | 107,708 | 34% |
| 500 Pop | Petrol | 44,193 | 14% |
| 500 S | Petrol | 27,029 | 9% |
| 500 Lounge Rhd | Petrol | 21,035 | 7% |
| 500 Dolcevita Mhev | Petrol | 15,571 | 5% |
| 500 Mhev | Petrol | 14,588 | 5% |
| 500 Lounge S-A | Petrol | 12,199 | 4% |
| 500 Pop Rhd | Diesel | 10,796 | 3% |
| 500 C Lounge | Petrol | 10,770 | 3% |
| 500 Colour Therapy | Diesel | 9,655 | 3% |
| 500 Pop Star | Petrol | 7,861 | 2% |
| 500 Lounge Mhev | Petrol | 6,534 | 2% |
| 500 Top Mhev | Petrol | 4,732 | 1% |
| 500 Sport | Petrol | 4,151 | 1% |
| 500X Pop Star Multiair | Petrol | 3,956 | 1% |
| 500E La Prima | Battery Electric | 3,584 | 1% |
| 500 Lounge Twinair | Petrol | 3,542 | 1% |
| 500E Icon | Battery Electric | 3,424 | 1% |
| 500X Cross + Multijet | Diesel | 2,985 | <1% |
| 500X Cross Multijet | Diesel | 2,934 | <1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 85.4% | wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, wiper blade defective |
| 2020 | 89.9% | a tyre cords visible or damaged, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2019 | 86.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2018 | 83.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre seriously damaged |
11 earlier years
| 2017 | 80.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2016 | 77.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a shock absorber bush excessively worn |
| 2015 | 74.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a shock absorber bush excessively worn |
| 2014 | 73.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a shock absorber bush excessively worn |
| 2013 | 73.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a shock absorber bush excessively worn |
| 2012 | 71.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a shock absorber bush excessively worn |
| 2011 | 70.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a shock absorber bush excessively worn |
| 2010 | 69.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2009 | 68.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2008 | 67.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2007 | 68.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, exhaust system leaking or insecure |
Typical mileage
Half of all 500s tested had between 69,787 and 95,518 miles on the clock.
At 82,753 median miles, the 500 has 0.03 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Fiat models
| Fiat Ducato | 75.4% |
| Fiat Panda | 71.7% |
| Fiat Punto | 65.7% |
| Fiat Doblo | 71.6% |
| Fiat 500X | 80.1% |
Common questions
What is the Fiat 500 MOT pass rate?
The Fiat 500 has a 75% MOT pass rate based on 455,896 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Fiat 500?
The most common MOT failure on the Fiat 500 is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 29,826 failures. Other common issues include a shock absorber bush excessively worn.
How many Fiat 500s are on UK roads?
There are 401,169 Fiat 500s currently licensed on UK roads, with 10,785 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Fiat 500 at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Fiat 500 is 82,753 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 69,787 and 95,518 miles.
Buying a used 500?
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.
With a 75% pass rate and an average repair bill of £128 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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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.