Fiat Panda
From 146,414 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Pandas fare better: 2021 models pass at 88.3% vs 61.9% for 2004.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements and a shock absorber bush excessively worn. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 9,420 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 | 9,420 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 5,018 |
| a shock absorber bush excessively worn | 4,165 |
| a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage | 3,168 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 2,888 |
| exhaust system leaking or insecure | 2,749 |
| the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired | 2,659 |
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 2,601 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 2,514 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 2,441 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 29.5% of Panda failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 32% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. Breakdown cover may be worth considering for this model. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £150.
The warranty question
A new Panda passes its MOT 91.7% of the time. By 7 years old that drops to 78.9%, a 12.8 percentage point fall, right as the manufacturer warranty runs out. At 10 years it's down to 74.4%. With an average repair bill of £150 when things go wrong, an extended warranty can make sense on a Panda that's past its third birthday.
Fiat Panda on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 4,619 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 20 newly registered, a net loss of 4,599. At this rate, roughly 19.3 years until none remain. Now at 82.7% of its peak (107,291 in 2017 Q4).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 81,453 | 7,290 | +1 | -1,274 | -1,273 |
| 2025 Q2 | 82,914 | 7,102 | +0 | -978 | -978 |
| 2025 Q1 | 84,073 | 6,921 | +1 | -1,218 | -1,217 |
| 2024 Q4 | 85,527 | 6,684 | +18 | -1,149 | -1,131 |
| 2024 Q3 | 86,978 | 6,364 | +79 | -1,094 | -1,015 |
| 2024 Q2 | 88,151 | 6,206 | +134 | -964 | -830 |
| 2024 Q1 | 89,070 | 6,117 | +181 | -1,170 | -989 |
| 2023 Q4 | 90,147 | 6,029 | +177 | -614 | -437 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panda Pop | Petrol | 12,878 | 17% |
| Panda Easy | Petrol | 11,750 | 16% |
| Panda Active Eco | Petrol | 10,182 | 14% |
| Panda Active | Gas | 7,406 | 10% |
| Panda Dynamic | Gas | 6,190 | 8% |
| Panda Lounge | Petrol | 4,736 | 6% |
| Panda Dynamic Eco | Petrol | 3,527 | 5% |
| Panda Twinair 4X4 | Petrol | 2,902 | 4% |
| Panda Eleganza | Petrol | 2,421 | 3% |
| Panda Mylife | Petrol | 2,211 | 3% |
| Panda Dynamic Multijet | Diesel | 1,977 | 3% |
| Panda Cross Twinair | Petrol | 1,572 | 2% |
| Panda Multijet 4X4 | Diesel | 1,486 | 2% |
| Panda 100Hp | Petrol | 1,123 | 2% |
| Panda 4X4 | Petrol | 887 | 1% |
| Panda Lounge Twinair | Petrol | 809 | 1% |
| Panda Mhev | Petrol | 730 | <1% |
| Panda Easy Twinair S-A | Petrol | 628 | <1% |
| Panda City Cross | Petrol | 606 | <1% |
| Panda City Cross Mhev | Petrol | 591 | <1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 88.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2020 | 91.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2019 | 85.1% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2018 | 84% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
21 earlier years
| 2017 | 81.6% | a shock absorber bush excessively worn, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2016 | 78.9% | a shock absorber bush excessively worn, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2015 | 77% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a shock absorber bush excessively worn |
| 2014 | 75.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a shock absorber bush excessively worn |
| 2013 | 74.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2012 | 73.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a shock absorber bush excessively worn |
| 2011 | 69.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2010 | 68% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2009 | 67.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2008 | 65.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 2007 | 64.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 2006 | 64.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 2005 | 64.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 2004 | 61.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 2003 | 68.3% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 1993 | 66.3% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced |
| 1992 | 70.5% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle. |
| 1991 | 63.5% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 1990 | 71.2% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle. |
| 1989 | 74.3% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced |
| 1988 | 68% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
Typical mileage
Half of all Pandas tested had between 35,266 and 70,068 miles on the clock.
At 43,347 median miles, the Panda has 0.065 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Fiat models
| Fiat 500 | 75% |
| Fiat Ducato | 75.4% |
| Fiat Punto | 65.7% |
| Fiat Doblo | 71.6% |
| Fiat 500X | 80.1% |
Common questions
What is the Fiat Panda MOT pass rate?
The Fiat Panda has a 71.7% MOT pass rate based on 146,414 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Fiat Panda?
The most common MOT failure on the Fiat Panda is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 9,420 failures. Other common issues include tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements.
How many Fiat Pandas are on UK roads?
There are 81,453 Fiat Pandas currently licensed on UK roads, with 7,290 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Fiat Panda at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Fiat Panda is 43,347 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 35,266 and 70,068 miles.
Buying a used Panda?
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 71.7% pass rate and an average repair bill of £150 when things go wrong, budget accordingly. 29.5% of failures on this model could actually strand you, so breakdown cover may be worth considering.
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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.