Fiat Tipo
From 18,510 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Tipos fare better: 2021 models pass at 83.3% vs 75.4% for 2016.
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage and a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened. The top issue, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, caused 584 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.
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 584 |
| a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage | 457 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 439 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 427 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 394 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 324 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 260 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 206 |
| engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction | 198 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 155 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 31.8% of Tipo failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 37.4% 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 £139.
The warranty question
A 3-year-old Tipo passes its MOT 86.4% of the time. By 7 years old that drops to 75.4%, a 11 percentage point fall, right as the manufacturer warranty runs out. With an average repair bill of £139 when things go wrong, an extended warranty can make sense on a Tipo that's past its third birthday.
Fiat Tipo on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 176 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 46 newly registered, a net loss of 130. Now at 20.3% of its peak (65,408 in 1995 Q4).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 12,779 | 474 | +0 | -77 | -77 |
| 2025 Q2 | 12,860 | 470 | +1 | -20 | -19 |
| 2025 Q1 | 12,887 | 462 | +42 | -57 | -15 |
| 2024 Q4 | 12,918 | 446 | +3 | -22 | -19 |
| 2024 Q3 | 12,936 | 447 | +5 | -0 | +44 |
| 2024 Q2 | 12,907 | 432 | +12 | -8 | +4 |
| 2024 Q1 | 12,899 | 436 | +45 | -31 | +14 |
| 2023 Q4 | 12,869 | 452 | +20 | -48 | -28 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tipo Easy | Petrol | 2,553 | 21% |
| Tipo Lounge | Petrol | 1,924 | 16% |
| Tipo Lounge Mulitjet | Diesel | 1,460 | 12% |
| Tipo Easy + | Petrol | 1,145 | 9% |
| Tipo Easy + Mulitjet | Diesel | 872 | 7% |
| Tipo Lounge T-Jet | Petrol | 679 | 6% |
| Tipo Easy + T-Jet | Petrol | 643 | 5% |
| Tipo Cross | Petrol | 488 | 4% |
| Tipo Life | Petrol | 415 | 3% |
| Tipo S Design | Petrol | 322 | 3% |
| Tipo Street | Petrol | 222 | 2% |
| Tipo Lounge Multijet | Diesel | 221 | 2% |
| Tipo Cross Mhev S-A | Petrol | 211 | 2% |
| Tipo Elite Mulitjet | Diesel | 184 | 2% |
| Tipo Easy Mulitjet | Diesel | 168 | 1% |
| Tipo Mirror | Petrol | 156 | 1% |
| Tipo | Petrol | 135 | 1% |
| Tipo Sport | Petrol | 110 | <1% |
| Tipo City Sport | Petrol | 95 | <1% |
| Tipo Easy + E-Torq Auto | Petrol | 90 | <1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 83.3% | wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2020 | 86.4% | wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2019 | 82% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2018 | 78.2% | a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
2 earlier years
| 2017 | 75.5% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2016 | 75.4% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
Typical mileage
Half of all Tipos tested had between 34,270 and 67,031 miles on the clock.
At 49,039 median miles, the Tipo has 0.045 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 Tipo MOT pass rate?
The Fiat Tipo has a 77.8% MOT pass rate based on 18,510 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Fiat Tipo?
The most common MOT failure on the Fiat Tipo is tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, which caused 584 failures. Other common issues include a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage.
How many Fiat Tipos are on UK roads?
There are 12,779 Fiat Tipos currently licensed on UK roads, with 474 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Fiat Tipo at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Fiat Tipo is 49,039 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 34,270 and 67,031 miles.
Buying a used Tipo?
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 77.8% pass rate and an average repair bill of £139 when things go wrong, budget accordingly. 31.8% 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.