Fiat 500 reliability, MOT pass rate and rarity

Time Period & Model

Time period snapshot: Last 5 years

Manufacturer: Fiat

Model: 500

Model reliability rank

MOT-based rank from 1,995,844 selected-period tests.

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Overall MOT pass rate

75.3%

Share of this model's 1,995,844 selected-period MOT tests that pass.

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Efficiency, emissions & tax

Average MPG

56.3 mpg

CO2 emission

109 g/km

Euro emissions

Euro 6

Tax cost

£90/yr

Vehicle list price over £40,000?NoYes

Average vehicle miles

61,854

Lower average mileage in the analysed fleet.

Life expectancy miles

68,265

Lower mature-fleet mileage expectation.

Average vehicle age

11.4

Comfortable mid-life age pattern.

Vehicles represented

279,743

279,742 valid MOT, 1 under 3 years.

Tests analysed

1,995,844

1,995,844 MOT tests in the selected period.

Rarity ranking

Based on Make & Model

Common

279,743On the road

Insight summary

Fiat 500 is a common model in this snapshot, with 279,743 represented vehicles and 0.67% of the active UK pool tracked by AutoRank. For the last 5 years, it has a pass rate of 75.3% from 1,995,844 MOT tests, with a reliability score of 45. The current pool shows an average of 61,854 miles and an average age of 11.4 years, while mature-fleet mileage is estimated at 68,265 miles. Petrol leads the fuel split, followed by diesel, and the most frequent defect themes are parking brake, shock absorbers and suspension arms. The practical read is that the Fiat 500 deserves a careful inspection before buying, because condition and maintenance appear to matter more than the badge.

Fuel type breakdown (by model)

Fuel	Vehicles
PETROL	276,649
DIESEL	3,053
ELECTRIC	20
HYBRID ELECTRIC (CLEAN)	9
OTHER	6
LPG	4
GAS BI-FUEL	2

Euro NCAP Safety

NCAP rating

3 / 5

Adult

66%

Children

49%

Pedestrian

53%

Safety systems

27%

Top 25 most common defects (by model)

Defect	Count
Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))	30,553
Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	22,340
Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))	20,535
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))	19,188
Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))	17,581
Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))	17,452
Offside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush (5.3.2 (c))	15,912
Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))	15,819
Offside Rear Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush (5.3.2 (c))	15,184
Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	14,441
Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush (5.3.2 (c))	14,303
Offside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	13,768
Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	13,636
Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush (5.3.2 (c))	13,496
Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))	12,756
Offside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))	12,581
Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))	11,617
Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	11,397
Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))	9,670
Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))	9,227
Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	8,993
Nearside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))	8,628
Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))	7,778
Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))	7,709
Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))	7,646

All 25 defects ranked by recorded countShowing 352,210 defects across this top 25 set

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

30,553

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

22,340

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

20,535

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

19,188

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

17,581

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

17,452

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

15,912

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

15,819

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

15,184

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

14,441

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

14,303

Offside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

13,768

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

13,636

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

13,496

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

12,756

Offside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

12,581

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

11,617

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

11,397

Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

9,670

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

9,227

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

8,993

Nearside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

8,628

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

7,778

Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

7,709

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

7,646

Fiat 500 reliability and MOT data