Diesel Fiat 500: MOT pass rate
61.9% of diesel Fiat 500s pass the MOT first time, measured across 3,906 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 88,815.
Diesel against the other Fiat 500 versions
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 72.1% | 300,901 |
| Diesel | 61.9% | 3,906 |
| All Fiat 500 | 71.9% | 304,828 |
Why the fuel type changes the number
Diesels carry DPFs, EGR valves and stricter smoke limits, so emissions and exhaust faults account for failures petrol cars never see.
On the Fiat 500 specifically, petrol is the strongest at 72.1%, and this diesel version sits 10 points below the 71.9% model average.
What it means if you are buying one
The diesel Fiat 500 fails more often than the model average, so budget for the items that catch this fuel type and treat a fresh MOT as worth paying for. Check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.
Mileage is part of the answer
The average diesel Fiat 500 had covered 88,815 miles at test, against 56,402 for the petrol. That is above average, the point where suspension bushes, drop links and exhaust corrosion start showing up as advisories before they become failures.
Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the Fiat 500 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.
Other Fiat 500 fuel types
- Petrol Fiat 500 - 72.1%