Petrol Fiat 500: MOT pass rate
72.1% of petrol Fiat 500s pass the MOT first time, measured across 300,901 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 56,402.
Petrol 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
Petrol cars avoid the DPF and emissions failures that catch diesels, and usually fail on the same consumables as any other car.
On the Fiat 500 specifically, petrol is the strongest at 72.1%, and this petrol version sits 0.2 points above the 71.9% model average.
What it means if you are buying one
There is little to choose between fuel types on this model, so decide on running costs and mileage rather than MOT record. Buying a damaged one? run it through the analyzer, check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.
Mileage is part of the answer
The average petrol Fiat 500 had covered 56,402 miles at test, against 88,815 for the diesel. That is around average, so condition and service history will tell you more than the odometer does.
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.
Most common MOT failures on a petrol Fiat 500
- A shock absorber bush excessively worn, 4.8% of tests (24.67x the national rate for this defect)
- A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 3% of tests (3.2x the national rate for this defect)
- Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer, 1.3% of tests (2.57x the national rate for this defect)
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 10.9% of tests (2.17x the national rate for this defect)
- Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 1.9% of tests (1.92x the national rate for this defect)
- Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 2.1% of tests (1.64x the national rate for this defect)
- A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2.2% of tests (1.33x the national rate for this defect)
- A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED, 1.5% of tests (1.23x the national rate for this defect)
- A tyre seriously damaged, 3.1% of tests
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 3.1% of tests
From 302,101 DVSA-tracked petrol Fiat 500 tests, 2024, split out from the Fiat 500's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 4.83% of these flagged defects as "dangerous", against 5.11% nationally. See which fuel type fails on the most dangerous defects nationally for how that compares across the whole fleet.
Most common MOT advisories on a petrol Fiat 500
Flagged but doesn't fail the car, a different list from the failures above.
- A shock absorber bush excessively worn, 6.8% of tests (14.27x the national rate for this defect), also fails
- Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 9.2% of tests (3.25x the national rate for this defect), also fails
- A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 14.9% of tests (3.15x the national rate for this defect)
- A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 9.7% of tests (2.47x the national rate for this defect), also fails
- Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 2% of tests (1.49x the national rate for this defect)
- A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 7% of tests (1.36x the national rate for this defect)
- A tyre seriously damaged, 20.5% of tests (1.33x the national rate for this defect), also fails
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 17.1% of tests (1.28x the national rate for this defect), also fails
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 28.1% of tests, also fails
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 13.1% of tests
From 302,101 DVSA-tracked petrol Fiat 500 tests, 2024.
Other Fiat 500 fuel types
- Diesel Fiat 500 - 61.9%