Fiat 500x: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Fiat 500x passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 2.5 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 34,232 individual Fiat 500x tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 79.2% first-time pass rate means roughly 21 in every 100 Fiat 500x presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average Fiat 500x tested had covered 52,293 miles and was built around 2017.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Fiat 500x sits 2.5 points above the national average, ranked 1,472 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Fiat 500x rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see the median recorded closing bid for a damaged Fiat 500x: £550 at UK salvage auction, from 7 ended listings, not independently confirmed sales.

Most common MOT failures on a Fiat 500x

1. Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 6.5% of tests (8.75x the national rate for this defect)
2. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 4.5% of tests (2.02x the national rate for this defect)
3. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 1.9% of tests (1.47x the national rate for this defect)
4. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 1.1% of tests (1.43x the national rate for this defect)
5. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 3.6% of tests
6. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 3.3% of tests
7. A tyre seriously damaged, 3% of tests
8. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.6% of tests
9. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 1.4% of tests
10. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 1.4% of tests

From 34,183 DVSA-tracked Fiat 500x tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 5.36% of these flagged Fiat 500x defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Fiat 500x

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Fiat 500x before it actually fails on it.

1. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 5.2% of tests (1.63x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
2. A tyre seriously damaged, 22.8% of tests (1.47x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
3. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 16.5% of tests (1.35x the national rate for this advisory)
4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 29.2% of tests, also fails
5. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 12.4% of tests, also fails
6. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 7.7% of tests, also fails
7. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 1.6% of tests
8. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 1.6% of tests
9. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 1.1% of tests
10. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 1.1% of tests

From 34,183 DVSA-tracked Fiat 500x tests, 2024.

Fiat 500x pass rate by model year

From its 2015 to its 2021 model year, the Fiat 500x's first-time pass rate has risen 17.5 points, from 74.3% to 91.8%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Fiat 500x year:

• 2015 Fiat 500x - 74.3% first-time pass, 7,196 tests
• 2016 Fiat 500x - 76.6% first-time pass, 13,780 tests
• 2017 Fiat 500x - 80.5% first-time pass, 4,700 tests
• 2018 Fiat 500x - 86.1% first-time pass, 2,873 tests
• 2019 Fiat 500x - 89.4% first-time pass, 3,128 tests
• 2020 Fiat 500x - 91.1% first-time pass, 1,451 tests
• 2021 Fiat 500x - 91.8% first-time pass, 904 tests

Fiat 500x by fuel type

The Fiat 500x's two most-tested fuel types split by 7.8 points: petrol passes first time 82.1% of the time (23,290 tests) against 74.3% for diesel (10,766 tests).

• Petrol Fiat 500x - 82.1% first-time pass, 23,290 tests
• Diesel Fiat 500x - 74.3% first-time pass, 10,766 tests

Other Fiat models

• Fiat 500 - 71.6%
• Fiat Panda - 69.3%
• Fiat Ducato - 77.1%
• Fiat Punto - 63.5%
• Fiat Doblo - 68.9%
• Fiat 500l - 69.9%
• Fiat 500c - 70.4%
• Fiat Tipo - 77.4%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Honda Cr-V - 79.3%
• Vauxhall Cascada - 79.3%
• Mercedes-Benz E - 79.2%
• Citroen C4 Cactus - 79.2%
• Subaru Outback - 79.2%
• Fiat Hymer - 79.2%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

Embed this data

Run a site about the Fiat 500x? Embed the real DVSA pass-rate badge free, linked back to this page.

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Run a garage or parts site? Embed the Fiat 500x's top real failure reason instead, linked back here.

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/fiat-500x"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/failure/fiat-500x.svg" width="340" height="106" alt="Fiat 500x most common MOT failure: Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc (6.5% of tests) - Salvage Prophet"></a>

All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate