Diesel Fiat 500x: MOT pass rate

74.3% of diesel Fiat 500x pass the MOT first time, measured across 10,766 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 65,152.

Diesel against the other Fiat 500x versions

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 500x specifically, petrol is the strongest at 82.1%, and this diesel version sits 5.3 points below the 79.6% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The diesel Fiat 500x 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. 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 diesel Fiat 500x had covered 65,152 miles at test, against 47,799 for the petrol. That is a shade above the middle of the range, still ordinary wear rather than a red flag, but worth checking against the service book for the car's age.

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 500x page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a diesel Fiat 500x

1. Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 7.1% of tests (9.48x the national rate for this defect)
2. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 4.5% of tests (3.51x the national rate for this defect)
3. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 5.9% of tests (2.65x the national rate for this defect)
4. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 1.7% of tests (2.16x the national rate for this defect)
5. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2.6% of tests (1.53x the national rate for this defect)
6. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 2% of tests (1.52x the national rate for this defect)
7. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 4.4% of tests (1.37x the national rate for this defect)
8. A tyre seriously damaged, 3.3% of tests (1.19x the national rate for this defect)
9. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 5% of tests
10. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 1.8% of tests

From 10,813 DVSA-tracked diesel Fiat 500x tests, 2024, split out from the Fiat 500x's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 6.05% 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 diesel Fiat 500x

Flagged but doesn't fail the car, a different list from the failures above.

1. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 5.4% of tests (1.69x the national rate for this defect), also fails
2. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 19.9% of tests (1.63x the national rate for this defect)
3. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 18.4% of tests (1.38x the national rate for this defect), also fails
4. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 1.8% of tests (1.32x the national rate for this defect), also fails
5. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 34.3% of tests (1.29x the national rate for this defect), also fails
6. A tyre seriously damaged, 18.1% of tests (1.17x the national rate for this defect), also fails
7. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 9.5% of tests, also fails
8. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 1.4% of tests
9. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 1.2% of tests
10. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 1.2% of tests

From 10,813 DVSA-tracked diesel Fiat 500x tests, 2024.

Other Fiat 500x fuel types

• Petrol Fiat 500x - 82.1%

All Fiat 500x MOT data · Every model