Fiat Ducato: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Fiat Ducato passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK vehicle, by 0.4 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 71,160 individual Fiat Ducato tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 77.1% first-time pass rate means roughly 23 in every 100 Fiat Ducatos 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 Ducato tested had covered 56,818 miles and was built around 2008.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Fiat Ducato sits 0.4 points above the national average, ranked 1,548 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 Ducato 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 recorded closing bids for damaged Fiat Ducatos at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Fiat Ducato

1. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 2.8% of tests (6.71x the national rate for this defect)
2. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 4.7% of tests (4.95x the national rate for this defect)
3. Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value, 1.6% of tests (4.24x the national rate for this defect)
4. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 3.7% of tests (2.82x the national rate for this defect)
5. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 2.7% of tests (2.62x the national rate for this defect)
6. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 1.7% of tests (2.61x the national rate for this defect)
7. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 4.6% of tests (2.04x the national rate for this defect)
8. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 3.9% of tests (1.64x the national rate for this defect)
9. A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED, 1.9% of tests (1.55x the national rate for this defect)
10. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 2.7% of tests (1.4x the national rate for this defect)

From 91,243 DVSA-tracked Fiat Ducato tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 3.65% of these flagged Fiat Ducato defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Fiat Ducato

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 Ducato before it actually fails on it.

1. A wheel bearing with excessive play, 5% of tests (7.68x the national rate for this advisory)
2. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 5% of tests (4.01x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
3. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 4.7% of tests (3.07x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
4. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 2.8% of tests (2.02x the national rate for this advisory)
5. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 3.9% of tests (1.96x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
6. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 3.5% of tests (1.22x the national rate for this advisory)
7. A tyre seriously damaged, 11.3% of tests
8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 10.4% of tests
9. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 8.5% of tests
10. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 7.9% of tests

From 91,243 DVSA-tracked Fiat Ducato tests, 2024.

Fiat Ducato pass rate by model year

From its 1990 to its 2021 model year, the Fiat Ducato's first-time pass rate has risen 22.9 points, from 63.4% to 86.3%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Fiat Ducato year:

• 1990 Fiat Ducato - 63.4% first-time pass, 355 tests
• 1991 Fiat Ducato - 60.4% first-time pass, 346 tests
• 1992 Fiat Ducato - 61.1% first-time pass, 393 tests
• 1993 Fiat Ducato - 56.2% first-time pass, 338 tests
• 1994 Fiat Ducato - 62.4% first-time pass, 348 tests
• 1995 Fiat Ducato - 60.5% first-time pass, 387 tests
• 1996 Fiat Ducato - 62.6% first-time pass, 672 tests
• 1997 Fiat Ducato - 63.2% first-time pass, 889 tests
• 1998 Fiat Ducato - 63% first-time pass, 1,168 tests
• 1999 Fiat Ducato - 65.8% first-time pass, 1,420 tests
• 2000 Fiat Ducato - 66.3% first-time pass, 1,530 tests
• 2001 Fiat Ducato - 67.4% first-time pass, 1,852 tests
• 2002 Fiat Ducato - 68.1% first-time pass, 2,187 tests
• 2003 Fiat Ducato - 69.5% first-time pass, 3,230 tests
• 2004 Fiat Ducato - 69.3% first-time pass, 4,016 tests
• 2005 Fiat Ducato - 72.1% first-time pass, 4,703 tests
• 2006 Fiat Ducato - 72.4% first-time pass, 4,775 tests
• 2007 Fiat Ducato - 74.8% first-time pass, 5,827 tests
• 2008 Fiat Ducato - 77.8% first-time pass, 5,536 tests
• 2009 Fiat Ducato - 79.8% first-time pass, 3,860 tests
• 2010 Fiat Ducato - 80.4% first-time pass, 3,785 tests
• 2011 Fiat Ducato - 78.9% first-time pass, 3,945 tests
• 2012 Fiat Ducato - 81.1% first-time pass, 3,323 tests
• 2013 Fiat Ducato - 80.4% first-time pass, 3,012 tests
• 2014 Fiat Ducato - 77.6% first-time pass, 4,096 tests
• 2015 Fiat Ducato - 77.6% first-time pass, 5,069 tests
• 2016 Fiat Ducato - 79% first-time pass, 5,042 tests
• 2017 Fiat Ducato - 77.3% first-time pass, 4,598 tests
• 2018 Fiat Ducato - 80.7% first-time pass, 3,446 tests
• 2019 Fiat Ducato - 82.6% first-time pass, 3,949 tests
• 2020 Fiat Ducato - 81.5% first-time pass, 3,163 tests
• 2021 Fiat Ducato - 86.3% first-time pass, 2,505 tests

Fiat Ducato by fuel type

The Fiat Ducato's two most-tested fuel types split by 15.6 points: diesel passes first time 75.9% of the time (89,451 tests) against 60.3% for petrol (1,027 tests).

• Diesel Fiat Ducato - 75.9% first-time pass, 89,451 tests
• Petrol Fiat Ducato - 60.3% first-time pass, 1,027 tests

Other Fiat models

• Fiat 500 - 71.6%
• Fiat Panda - 69.3%
• Fiat Punto - 63.5%
• Fiat Doblo - 68.9%
• Fiat 500x - 79.2%
• Fiat 500l - 69.9%
• Fiat 500c - 70.4%
• Fiat Tipo - 77.4%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Mercedes-Benz Citan 109 Pure Cdi - 77.2%
• Vauxhall Cavalier - 77.2%
• Volkswagen Golf - 77.1%
• BMW 540 - 77.1%
• Audi Coupe - 77.1%
• Toyota Alphard - 77%

If this van is a salvage or write-off

• Britain's most and least reliable vans: 2.2 million MOT tests analysed
• 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?

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate