Fiat Qubo: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Fiat Qubo fails its first MOT more often than the average UK vehicle, by 8.6 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 4,323 individual Fiat Qubo tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 68.1% first-time pass rate means roughly 32 in every 100 Fiat Qubos presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average Fiat Qubo tested had covered 66,718 miles and was built around 2012.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Fiat Qubo sits 8.6 points below the national average, ranked 1,802 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

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 Qubo 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 Qubo: £250 at UK salvage auction, from 3 ended listings, not independently confirmed sales.

Most common MOT failures on a Fiat Qubo

1. A shock absorber bush excessively worn, 6.4% of tests (33.09x the national rate for this defect)
2. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 7.2% of tests (3.15x the national rate for this defect)
3. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 4.1% of tests (2.44x the national rate for this defect)
4. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 1.8% of tests (1.81x the national rate for this defect)
5. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 1.7% of tests (1.78x the national rate for this defect)
6. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 2.2% of tests (1.72x the national rate for this defect)
7. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 4.2% of tests (1.31x the national rate for this defect)
8. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 1.6% of tests (1.26x the national rate for this defect)
9. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 2.7% of tests (1.16x the national rate for this defect)
10. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 4.1% of tests

From 4,319 DVSA-tracked Fiat Qubo tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 5.14% of these flagged Fiat Qubo defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Fiat Qubo

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 Qubo before it actually fails on it.

1. A shock absorber bush excessively worn, 7.1% of tests (14.91x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
2. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 2.8% of tests (2.51x the national rate for this advisory)
3. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 2.9% of tests (2.1x the national rate for this advisory)
4. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 10.1% of tests (1.81x the national rate for this advisory)
5. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 7.7% of tests (1.64x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
6. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 6.6% of tests (1.27x the national rate for this advisory)
7. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 3.6% of tests (1.26x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
8. A tyre seriously damaged, 18.6% of tests (1.21x the national rate for this advisory)
9. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 29.6% of tests, also fails
10. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 11.6% of tests

From 4,319 DVSA-tracked Fiat Qubo tests, 2024.

Fiat Qubo pass rate by model year

From its 2009 to its 2013 model year, the Fiat Qubo's first-time pass rate has risen 8.1 points, from 61% to 69.1%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Fiat Qubo year:

• 2009 Fiat Qubo - 61% first-time pass, 428 tests
• 2010 Fiat Qubo - 61.8% first-time pass, 623 tests
• 2011 Fiat Qubo - 70% first-time pass, 623 tests
• 2012 Fiat Qubo - 68.1% first-time pass, 846 tests
• 2013 Fiat Qubo - 69.1% first-time pass, 605 tests
• 2014 Fiat Qubo - 66.8% first-time pass, 298 tests
• 2017 Fiat Qubo - 81.2% first-time pass, 213 tests

Fiat Qubo by fuel type

The Fiat Qubo's two most-tested fuel types split by 0.1 points: diesel passes first time 68.5% of the time (3,370 tests) against 68.6% for petrol (925 tests).

• Diesel Fiat Qubo - 68.5% first-time pass, 3,370 tests
• Petrol Fiat Qubo - 68.6% first-time pass, 925 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 500x - 79.2%
• Fiat 500l - 69.9%
• Fiat 500c - 70.4%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Suzuki Grand Vitara - 68.2%
• Citroen Relay - 68.2%
• Saab 9-3 - 68.1%
• Ford Fusion - 68%
• Honda Accord - 68%
• Volkswagen Caravelle - 68%

If this van 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

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate