Across the 4 registration years we hold, the Fiat 500 sat 433,524 MOT tests and passed first time 68.3% of the time, below the 80.5% national average for cars aged 3 to 8. The strongest year is the 2016 at 73.8%, the weakest the 2013 at 65.2%. Pick a year for the full record, or check a specific reg.
Best year to buy. On this data the 2016 500 is the strongest at 73.8%, 8.6 points clear of the 2013. The newer registrations pass more often, a 8.6-point swing from 2013 to 2016 that usually marks a facelift or new generation.
Reliability by registration year
What fails across the range
Brakes35.8%
Lights & electrics11.6%
Body & structure10.5%
Emissions & leaks6.8%
Other0%
Share of tests flagging each component, averaged across every 500 year, weighted by test volume.
First-time MOT pass rate · DVSA bulk data · 2022-2024 · class 4 cars · updated 2026-07-07