2014 Abarth 500 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 Abarth 500 passed 80.4% of its 4,730 recorded MOT tests. That is 2.3 percentage points worse than city cars of a similar age, which fail at 17.3%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (9.6%) and lighting & signalling (9.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are shock absorbers, headlamp aim and ball joint — shock absorbers alone was recorded 272 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 12.4% in the 0-30k band and 25.0% in the 120-150k band, a 12.6-point spread — more than double.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 30.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 17.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 20.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 9.6% | 452 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 9.0% | 428 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.6% | 267 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.5% | 212 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.4% | 161 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.0% | 144 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shock absorbers | 272 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 210 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 150 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 139 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 137 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 122 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 30.9% | 1,459 |
| 2 | Brakes | 27.3% | 1,291 |
| 3 | Tyres | 22.6% | 1,070 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.7% | 268 |
| 5 | Other defects | 5.0% | 238 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.8% | 134 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 582 | 12.4% |
| 30-60k | 2,458 | 19.4% |
| 60-90k | 1,432 | 22.1% |
| 90-120k | 215 | 23.7% |
| 120-150k | 32 | 25.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 954 | 17.8% |
| 2022 | 952 | 18.0% |
| 2023 | 972 | 21.1% |
| 2024 | 939 | 20.1% |
| 2025 | 913 | 20.9% |
What to check before buying a 2014 500
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 9.6% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (9.6% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (9.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.6% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2014 Abarth 500s pass their MOT?
80.4% of the 4,730 2014 Abarth 500 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Abarth 500?
Suspension, recorded in 9.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (9.0%).
Does the 2014 500 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.4% in the 0-30k band to 25.0% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,730 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.