2019 Abarth 595 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2019 Abarth 595 passed 89.4% of its 10,254 recorded MOT tests. Against city cars of a similar age (8.7% fail rate), the 2019 595 comes out 1.9pp worse. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.6%) and lighting & signalling (2.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, washers and brake pads — tread depth alone was recorded 296 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 15.5% once past 60-90k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 20.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 2.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 13.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.6% | 469 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.9% | 302 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.5% | 260 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.5% | 252 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.7% | 169 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.6% | 167 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 296 |
| 2 | Washers | 165 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 156 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 151 |
| 5 | Wipers | 144 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 112 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 20.8% | 2,133 |
| 2 | Brakes | 18.6% | 1,906 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.1% | 732 |
| 4 | Other defects | 3.6% | 366 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.8% | 188 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.2% | 125 |
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 | 7,102 | 8.8% |
| 30-60k | 2,939 | 14.6% |
| 60-90k | 194 | 15.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 102 | 2.9% |
| 2022 | 2,549 | 8.6% |
| 2023 | 2,532 | 9.4% |
| 2024 | 2,510 | 11.6% |
| 2025 | 2,561 | 13.2% |
What to check before buying a 2019 595
On a 2019 595, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (4.6% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (2.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (2.5% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 2019 Abarth 595s pass their MOT?
89.4% of the 10,254 2019 Abarth 595 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Abarth 595?
Tyres, recorded in 4.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.9%).
Does the 2019 595 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.8% in the 0-30k band to 15.5% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 10,254 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.