2020 Abarth 595 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 4,937 MOT tests, the 2020 Abarth 595 recorded a 90.7% pass rate. City cars of a similar age fail 7.6% of the time, so this is 1.7pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.4%) and brakes (2.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, brake pads and washers — tread depth alone was recorded 112 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2020 595 fails 8.2% of the time in the 0-30k band and 11.1% at 60-90k, a spread of only 2.9 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 19.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 6.0% of tests failed in 2022 against 10.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.4% | 219 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.4% | 119 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.4% | 117 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.1% | 101 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.3% | 65 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.0% | 50 |
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 | 112 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 83 |
| 3 | Washers | 70 |
| 4 | Wipers | 49 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 45 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 44 |
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 | 19.4% | 958 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.3% | 854 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.4% | 315 |
| 4 | Other defects | 3.7% | 182 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.8% | 88 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.8% | 39 |
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 | 3,837 | 8.2% |
| 30-60k | 1,054 | 13.3% |
| 60-90k | 45 | 11.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 50 | 6.0% |
| 2023 | 1,636 | 8.1% |
| 2024 | 1,598 | 9.6% |
| 2025 | 1,652 | 10.3% |
What to check before buying a 2020 595
On a 2020 595, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (4.4% 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.
- Brakes (2.4% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Lighting & signalling (2.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 2020 Abarth 595s pass their MOT?
90.7% of the 4,937 2020 Abarth 595 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Abarth 595?
Tyres, recorded in 4.4% of tests, followed by brakes (2.4%).
Does the 2020 595 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.2% in the 0-30k band to 11.1% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,937 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.