2021 Abarth 595 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 Abarth 595 passed 90.7% of its 3,217 recorded MOT tests. Against city cars of a similar age (6.6% fail rate), the 2021 595 comes out 2.6pp worse. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.7%) 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, headlamp aim and washers — tread depth alone was recorded 84 times.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 19.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 0.0% of tests failed in 2023 against 9.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.7% | 152 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.9% | 95 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.2% | 72 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.1% | 66 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.8% | 24 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 20 |
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 | 84 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 52 |
| 3 | Washers | 50 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 47 |
| 5 | Wipers | 32 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 24 |
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 | 19.3% | 621 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.5% | 466 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.0% | 162 |
| 4 | Other defects | 4.0% | 128 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.6% | 51 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.7% | 23 |
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 | 2,679 | 8.6% |
| 30-60k | 515 | 13.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 38 | 0.0% |
| 2024 | 1,572 | 9.0% |
| 2025 | 1,607 | 9.7% |
What to check before buying a 2021 595
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.7% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (4.7% 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 (2.2% 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 2021 Abarth 595s pass their MOT?
90.7% of the 3,217 2021 Abarth 595 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Abarth 595?
Tyres, recorded in 4.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.9%).
Does the 2021 595 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.6% in the 0-30k band to 13.0% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,217 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.