Abarth 595C MOT pass rate & common failures
9,586 MOT tests on the Abarth 595C (2014–2022) give it an 88.2% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail at 11.5%, so the 595C sits squarely on the average. Its most common failure areas are tyres, suspension and lighting & signalling.
Best and worst 595C years
Ranked across 595C years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Build year matters more than the headline suggests: 2019 cars pass 90.3% of the time while 2016 cars manage 86.1%, a 4.2-point spread.
No single area dominates — tyres (5.0%) and suspension (3.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, wipers and pins and bushes — tread depth alone was recorded 269 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 21.7% versus 9.3%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 20.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 9.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 13.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every 595C model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1,650 | 86.1% | 13.9% | Suspension |
| 2017 | 2,107 | 86.5% | 13.5% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 2,436 | 88.4% | 11.6% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 1,778 | 90.3% | 9.7% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 834 | 89.5% | 10.5% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 616 | 89.8% | 10.2% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 135 | 93.3% | 6.7% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.0% | 477 |
| 2 | Suspension | 3.3% | 315 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 3.1% | 295 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.9% | 275 |
| 5 | Brakes | 2.6% | 247 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.2% | 112 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.4% | 41 |
| 8 | Other defects | 0.3% | 27 |
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 | 269 |
| 2 | Wipers | 181 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 167 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 160 |
| 5 | Washers | 156 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 154 |
| 7 | Shock absorbers | 148 |
| 8 | Brake discs | 118 |
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 | 20.1% | 1,926 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.5% | 1,867 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.9% | 953 |
| 4 | Other defects | 4.0% | 381 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.2% | 207 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.2% | 114 |
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 | 6,360 | 9.3% |
| 30-60k | 2,837 | 16.3% |
| 60-90k | 336 | 19.6% |
| 90-120k | 46 | 21.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,228 | 9.8% |
| 2022 | 1,693 | 10.1% |
| 2023 | 1,974 | 11.2% |
| 2024 | 2,247 | 12.6% |
| 2025 | 2,444 | 13.8% |
What to check before buying a Abarth 595C
- Tyres (5.0% 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.
- Suspension (3.3% 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 (3.1% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Abarth 595C?
88.2% of the 9,586 Abarth 595C MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 11.8% fail rate, across model years 2014–2022.
What does the Abarth 595C most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 5.0% of tests, then suspension (3.3%).
Which 595C years are best and worst for MOT results?
2019 has the best pass rate at 90.3% and 2016 the weakest at 86.1%, from 1,778 and 1,650 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect 595C MOT results?
Fail rates run at 9.3% for cars in the 0-30k band and 21.7% for 90-120k, a 12.4-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 9,586 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.