2021 Fiat 500 — MOT failures & pass rate
27,619 MOT tests on the 2021 Fiat 500 are in this dataset, and 92.1% of them passed. City cars of a similar age fail 6.6% of the time, so this is 1.3pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 5.7% of tests against 2.7% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and tread depth — wipers alone was recorded 495 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 6.8% in the 0-30k band and 17.0% in the 60-90k band, a 10.2-point spread — more than double.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 7.9% of the time against 8.0% for hybrid.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 21.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 3.4% of tests failed in 2023 against 8.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.7% | 1,585 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.7% | 739 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.5% | 678 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.6% | 177 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.6% | 155 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.2% | 62 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 495 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 473 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 398 |
| 4 | Washers | 397 |
| 5 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 145 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 127 |
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 | 21.9% | 6,045 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.3% | 1,468 |
| 3 | Other defects | 3.4% | 948 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.6% | 722 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.9% | 533 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.6% | 154 |
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 | 21,077 | 6.8% |
| 30-60k | 6,291 | 11.6% |
| 60-90k | 230 | 17.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 27,054 | 7.9% |
| Hybrid | 552 | 8.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 355 | 3.4% |
| 2024 | 13,390 | 7.7% |
| 2025 | 13,832 | 8.3% |
What to check before buying a 2021 500
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 5.7% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (5.7% 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.
- Visibility (2.7% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (2.5% 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 2021 Fiat 500s pass their MOT?
92.1% of the 27,619 2021 Fiat 500 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Fiat 500?
Tyres, recorded in 5.7% of tests, followed by visibility (2.7%).
Does the 2021 500 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.8% in the 0-30k band to 17.0% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 27,619 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.