2007 Fiat Panda — MOT failures & pass rate
37,597 MOT tests on the 2007 Fiat Panda are in this dataset, and 70.4% of them passed. That is 1.6 percentage points worse than city cars of a similar age, which fail at 28.0%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Suspension dominates the failure mix at 18.0% of all tests — 5.6 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are shock absorbers, pins and bushes and tread depth — shock absorbers alone was recorded 2,953 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 17.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 34.8% once past 150k.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 29.4% of the time against 30.8% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 41.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 28.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 30.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 18.0% | 6,760 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 12.4% | 4,654 |
| 3 | Brakes | 9.1% | 3,406 |
| 4 | Tyres | 7.0% | 2,631 |
| 5 | Visibility | 6.1% | 2,306 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.1% | 2,290 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shock absorbers | 2,953 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 2,523 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 2,268 |
| 4 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 2,211 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 2,126 |
| 6 | Individual direction indicators | 2,098 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 41.5% | 15,610 |
| 2 | Tyres | 29.4% | 11,053 |
| 3 | Brakes | 19.1% | 7,167 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 13.3% | 5,010 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 11.4% | 4,294 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 9.8% | 3,699 |
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 | 1,804 | 17.6% |
| 30-60k | 9,545 | 25.9% |
| 60-90k | 13,792 | 30.3% |
| 90-120k | 8,681 | 33.0% |
| 120-150k | 2,909 | 34.3% |
| 150k+ | 833 | 34.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 33,296 | 29.4% |
| Diesel | 4,301 | 30.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 9,121 | 28.1% |
| 2022 | 8,460 | 29.7% |
| 2023 | 7,615 | 29.5% |
| 2024 | 6,682 | 30.7% |
| 2025 | 5,719 | 30.7% |
What to check before buying a 2007 Panda
On a 2007 Panda, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 18.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (18.0% 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 (12.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.1% 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.
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 2007 Fiat Pandas pass their MOT?
70.4% of the 37,597 2007 Fiat Panda MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 29.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2007 Fiat Panda?
Suspension, recorded in 18.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (12.4%).
Does the 2007 Panda get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 17.6% in the 0-30k band to 34.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 37,597 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.