2010 Fiat Panda — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 60,168 MOT tests, the 2010 Fiat Panda recorded a 73.2% pass rate. City cars of a similar age fail 24.2% of the time, so this is 2.7pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Suspension dominates the failure mix at 15.8% of all tests — 5.5 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 5,591 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 17.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 35.3% once past 150k — 2.1× the risk.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 26.8% of the time against 27.8% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 46.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 25.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 27.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 15.8% | 9,515 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 10.3% | 6,196 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.3% | 4,414 |
| 4 | Tyres | 6.9% | 4,158 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.9% | 3,532 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.8% | 2,272 |
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 | 5,591 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 4,323 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 4,096 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 2,729 |
| 5 | Wipers | 2,726 |
| 6 | Individual direction indicators | 2,241 |
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 | 46.6% | 28,010 |
| 2 | Tyres | 29.5% | 17,748 |
| 3 | Brakes | 16.0% | 9,636 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.2% | 6,715 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 7.4% | 4,472 |
| 6 | Other defects | 7.1% | 4,274 |
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 | 5,717 | 17.1% |
| 30-60k | 20,977 | 24.8% |
| 60-90k | 21,061 | 29.0% |
| 90-120k | 9,223 | 30.9% |
| 120-150k | 2,533 | 30.7% |
| 150k+ | 644 | 35.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 56,388 | 26.8% |
| Diesel | 3,779 | 27.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 12,894 | 25.7% |
| 2022 | 12,628 | 26.5% |
| 2023 | 12,184 | 26.8% |
| 2024 | 11,685 | 27.8% |
| 2025 | 10,777 | 27.6% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Panda
On a 2010 Panda, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 15.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (15.8% 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 (10.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.3% 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 2010 Fiat Pandas pass their MOT?
73.2% of the 60,168 2010 Fiat Panda MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Fiat Panda?
Suspension, recorded in 15.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (10.3%).
Does the 2010 Panda get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 17.1% in the 0-30k band to 35.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 60,168 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.