2020 Fiat Panda — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 5,769 MOT tests, the 2020 Fiat Panda recorded a 92.2% pass rate. That is effectively the same as city cars of a similar age (7.7% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in suspension, visibility and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (3.0%) and visibility (2.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, pins and bushes and headlamp aim — wipers alone was recorded 140 times.
A 60-90k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 15.8% versus 6.8%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 16.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 4.8% of tests failed in 2022 against 11.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 3.0% | 172 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.8% | 159 |
| 3 | Tyres | 2.3% | 131 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.0% | 117 |
| 5 | Brakes | 1.4% | 80 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.9% | 50 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 140 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 138 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 107 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 77 |
| 5 | Washers | 63 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 41 |
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 | 16.3% | 938 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.0% | 578 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.4% | 311 |
| 4 | Other defects | 2.7% | 156 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.5% | 85 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.1% | 66 |
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 | 4,707 | 6.8% |
| 30-60k | 977 | 12.3% |
| 60-90k | 76 | 15.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 62 | 4.8% |
| 2023 | 1,840 | 5.2% |
| 2024 | 1,866 | 6.8% |
| 2025 | 1,982 | 11.1% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Panda
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 3.0% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (3.0% 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.
- Visibility (2.8% 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.
- Tyres (2.3% 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.
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 2020 Fiat Pandas pass their MOT?
92.2% of the 5,769 2020 Fiat Panda MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Fiat Panda?
Suspension, recorded in 3.0% of tests, followed by visibility (2.8%).
Does the 2020 Panda get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.8% in the 0-30k band to 15.8% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,769 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.