2021 Fiat Panda — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 Fiat Panda passed 90.9% of its 2,468 recorded MOT tests. City cars of a similar age fail 6.7% of the time, so this is 2.4pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (3.4%) and tyres (3.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, headlamp aim and wipers — pins and bushes alone was recorded 86 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 7.8% in the 0-30k band and 22.2% in the 60-90k band, a 14.5-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 15.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 8.3% of tests failed in 2023 against 10.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 3.4% | 84 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.3% | 82 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.7% | 67 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.4% | 58 |
| 5 | Brakes | 1.5% | 36 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.5% | 12 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 86 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 53 |
| 3 | Wipers | 40 |
| 4 | Washers | 29 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 27 |
| 6 | Coil spring | 23 |
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 | 15.4% | 379 |
| 2 | Suspension | 10.3% | 255 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.9% | 196 |
| 4 | Other defects | 2.6% | 64 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.3% | 57 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.8% | 44 |
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 | 2,026 | 7.8% |
| 30-60k | 389 | 13.9% |
| 60-90k | 45 | 22.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 36 | 8.3% |
| 2024 | 1,177 | 7.6% |
| 2025 | 1,240 | 10.3% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Panda
On a 2021 Panda, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 3.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (3.4% 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.
- Tyres (3.3% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (2.7% 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 Pandas pass their MOT?
90.9% of the 2,468 2021 Fiat Panda MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Fiat Panda?
Suspension, recorded in 3.4% of tests, followed by tyres (3.3%).
Does the 2021 Panda get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.8% in the 0-30k band to 22.2% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,468 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.