2013 Fiat Qubo — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 3,946 MOT tests, the 2013 Fiat Qubo recorded a 76.6% pass rate. That is 2.6 percentage points worse than MPVs of a similar age, which fail at 20.9%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
Suspension dominates the failure mix at 13.9% of all tests — 7.6 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, shock absorbers and tread depth — coil spring alone was recorded 317 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 26.0% versus 20.1%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 23.0% of the time against 23.5% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 27.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 23.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 26.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 13.9% | 547 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 6.3% | 247 |
| 3 | Tyres | 6.2% | 244 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.8% | 151 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.7% | 147 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.0% | 117 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 317 |
| 2 | Shock absorbers | 290 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 128 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 117 |
| 5 | Wipers | 99 |
| 6 | Individual direction indicators | 77 |
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 | 27.2% | 1,073 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.8% | 701 |
| 3 | Suspension | 17.7% | 697 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.4% | 333 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 8.3% | 327 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 7.8% | 308 |
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 | 608 | 20.1% |
| 30-60k | 1,466 | 21.3% |
| 60-90k | 1,318 | 25.9% |
| 90-120k | 433 | 26.6% |
| 120-150k | 96 | 26.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 3,342 | 23.5% |
| Petrol | 604 | 23.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 835 | 23.1% |
| 2022 | 785 | 19.6% |
| 2023 | 786 | 23.5% |
| 2024 | 771 | 24.4% |
| 2025 | 769 | 26.5% |
What to check before buying a 2013 Qubo
On a 2013 Qubo, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 13.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (13.9% 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 (6.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.2% 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 2013 Fiat Qubos pass their MOT?
76.6% of the 3,946 2013 Fiat Qubo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 23.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Fiat Qubo?
Suspension, recorded in 13.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (6.3%).
Does the 2013 Qubo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 20.1% in the 0-30k band to 26.0% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,946 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.