Fiat Rapido MOT pass rate & common failures
1,007 MOT tests on the Fiat Rapido (2000–2022) give it an 88.1% pass rate. That is 8.6 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 20.6%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (8.3%) and brakes (5.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, wipers and service brake performance — headlamp aim alone was recorded 42 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 5.9% in the 0-30k band and 21.0% in the 60-90k band, a 15.1-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 12.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 14.5% in 2021 to 12.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Rapido model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 51 | 84.3% | 15.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 39 | 84.6% | 15.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 38 | 79.0% | 21.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 84 | 82.1% | 17.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 91 | 89.0% | 11.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 82 | 84.2% | 15.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 53 | 90.6% | 9.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 82 | 91.5% | 8.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 39 | 89.7% | 10.3% | Brakes |
| 2015 | 35 | 85.7% | 14.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 47 | 93.6% | 6.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 91 | 91.2% | 8.8% | Brakes |
| 2018 | 82 | 95.1% | 4.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 67 | 94.0% | 6.0% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.3% | 84 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.4% | 54 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.9% | 29 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.2% | 22 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.8% | 18 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.5% | 15 |
| 7 | Tyres | 1.0% | 10 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.5% | 5 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 42 |
| 2 | Wipers | 31 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 30 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 21 |
| 5 | Outline marker lamp | 13 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 13 |
| 7 | Headlamp | 12 |
| 8 | Rigid brake pipes | 12 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 12.4% | 125 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 8.0% | 81 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.9% | 80 |
| 4 | Tyres | 6.2% | 62 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.8% | 58 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.3% | 43 |
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 | 405 | 5.9% |
| 30-60k | 447 | 13.4% |
| 60-90k | 138 | 21.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 172 | 14.5% |
| 2022 | 201 | 13.9% |
| 2023 | 191 | 9.4% |
| 2024 | 216 | 9.7% |
| 2025 | 227 | 12.3% |
What to check before buying a Fiat Rapido
- Lighting & signalling (8.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.4% 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.
- Visibility (2.9% 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.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Fiat Rapido?
88.1% of the 1,007 Fiat Rapido MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 11.9% fail rate, across model years 2000–2022.
What does the Fiat Rapido most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.3% of tests, then brakes (5.4%).
How much does mileage affect Rapido MOT results?
Fail rates run at 5.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 21.0% for 60-90k, a 15.1-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,007 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.