2020 Fiat Swift — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Fiat Swift passed 95.0% of its 1,850 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (9.4% fail rate), the 2020 Swift comes out 4.4pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and seat belts & restraints.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (4.3%) and visibility (3.6%) 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 outline marker lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 77 times.
The trend is worsening — 4.1% of tests failed in 2023 against 6.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.3% | 79 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.6% | 66 |
| 3 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.9% | 17 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 17 |
| 5 | Brakes | 0.5% | 9 |
| 6 | Tyres | 0.4% | 8 |
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 | 77 |
| 2 | Wipers | 66 |
| 3 | Outline marker lamp | 22 |
| 4 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 16 |
| 5 | Washers | 15 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 14 |
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 | 4.0% | 73 |
| 2 | Visibility | 1.5% | 27 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.0% | 18 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 0.9% | 17 |
| 5 | Other defects | 0.8% | 14 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.5% | 9 |
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 | 1,789 | 4.8% |
| 30-60k | 58 | 8.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 605 | 4.1% |
| 2024 | 593 | 4.0% |
| 2025 | 632 | 6.5% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Swift
On a 2020 Swift, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (4.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (3.6% 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.
- Seat belts & restraints (0.9% of tests): Belt damage or faulty pretensioners — usually straightforward but safety-critical. Typical repair: £50–£300.
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 Swifts pass their MOT?
95.0% of the 1,850 2020 Fiat Swift MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Fiat Swift?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.3% of tests, followed by visibility (3.6%).
Does the 2020 Swift get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.8% in the 0-30k band to 8.6% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,850 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.