2018 Fiat Tipo — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 11,958 MOT tests, the 2018 Fiat Tipo recorded an 84.1% pass rate. Against small family cars of a similar age (10.4% fail rate), the 2018 Tipo comes out 5.4pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (5.9%) and tyres (5.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, tread depth and shock absorbers — wipers alone was recorded 640 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 16.7% versus 10.6%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 15.4% of the time against 16.6% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 11.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 5.9% | 706 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.7% | 686 |
| 3 | Visibility | 5.6% | 670 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 3.8% | 454 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.7% | 443 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.5% | 183 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 640 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 380 |
| 3 | Shock absorbers | 351 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 330 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 261 |
| 6 | Coil spring | 250 |
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 | 24.9% | 2,972 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.0% | 2,275 |
| 3 | Suspension | 11.3% | 1,348 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.7% | 1,041 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.4% | 406 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.6% | 192 |
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 | 4,284 | 10.6% |
| 30-60k | 5,599 | 18.0% |
| 60-90k | 1,695 | 21.1% |
| 90-120k | 286 | 19.2% |
| 120-150k | 63 | 23.8% |
| 150k+ | 30 | 16.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 7,471 | 15.4% |
| Diesel | 4,487 | 16.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,341 | 11.4% |
| 2022 | 2,370 | 13.7% |
| 2023 | 2,407 | 16.0% |
| 2024 | 2,415 | 18.3% |
| 2025 | 2,425 | 19.7% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Tipo
On a 2018 Tipo, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (5.9% 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.
- Tyres (5.7% 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.
- Visibility (5.6% 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.
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 2018 Fiat Tipos pass their MOT?
84.1% of the 11,958 2018 Fiat Tipo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Fiat Tipo?
Suspension, recorded in 5.9% of tests, followed by tyres (5.7%).
Does the 2018 Tipo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.6% in the 0-30k band to 16.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 11,958 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.