Fiat 500 MOT pass rates & common failures

Every completed first-attempt MOT on a Fiat 500 in Great Britain in 2025 — 364,815 tests. Figures cover every 500 first-tested in 2025, all trims grouped. How the 500 ages, what it fails on, and what mileage is normal, computed directly from the official DVSA record of every test.

Pass rate 2025
68.1%
4.2 points below the class-4 average (72.3%); unadjusted for age — the age-matched comparison is below
Tests analysed
364,815
first tests, 2025
Arrived with a dangerous fault
8.0%
of 500 first tests; national 7.3%
Typical mileage at 10 years
53,750
middle half: 38,750–68,750 miles (2,500-mile-band midpoints)

How many Fiat 500 cars are still on the road?

At the end of 2025, DVLA's register held 417,506 Fiat 500 cars that were taxed or on SORN: 405,724 taxed and 11,782 on SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification — kept, but declared off the road by the keeper). The MOT figures above count tests; these count cars, across the whole United Kingdom, cars only. Fiat 500 vans, where they exist, are counted by DVLA as goods vehicles and are not in these figures.

Still taxed, end of 2025
405,724
97.2% of the 417,506 500 cars taxed or on SORN; 249 model variants grouped
On SORN, end of 2025
11,782
declared off the road by their keepers — 2.8% of that total

How the numbers are moving

The number of taxed 500 cars peaked at 409,281 at the end of 2024 and has since fallen by 3,557 (0.9%) to 405,724 at the end of 2025. Cars on SORN went from 1,391 at the end of 2014 to 11,782 at the end of 2025, up 747.0%. A car leaves the taxed count when it is scrapped, exported or declared off the road; the year-end counts do not say which.

Taxed 500 cars, year by year

Cars of this model taxed and on the road at the end of each year, 2014–2025.

0100k200k300k400k500k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)Taxed 500 cars, year 2014: 195kTaxed 500 cars, year 2015: 242kTaxed 500 cars, year 2016: 288kTaxed 500 cars, year 2017: 317kTaxed 500 cars, year 2018: 339kTaxed 500 cars, year 2019: 358kTaxed 500 cars, year 2020: 366kTaxed 500 cars, year 2021: 381kTaxed 500 cars, year 2022: 394kTaxed 500 cars, year 2023: 404kTaxed 500 cars, year 2024: 409kTaxed 500 cars, year 2025: 406k406k
View this chart as a table
YearTaxed 500 cars
2014194,593
2015241,821
2016287,631
2017317,172
2018339,025
2019358,153
2020366,187
2021380,642
2022393,556
2023403,577
2024409,281
2025405,724

500 cars on SORN, year by year

Cars of this model declared off the road at the end of each year, 2014–2025. Its own scale — SORN counts are a fraction of the taxed count.

05k10k15k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)500 cars on SORN, year 2014: 1k500 cars on SORN, year 2015: 2k500 cars on SORN, year 2016: 2k500 cars on SORN, year 2017: 3k500 cars on SORN, year 2018: 3k500 cars on SORN, year 2019: 4k500 cars on SORN, year 2020: 5k500 cars on SORN, year 2021: 5k500 cars on SORN, year 2022: 6k500 cars on SORN, year 2023: 8k500 cars on SORN, year 2024: 9k500 cars on SORN, year 2025: 12k12k
View this chart as a table
Year500 cars on SORN
20141,391
20151,630
20162,154
20172,683
20183,321
20194,411
20204,990
20215,311
20225,896
20237,558
20249,351
202511,782

Which model years survive

Taxed 500 cars at the end of 2025 by year of manufacture, and each year's share of the 405,724 taxed in all. Every build year holding at least 1% has its own row; the rest share one. 626 taxed 500 cars have no recorded year of manufacture and are not in the table, so the rows add up to 405,098. A build year's count depends on how many were sold that year as well as how many have lasted.

Year of manufacture Taxed, end of 2025Share of taxed 500 cars
202411,8632.9%
202313,6173.4%
202216,3664.0%
202114,7953.6%
202013,1253.2%
201920,0154.9%
201823,9235.9%
201728,1696.9%
201646,86011.5%
201546,06011.4%
201439,0459.6%
201332,8968.1%
201227,6976.8%
201119,8084.9%
201019,7254.9%
200917,7234.4%
20089,1142.2%
All other build years (40 years, each under 1%)4,2971.1%

Population source: Department for Transport / DVLA vehicle licensing statistics, table VEH0124, updated 15 July 2026; counts of the cars on DVLA's register that were taxed or on SORN at the end of each year shown, United Kingdom, cars only, excluding cars recorded with no model name. SortedCars groups DVLA's model names 500, 500E GIORGIO ARMANI under this model. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, DVLA or the Department for Transport.

How the 500 ages

First-time pass rate by vehicle age, 500 vs all cars, 2025.

Fiat 500All cars
50%60%70%80%90%100%3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)Fiat 500, vehicle age 3: 89.3%Fiat 500, vehicle age 4: 86.2%Fiat 500, vehicle age 5: 84.8%Fiat 500, vehicle age 6: 80.1%Fiat 500, vehicle age 7: 77%Fiat 500, vehicle age 8: 73.9%Fiat 500, vehicle age 9: 68.9%Fiat 500, vehicle age 10: 64.1%Fiat 500, vehicle age 11: 63.7%Fiat 500, vehicle age 12: 63.4%Fiat 500, vehicle age 13: 61%Fiat 500, vehicle age 14: 58.3%Fiat 500, vehicle age 15: 56.5%Fiat 500, vehicle age 16: 54.8%Fiat 500, vehicle age 17: 54.8%All cars, vehicle age 3: 88.5%All cars, vehicle age 4: 87.2%All cars, vehicle age 5: 86%All cars, vehicle age 6: 83.5%All cars, vehicle age 7: 80.9%All cars, vehicle age 8: 78.2%All cars, vehicle age 9: 74.9%All cars, vehicle age 10: 71.9%All cars, vehicle age 11: 68.6%All cars, vehicle age 12: 65.8%All cars, vehicle age 13: 63.5%All cars, vehicle age 14: 61.2%All cars, vehicle age 15: 59.3%All cars, vehicle age 16: 58.3%All cars, vehicle age 17: 57.2%All cars, vehicle age 18: 57.4%All cars, vehicle age 19: 57%All cars, vehicle age 20: 57.6%All cars 57.6%Fiat 500 54.8%
View this chart as a table
Age (years)500 tests500 pass rateAll cars
317,03689.3%88.5%
415,34686.2%87.2%
513,74484.8%86.0%
621,34680.1%83.5%
724,17077.0%80.9%
824,17073.9%78.2%
933,40368.9%74.9%
1039,26664.1%71.9%
1141,05163.7%68.6%
1234,45063.4%65.8%
1328,93561.0%63.5%
1420,68258.3%61.2%
1521,13156.5%59.3%
1619,11054.8%58.3%
179,96454.8%57.2%

Better or worse than the average car?

The 500's pass rate minus the all-cars pass rate at each age, in percentage points. Bars above zero: the 500 beats the average car of that age. Below zero: it trails.

500 ahead500 behind
-8-4+0+4+8Age 3: +0.8 points vs the average car3Age 4: -1.0 points vs the average carAge 5: -1.2 points vs the average car5Age 6: -3.4 points vs the average carAge 7: -3.9 points vs the average car7Age 8: -4.3 points vs the average carAge 9: -6.0 points vs the average car9Age 10: -7.8 points vs the average carAge 11: -4.9 points vs the average car11Age 12: -2.4 points vs the average carAge 13: -2.5 points vs the average car13Age 14: -2.9 points vs the average carAge 15: -2.8 points vs the average car15Age 16: -3.5 points vs the average carAge 17: -2.4 points vs the average car17Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)Gap (points)
3+0.8
4-1.0
5-1.2
6-3.4
7-3.9
8-4.3
9-6.0
10-7.8
11-4.9
12-2.4
13-2.5
14-2.9
15-2.8
16-3.5
17-2.4

The 500 fleet on the road, by age

How many took a first MOT in 2025 at each age — the shape of the 500 fleet still in use.

012k25k37k50kAge 3: 17k3Age 4: 15kAge 5: 13k5Age 6: 21kAge 7: 24k7Age 8: 24kAge 9: 33k9Age 10: 39kAge 11: 41k11Age 12: 34kAge 13: 28k13Age 14: 20kAge 15: 21k15Age 16: 19kAge 17: 9k17Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)First tests
317,036
415,346
513,744
621,346
724,170
824,170
933,403
1039,266
1141,051
1234,450
1328,935
1420,682
1521,131
1619,110
179,964

What a 500 fails on

Where the failure items land when a 500 fails or needs a fix at test, 2025. Use it as a pre-purchase checklist: these are the areas to look at first.

Suspension31.3%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment21.3%
Brakes14.5%
Tyres12.5%
Visibility7.2%
Body, chassis, structure5.3%
Noise, emissions and leaks5.3%
Steering1.0%

Share of all failure items, 2025 — the 8 biggest categories shown (98.5% of the items); smaller categories are not listed.

The advisories to watch

Where testers most often write "keep an eye on this" for a 500, 2025 — the faults in the post.

Suspension: 35.8% of advisories35.8%Tyres: 28.7% of advisories28.7%Brakes: 16.8% of advisories16.8%Body, chassis, structure: 6.2% of advisoriesNoise, emissions and leaks: 4.0% of advisoriesNon-component advisories: 3.4% of advisories
SuspensionTyresBrakesBody, chassis, structureNoise, emissions and leaksNon-component advisories
View this chart as a table
CategoryShare of advisories
Suspension35.8%
Tyres28.7%
Brakes16.8%
Body, chassis, structure6.2%
Noise, emissions and leaks4.0%
Non-component advisories3.4%

Petrol, diesel or hybrid 500?

First-time pass rate for the four most-tested 500 fuel types, 2025, against the all-cars average. Fleet ages differ by fuel — newer fleets help the electrified bars.

50%60%70%80%90%100%all cars 72.3%Petrol: 67.8% of 353,041 tests67.8%Petrol353,041 testsElectric: 83.8% of 7,381 tests83.8%Electric7,381 testsDiesel: 56.4% of 3,789 tests56.4%Diesel3,789 testsHybrid electric: 88.1% of 597 tests88.1%Hybrid597 tests
View this chart as a table
FuelTestsPass rate
Petrol353,04167.8%
Electric7,38183.8%
Diesel3,78956.4%
Hybrid electric59788.1%

What mileage is normal for a 500?

Mileage recorded at test by vehicle age, 2025. The line is the typical (median) 500; the shaded band holds the middle half. A car far outside the band, in either direction, is worth questions the recorded history can answer.

Typical 500 (median)
0k25k50k75k100k125k357911131517Vehicle age (years)Age 3: typical 16,250 miles (middle half 11,250–23,750)Age 4: typical 21,250 miles (middle half 13,750–31,250)Age 5: typical 23,750 miles (middle half 16,250–36,250)Age 6: typical 28,750 miles (middle half 21,250–41,250)Age 7: typical 36,250 miles (middle half 26,250–48,750)Age 8: typical 41,250 miles (middle half 28,750–56,250)Age 9: typical 46,250 miles (middle half 33,750–61,250)Age 10: typical 53,750 miles (middle half 38,750–68,750)Age 11: typical 58,750 miles (middle half 46,250–73,750)Age 12: typical 63,750 miles (middle half 48,750–81,250)Age 13: typical 68,750 miles (middle half 53,750–86,250)Age 14: typical 73,750 miles (middle half 56,250–91,250)Age 15: typical 78,750 miles (middle half 58,750–96,250)Age 16: typical 83,750 miles (middle half 63,750–101,250)Age 17: typical 88,750 miles (middle half 68,750–106,250)88k mi

Mileage values are midpoints of 2,500-mile bands.

View this chart as a table
Age (years)Lower quarterTypical (median)Upper quarter
311,25016,25023,750
413,75021,25031,250
516,25023,75036,250
621,25028,75041,250
726,25036,25048,750
828,75041,25056,250
933,75046,25061,250
1038,75053,75068,750
1146,25058,75073,750
1248,75063,75081,250
1353,75068,75086,250
1456,25073,75091,250
1558,75078,75096,250
1663,75083,750101,250
1768,75088,750106,250

What fails at each age

The 500's failure mix by age band, 2025 — each band's top categories at their true share of that band's failure items; the pale remainder is everything else. How the mix shifts with age is the point of the chart.

TyresSuspensionVisibilityLamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentBrakesNoise, emissions and leaksBody, chassis, structureEverything else
View this chart as a table
Age bandCategoryShare of the band's failure items
3-5 yrsTyres43.2%
3-5 yrsSuspension16.1%
3-5 yrsVisibility13.8%
3-5 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment11.8%
3-5 yrsBrakes8.2%
3-5 yrsEverything else6.9%
6-9 yrsSuspension41.8%
6-9 yrsTyres18.7%
6-9 yrsBrakes14.3%
6-9 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment8.7%
6-9 yrsVisibility6.5%
6-9 yrsEverything else10.0%
10-13 yrsSuspension38.4%
10-13 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment15.9%
10-13 yrsBrakes13.4%
10-13 yrsTyres12.6%
10-13 yrsNoise, emissions and leaks6.2%
10-13 yrsEverything else13.5%
14+ yrsSuspension27.4%
14+ yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment21.8%
14+ yrsBrakes21.4%
14+ yrsTyres8.6%
14+ yrsBody, chassis, structure7.0%
14+ yrsEverything else13.8%

More vehicles we've checked

How these figures are computed. Every number on this page is calculated by SortedCars from the DVSA anonymised MOT results dataset (every MOT test in Great Britain — 2025 for single-year figures; trend figures state their span, currently 2023–2025). Where a figure comes from a sample or uses banded values (mileage is banded to 2,500 miles), the page says so beside the figure. Test class 4 only, first tests only — retests are excluded. Class 4 is the car MOT class and also covers car-derived vans, pickups and motorhomes tested to the same standard; where this page says "cars" it means class 4. Pass rate = passes ÷ (passes + failures + pass-after-rectification): a vehicle that failed and was fixed during the visit counts as a fail. Pass rates describe fleets, not individual machines: they reflect how cars were driven, maintained and used as well as how they were built, and beyond recorded mileage none of that is in the data. A well-kept example of a model with a weak average can still pass; a neglected example of a strong one can still fail. No figure is shown for any group with fewer than 500 tests. Alias spellings of a make in the DVSA file are counted under one make name, and all trims and variants of a model are grouped under one model name, using SortedCars' grouping tables. The taxed and SORN counts on this page are the one exception: they are not computed from MOT records but taken from the Department for Transport's vehicle licensing statistics (DfT/DVLA table VEH0124, updated 15 July 2026, Open Government Licence v3.0), which count the cars on DVLA's register that were taxed or on SORN at the end of each year shown, UK-wide, cars only. They describe a model as a whole, grouped under SortedCars' model names, and say nothing about any one car. “Dangerous” is DVSA's statutory defect category (in force since May 2018): a defect posing an immediate risk to road safety — driving the vehicle before repair is an offence. What these figures are for. These statistics are general information about groups of vehicles. They are not advice, a valuation or a recommendation to buy, avoid or price any particular vehicle, and no decision about one car should rest on them alone — check the car itself and its own records. We take care over the calculations, but we cannot guarantee they are complete, current or free of error, and we accept no liability for loss arising from reliance on them. This does not limit any liability that cannot lawfully be limited — see our Terms & Conditions. If you believe any figure on this page is inaccurate, contact us. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the DVSA or DVLA. DVSA publishes the raw test records; the statistics on this page are SortedCars' own calculations from them. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.