363,910 500s had an MOT in 2025. 68.0% passed first time, against 74.6% for other cars of the same age and mileage. Most of the gap comes from cars registered from 2009 to 2019, which fail on suspension 1.9 times as often as comparable cars. Those registered from 2022 onwards pass as often as other cars their age.
Each dot compares how often 500s of that year failed on one area of the test with cars of the same age and mileage.
| Year | Passed first time | Against same age and mileage | MOTs | Suspension | Steering | Brakes | Tyres | Lights & electrics | Visibility | Body & structure | Emissions & leaks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 54.8% | −4.0 | 9,964 | ||||||||
| 2009 | 54.8% | −5.2 | 19,110 | ||||||||
| 2010 | 56.5% | −5.4 | 21,131 | ||||||||
| 2011 | 58.3% | −5.9 | 20,682 | ||||||||
| 2012 | 61.0% | −5.5 | 28,934 | ||||||||
| 2013 | 63.4% | −5.5 | 34,450 | ||||||||
| 2014 | 63.7% | −8.2 | 41,051 | ||||||||
| 2015 | 64.1% | −11.2 | 39,266 | ||||||||
| 2016 | 68.9% | −9.5 | 33,403 | ||||||||
| 2017 | 73.9% | −7.4 | 24,170 | ||||||||
| 2018 | 77.0% | −6.8 | 24,170 | ||||||||
| 2019 | 80.1% | −6.0 | 21,346 | ||||||||
| 2020 | 84.8% | −3.2 | 13,744 | ||||||||
| 2021 | 86.2% | −2.9 | 15,346 | ||||||||
| 2022 | 89.3% | −0.8 | 17,036 |
Much worse: failed on that area at least 1.5 times as often. Worse: 1.15 to 1.5 times. Better: up to 0.87 times. Much better: two-thirds as often or less. Gaps under half a percentage point count as about the same. Registration year is the year the car was first used.
Well behind: 5 or more points below cars of the same age and mileage. Behind: 1.5 to 5 points below. Level: within 1.5 points. Ahead: 1.5 or more points above.
14.6% of 500 MOTs failed on suspension, against 8.0% for cars of the same age and mileage, and 3.5% on body and structure, against 2.5%.
500s pass less often than cars of the same age and mileage at every mileage, by 3.4 to 7.9 points. The gap is widest at 30–60k miles.
Diesels passed 56.4% first time, 5.1 points below comparable cars; petrols passed 67.8%, 6.6 points below comparable cars. Diesels had a median of 89,514 miles at the test, against 52,117 for petrols. Hybrids are mostly newer cars (median 20,863 miles), so compare them with care. Electrics are mostly newer cars (median 15,413 miles), so compare them with care.
| Fuel | MOTs | Passed first time | Same age and mileage | Gap (pts) | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 352,217 | 67.8% | 74.4% | −6.6 | 52,117 |
| Electric | 7,309 | 83.8% | 90.2% | −6.4 | 15,413 |
| Diesel | 3,789 | 56.4% | 61.5% | −5.1 | 89,514 |
| Hybrid | 588 | 87.9% | 89.1% | −1.2 | 20,863 |
Cars registered 2014 to 2021, each against cars of the same age and mileage. The 500 ranks 5 of 5.
| Model | MOTs | Passed first time | Same age and mileage | Gap (pts) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Toyota Aygo | 163,434 | 83.4% | 81.5% | +1.8 | |
| 2. VW up! | 93,028 | 81.0% | 79.5% | +1.4 | |
| 3. Hyundai i10 | 144,670 | 79.1% | 80.8% | −1.7 | |
| 4. Kia Picanto | 107,422 | 79.4% | 82.2% | −2.7 | |
| 5. Fiat 500 | 212,496 | 71.9% | 79.7% | −7.8 |
What testers most often noted as advisories on 500s in 2025: wear that passed but was close to failing. Figures in brackets are for cars of the same age and mileage.
At the MOT, 68.0% of 363,910 500 MOTs in 2025 passed first time, against 74.6% for cars of the same age and mileage. 2008: behind (−4.0 points). 2009 to 2019: well behind (−5.2 to −11.2 points). 2020 to 2021: behind (−2.9 to −3.2 points). 2022: level (−0.8 points).
Going by 2025 MOT results, 2008 and 2009 to 2019 and 2020 to 2021. Those cars passed first time −4.0 and −5.2 to −11.2 and −2.9 to −3.2 points against comparable cars.
Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn: 4.9% of 500 MOTs, against 1.1% for cars of the same age and mileage.
Petrol 500s passed 67.8% first time and diesels 56.4%. Against cars of the same age and mileage, petrols were 6.6 points below and diesels 5.1 points below.
For cars registered 2014 to 2021, the Toyota Aygo passed 83.4% first time, +1.8 points against comparable cars. The 500 passed 71.9%, −7.8 points.
Data. Every car MOT in Great Britain in 2025 (31,475,521 first tests on cars first used 2005 to 2022), from DVSA's anonymised MOT test data. Retests are left out.
Passed first time. A car passed if its first test that year ended in a pass. Cars that failed and were fixed within the hour count as fails, as DVSA counts them.
Same age and mileage. We group every car by the year it was first used and its mileage (under 30k, 30–60k, 60–90k, 90–120k, over 120k). The comparison figure is what those groups scored, weighted to match the 500's mix of ages and mileages.
Model. Every car DVSA records as a Fiat 500: 80 recorded model names, from "500" to trims such as "500C".
The full method, including how each report-card dot and year group is decided.