2020 Fiat 500 Mhev — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 12,128 MOT tests analysed for the 2020 Fiat 500 Mhev, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling. Its pass rate of 91.3% was in line with the average for cars of a similar age (90.5%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 15.4% in the 60-90k group versus 7.8% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.4% | 773 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.0% | 363 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.3% | 279 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.9% | 110 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.7% | 79 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.3% | 31 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 245 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 238 |
| 3 | Washers | 200 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 178 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 82 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 77 |
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 | 23.8% | 2,886 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.3% | 885 |
| 3 | Other defects | 3.8% | 465 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.6% | 439 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.8% | 221 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.4% | 51 |
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 | 9,650 | 7.8% |
| 30-60k | 2,382 | 12.0% |
| 60-90k | 91 | 15.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 11,921 | 8.7% |
| Hybrid | 207 | 6.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 43 | 11.6% |
| 2023 | 3,967 | 7.7% |
| 2024 | 4,005 | 8.6% |
| 2025 | 4,113 | 9.6% |
What to check before buying a 2020 500 Mhev
Before buying a 2020 Fiat 500 Mhev, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 6.4% of tests for this year.
- Tyres (6.4% 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 (3.0% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (2.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 2020 Fiat 500 Mhevs pass their MOT?
91.3% of the 12,128 2020 Fiat 500 Mhev MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Fiat 500 Mhev?
Tyres, recorded in 6.4% of tests, followed by visibility (3.0%).
Does the 2020 500 Mhev get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.8% in the 0-30k band to 15.4% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 12,128 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.