Abarth 500 MOT pass rate: 72.6% (5,215 tests, 2025)

The Abarth 500 passed 72.6% of its 5,215 MOT tests in 2025 — 4.9 points below the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 13 years old with 72,124 miles on the clock.

72.6%Pass rate (2025)

5,215MOT tests analysed

72,124 miMedian mileage at test

13 yrsMedian age at test

How the 500 compares

Abarth 500

72.6%

UK average (all Class 4 vehicles)

77.5% across 33.1 million tests

Abarth average (all models)

81.6%

What fails most on the Abarth 500

Across failed and rectified tests in 2025, these vehicle systems produced the most defects on the 500:

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Suspension	1,232	30.5%
2	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	882	21.8%
3	Brakes	476	11.8%
4	Tyres	464	11.5%
5	Noise, emissions and leaks	392	9.7%
6	Body, chassis, structure	343	8.5%

Pre-MOT checklist for 500 owners

Based on the failure profile above, ten minutes with a torch before your test removes the most likely fail items:

Bounce each corner and listen for clonks over speed bumps — suspension is this model’s (and the UK’s) top failure system
Walk round with all lights on: one blown bulb is the most avoidable fail there is
Feel for a spongy pedal or pulling to one side; check pad wear through the wheel spokes if visible
Check tread with the 20p test and inspect sidewalls for cracking — tyres close to the limit are the country’s most common advisory
A blowing exhaust or visible smoke will fail; warm the engine fully before the test

Check the engine before the tester does

A stored fault code with the engine light on is an automatic Major defect. Scan and clear resolved faults before booking.

Topdon OBD2 scannersTopdon diagnostic scanners with full-system readouts
XTOOL diagnostic toolsXTOOL code readers for petrol and diesel cars
Autel UK testersAutel professional-grade diagnostic testers

500 pass rate by registration year

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2009	2,204	71.1%	+4.7 pts	83,322
2010	2,772	71.2%	+3.8 pts	77,487
2011	2,583	71.2%	+2.0 pts	72,388
2012	2,205	72.0%	+0.8 pts	68,442
2013	1,579	72.6%	-0.8 pts	64,664
2014	2,278	74.6%	-1.3 pts	56,877
2015	2,140	76.2%	-2.6 pts	51,750

Check a specific 500 before you buy

Pass rates describe the model; they can’t tell you about the one car you’re looking at. Run its plate through our free MOT history check to see its personal record of failures, advisories and mileage readings.

Other Abarth models

59582.6% pass rate · 18,371 tests 595C84.2% pass rate · 2,130 tests

FAQs

What is the MOT pass rate for a Abarth 500?

In 2025, 72.6% of 5,215 first MOT tests on the Abarth 500 were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the 500 fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is suspension (30.5% of its recorded defects), followed by lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment.

Is the Abarth 500 reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 72.6% it performs below the national average at a median age of 13 years and 72,124 miles. Always check the individual car's history too.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 extract (Class 4 initial tests only; retests excluded). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures rounded to one decimal place.