2012 Fiat 500 C MOT pass rate: 67.1% (2,125 tests)

2012-registered Fiat 500 Cs passed 67.1% of 2,125 MOT tests in 2023–2025 — 4.2 points worse than same-age cars (71.2%).

67.1%Pass rate, 2012 cars

95.8Age-adjusted index (100 = average)

2,125Tests analysed

64,092 miMedian mileage at test

67.0% / 83.3%Petrol vs diesel pass rate

Is the 2012 500 C getting worse?

Pass rate of 2012-registered cars across recent test years:

Test year	Pass rate
2023	69.8% -2.5 vs same-age
2024	65.7% -5.2 vs same-age
2025	65.5% -4.8 vs same-age

The raw rate normally falls as cars age. The “vs same-age” figure compares this cohort with all UK cars registered in the same year, so normal ageing is not mistaken for a bad model year.

What fails on a 2012 500 C

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Suspension	605	33.2%
2	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	280	15.4%
3	Brakes	245	13.4%
4	Tyres	200	11.0%
5	Noise, emissions and leaks	198	10.9%
6	Body, chassis, structure	155	8.5%

All 500 C years compared

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2010	1,822	62.7%	-4.6 pts	68,718
2011	3,875	65.2%	-3.9 pts	66,852
2012 (this page)	2,125	67.1%	-4.2 pts	64,092
2014	1,642	72.2%	-3.6 pts	49,312

Buying a 2012 500 C? Two checks first

Free MOT history checkThe exact car’s failures, advisories and mileage trail — sellers can’t edit it
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

FAQs

Is a 2012 Fiat 500 C reliable?

2012-registered examples passed 67.1% of their MOT tests (2,125 tests, 2023–2025), -4.2 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 14 years old with a median 64,092 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.

What mileage is too high for a 2012 500 C?

The median tested example shows 64,092 miles. Anything far beyond that isn't automatically bad — a motorway-mile car with consistent service records often beats a low-mileage school-run car — but price accordingly and scrutinise the mileage trail for gaps or drops.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023–2025 extracts (96 million Class 4 initial tests; retests excluded). Only vehicles old enough for a routine first MOT are included. Age-adjusted figures compare the model-year cohort with all vehicles of the same registration year tested in the same calendar year. Contains public sector information licensed under OGL v3.0.