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MOT fail rates by first-use year

2016 Fiat 500X MOT fail rate and common faults

How Fiat 500X cars first used in 2016 did at their MOTs from 2022 to 2025, against all cars of the same age. From 55,376 DVSA MOT tests of these cars. First use is usually the date the car was first registered.

MOT data updated

At 9 years, tested in 2025

MOT fail rate at age 9 (n=13,753)33.3%
All cars at 9 years (n=9,949,012)27.1%
Difference+6.2 pts
MOT tests of 2016 cars, 2022 to 202555,376

What stands out

  • In 2025, at 9 years old, Fiat 500X cars first used in 2016 failed 33.3% of MOTs (13,753 tests), 6.2 points above the 27.1% for all cars that age.
  • From 2022 to 2025, as these cars went from 6 to 9 years old, the fail rate moved from 19.5% to 33.3%.
  • Fiat 500X cars first used a year earlier, in 2015, failed 31.1% at the same age of 9 years (7,237 tests, in 2024).
  • The most common fail item that is not a wear item, for the Fiat 500X at 9 years, is track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt, at 6.7 per 100 MOTs (all cars: 0.4).

MOT fail rate by test year

Fiat 500X cars first used in 2016: share of MOT tests that failed, by test year, against all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.
Test yearAgeMOT fail rateTests (n)All carsDifference
20226 years19.5%13,95417.8%+1.7 pts
20237 years24.5%13,82420.6%+3.9 pts
20248 years29.1%13,84523.8%+5.3 pts
20259 years33.3%13,75327.1%+6.2 pts

Most common faults at 9 years

These figures cover all Fiat 500X MOTs at 9 years: cars first used 2015 to 2016, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=20,990). The list uses every first-use year so it has enough tests. Wear items (tyres, brake pads, wipers, bulbs) say more about upkeep than about the design.

MOT fail items

Fail itemPer 100 MOTsAll cars
Side/position light not working Wear9.01.7
Track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt6.70.4
Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Wear3.12.5
Steering track rod end: ball joint play2.51.0
Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Wear2.11.3
Anti-roll bar link worn1.90.4
Engine warning lamp at the diesel emissions check: not working or showing a fault1.90.6
Tyre with cords exposed Wear1.51.3
Brake pads under 1.5 mm Wear1.52.0
Engine warning lamp at the petrol emissions check: not working or showing a fault1.40.8

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=20,990). A test with two items counts once for each.

Advisories

AdvisoryPer 100 MOTsAll cars
Tyre tread close to the legal limit or worn on the edge Wear18.116.4
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened14.29.2
Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Wear12.38.5
Track rod end: ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt9.70.8
Suspension pin or bush worn, without excessive movement8.04.9
Brake pads wearing thin Wear7.88.3
Brake discs: worn, but not excessively4.72.7
Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt4.52.3
Non-component advisories: Nail in tyre2.51.9
Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive2.42.5

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=20,990). A test with two items counts once for each.

Fuel type at 9 years

These figures cover all Fiat 500X MOTs at 9 years: cars first used 2015 to 2016, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=20,990). Each fuel is set against all cars of the same fuel and age. Fuels with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

FuelShare of testsMOT fail rateTests (n)All cars, same fuelMedian mileage
Petrol56.3%31.0%11,81526.3%58,154 miles
Diesel43.7%34.5%9,17528.3%68,707 miles

Fail rate by mileage at 9 years

These figures cover all Fiat 500X MOTs at 9 years: cars first used 2015 to 2016, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=20,990). At 9 years, Fiat 500X cars at 90,000 to 120,000 miles failed more often (40.5%, n=2,153) than those at 30,000 to 60,000 miles (29.3%, n=8,542). Bands with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

Mileage at testMOT fail rateTests (n)All cars
30,000 to 60,000 miles29.3%8,54223.0%
60,000 to 90,000 miles35.3%9,01829.4%
90,000 to 120,000 miles40.5%2,15332.8%

Car tax rules for a 2016 car

  • Cars first registered from 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017 are taxed by CO2 emissions band, from band A (the lowest emissions) to band M. The band is set by the CO2 figure on the V5C logbook.

These are the rules, not the amount for a specific car. Car tax check

ULEZ and clean air zones

  • Petrol cars first registered from 2006 usually meet Euro 4, the petrol standard for the London ULEZ, so they usually do not pay the daily charge.
  • Diesel cars first registered from September 2015 usually meet Euro 6, the diesel standard for the London ULEZ, so they usually do not pay the daily charge.
  • The clean air zones in Birmingham and Bristol use the same Euro 4 petrol and Euro 6 diesel standards. The low emission zones in Scotland use them too, but enforce them with fines, not a daily charge.

The Euro standard of the car decides, not the year alone. ULEZ checker

Other years of the Fiat 500X

Other Fiat models first used in 2016

ModelAge at testMOT fail rateTests (n)All cars
Fiat 500 (2016)9 years in 202531.0%33,54927.1%
Fiat Panda (2016)9 years in 202526.5%4,80827.1%
Fiat Ducato (2016)9 years in 202517.8%2,80827.1%
Fiat Punto (2016)9 years in 202535.1%1,69127.1%
Fiat 500L (2016)9 years in 202533.8%1,61827.1%
Fiat Tipo (2016)9 years in 202527.5%1,12227.1%

More on the Fiat 500X

Read this with care. A fail rate is not a measure of build quality. How far cars are driven, how they are used and how well owners maintain them all change it, and wear items such as tyres and brake pads are common fails. Compare a model only with cars of the same age. Methodology and limits.

Found one you might buy? Vet the specific car.

These figures describe 2016 Fiat 500X cars as a group, not any one car. The VetTheCar Buying Report looks at the car you are buying: its MOT history, what similar cars did next, and what to ask the seller.

See an example Buying Report All car tools

Source

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 28 September 2026.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources

Car tax and clean air zone rules are summarised from GOV.UK and Transport for London guidance. They are general rules and are not drawn from the MOT data.