Fiat 500 (2008)

14,443 real MOT outcomes analysed • 73% first-time pass rate

2008 Fiat 500

CarHunch analysed 14,443 real MOT records for the 2008 Fiat 500. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.

Below average reliability 7% below UK average
73%
pass MOT first time
UK average: ~80%
57,093
typical mileage
43,071–71,165 middle half
55.6%
ever had a dangerous defect
recorded at any MOT
5.17
avg MOT failures per car
over 18.3 tests on record

Petrol vs Diesel

Pass rate difference of 1.7 percentage points — worth knowing if you're choosing between the two.

73.3%
Petrol
11,957 vehicles
71.6%
Diesel
2,485 vehicles

What to check before buying a 2008 Fiat 500

Practical pre-purchase checks for this age and model.

  • 📋 Check the full MOT history. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. Enter the reg below for a full AI analysis.
  • 🔍 Inspect for corrosion in person. Brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that's expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.
  • 🛞 Check tyres and brakes. The most common advisory items at this age. Budget for replacement if they're near the limit — factor this into your offer price.
  • ⚠️ 55.6% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Enter the reg below — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.
  • 📄 Run an HPI check. The MOT history won't show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status — an HPI check will.

Before you buy a Fiat 500

MOT history is one piece of the puzzle. These checks can reveal what CarHunch can't.

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Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type Vehicles Pass rate Avg failures
Petrol (83%) 11,957 73.3% 5.19
Diesel (17%) 2,485 71.6% 5.05
LPG (0%) 1 60% 6

Mileage Distribution

Most 2008 Fiat 500 vehicles sit in the blue band. If the car you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

43,071
low mileage
57,093
typical
71,165
high mileage

Half of all 2008 Fiat 500 vehicles fall between 43,071 and 71,165 miles.

2008 Fiat 500 — Still on the Road

9,420 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 — 69% of the peak remain.

13,678 9,420 2014 2025

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2025.

MOT History Averages

18.3
Avg MOT tests per vehicle
5.17
Avg failures per vehicle
30.8
Avg advisories per vehicle

Most Common MOT Issues — 2008 Fiat 500

Based on actual MOT test records for this model. Percentage shows how often each item appears across all vehicles in this cohort.

  • 60.3%
    Nearside Rear Coil spring corroded
  • 59.8%
    Offside Rear Coil spring corroded
  • 53.9%
    Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge
  • 52.8%
    Oil leak, but not excessive
  • 52.2%
    Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge
  • 50.7%
    Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
  • 48.7%
    Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
  • 40.5%
    Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2008. Counts include advisories and failures.

Found a specific Fiat 500?

Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.

UK

Other model years — Fiat 500:

2007 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020