Fiat 500 (2010)

22,458 real MOT outcomes analysed • 74.7% first-time pass rate

2010 Fiat 500

CarHunch analysed 22,458 real MOT records for the 2010 Fiat 500. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.

The 2010 Fiat 500 falls short of the UK average with a 74.7% first-time pass rate, and that's a serious red flag: 54.2% of these cars have recorded a dangerous defect at some point, nearly three times the acceptable threshold. Both petrol and diesel variants struggle equally, with petrol managing only 74.8% and diesel lagging further at 71.7%.

At 51,746 miles median, these 500s are running relatively low mileage for their age, yet they're averaging 4.41 failures and a whopping 27.6 advisories per test—indicating widespread small defects and wear even on lightly-used examples. Before committing to a 2010 500, get a pre-purchase inspection focused on suspension, braking, and electrical gremlins, and budget for persistent maintenance rather than expecting trouble-free ownership.

Below average reliability 5.3% below UK average
74.7%
pass MOT first time
UK average: ~80%
51,746
typical mileage
38,780–65,454 middle half
54.2%
ever had a dangerous defect
recorded at any MOT
4.41
avg MOT failures per car
over 16.5 tests on record

Petrol vs Diesel

Pass rate difference of 3.1 percentage points — worth knowing if you're choosing between the two.

74.8%
Petrol
21,768 vehicles
71.7%
Diesel
689 vehicles

What to check before buying a 2010 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.
  • ⚠️ 54.2% 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 (97%) 21,768 74.8% 4.4
Diesel (3%) 689 71.7% 4.66
Electric (0%) 1 100% 0

Mileage Distribution

Most 2010 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.

38,780
low mileage
51,746
typical
65,454
high mileage

Half of all 2010 Fiat 500 vehicles fall between 38,780 and 65,454 miles.

2010 Fiat 500 — Still on the Road

Strong survival — 18,071 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 84% of the peak.

21,469 18,071 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

16.5
Avg MOT tests per vehicle
4.41
Avg failures per vehicle
27.6
Avg advisories per vehicle

Most Common MOT Issues — 2010 Fiat 500

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

  • 55.6%
    Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge
  • 53.2%
    Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge
  • 46.7%
    Nearside Rear Coil spring corroded
  • 44.4%
    Offside Rear Coil spring corroded
  • 42.1%
    Oil leak, but not excessive
  • 38.8%
    Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing
  • 33.6%
    Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing
  • 32.5%
    Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2010. 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 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020