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Fiat Marea (1997)

2,968 real MOT outcomes analysed • 64.1% first-time pass rate

1997 Fiat Marea

CarHunch analysed 2,968 real MOT records for the 1997 Fiat Marea. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.

Below average reliability 15.9% below UK average
64.1%
pass MOT first time
UK average: ~80%
80,856
typical mileage
65,893–96,000 middle half
16.8%
ever had a dangerous defect
recorded at any MOT
1.76
avg MOT failures per car
over 4.6 tests on record

What to check before buying a 1997 Fiat Marea

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.
  • 📄 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 Marea

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 (85%) 2,521 63.9% 1.79
Diesel (15%) 447 65.4% 1.62

Mileage Distribution

Most 1997 Fiat Marea 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.

65,893
low mileage
80,856
typical
96,000
high mileage

Half of all 1997 Fiat Marea vehicles fall between 65,893 and 96,000 miles.

1997 Fiat Marea — Still on the Road

Numbers are declining — 13 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2019 (17% of peak).

77 13 2014 2019

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2019.

MOT History Averages

4.6
Avg MOT tests per vehicle
1.76
Avg failures per vehicle
4.3
Avg advisories per vehicle

Most Common MOT Issues — 1997 Fiat Marea

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

  • 25.1%
    Parking brake: efficiency below requirements
  • 23.3%
    Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
  • 22.2%
    Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
  • 20.4%
    Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded
  • 18%
    Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded
  • 16.8%
    Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm
  • 16.3%
    Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded
  • 15.2%
    Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1997. Counts include advisories and failures.

Found a specific Fiat Marea?

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

UK

Other model years — Fiat Marea:

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002