Fiat 500 2012: MOT failure rate for its age
35.4% of 176,140 MOT tests of the Fiat 500 first registered in 2012 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 100.9 (95% CI 100.1–101.7; 100 = normal for this model at that age): close to other build years of the same model at the same age (within 5 points of normal).
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 35.4 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 176140 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 100.1–101.7) | 100.9 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 176140 |
| Rank among this model's 14 build years | 7 | of 14 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 176140 |
| Tested in 2024 | 28832 | tests | median 65,361 miles | 2024 | 28832 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2012 Fiat 500 fail at each age?
Cars built in 2012 were tested at ages 7 to 12 between 2019 and 2024. Each row compares their first-time failure share with what this model normally shows at that age, after allowing for the overall failure level of each test year.
| Age | Tests | Failed, % | 95% interval | Normal for this model at that age, % | Index (100 = normal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 30,405 | 31.9 | 31.4–32.4 | 30.4 | 105 |
| 8 | 28,870 | 33.3 | 32.8–33.9 | 31.7 | 105.1 |
| 9 | 29,331 | 34.5 | 33.9–35 | 34.6 | 99.7 |
| 10 | 29,455 | 36.4 | 35.9–37 | 36 | 101.3 |
| 11 | 29,247 | 37.3 | 36.7–37.8 | 38.1 | 97.8 |
| 12 | 28,832 | 39 | 38.4–39.5 | 39.7 | 98.2 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 176,140 (initial tests) · Method: normal rate = this model's first-time failure share at that age across its build years (cells of 400+ tests), adjusted for each test year's overall level; cells of 30+ tests, under 500 marked rough · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
What fails most on the 2012 Fiat 500?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2012 is suspension: 27.5 items per 100 first tests, against 19.7 across all build years of the Fiat 500. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2012 were tested at ages 7 to 12.
| Failure group | Built 2012, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 27.5 | 19.7 | 48,442 |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 12.8 | 10.5 | 22,614 |
| Tyres | 9.7 | 8.5 | 17,172 |
| Brakes | 9.5 | 10.1 | 16,737 |
| Visibility | 7.5 | 7.5 | 13,253 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 176,140 (initial tests of this build year) · Method: failure items grouped by DVSA's top-level defect groups, per 100 initial tests; groups with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How does 2012 compare with the years around it?
Among the 14 published build years of the Fiat 500, 2012 ranks 7 (1 = fails least for its age). 2011: index 103.1. 2013: index 97.2.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 111.7 | 100.7–122.6 | worse (rough estimate) | 815 |
| 2008 | 103.7 | 102.6–104.9 | worse | 72,228 |
| 2009 | 105.0 | 104.2–105.9 | worse | 125,471 |
| 2010 | 103.5 | 102.6–104.4 | worse | 133,107 |
| 2011 | 103.1 | 102.1–104.0 | worse | 123,279 |
| 2012 | 100.9 | 100.1–101.7 | worse | 176,140 |
| 2013 | 97.2 | 96.5–98.0 | better | 209,292 |
| 2014 | 100.9 | 100.2–101.7 | worse | 247,273 |
| 2015 | 106.2 | 105.4–107.1 | worse | 237,114 |
| 2016 | 99.1 | 98.1–100.0 | no different | 201,403 |
| 2017 | 89.7 | 88.5–90.9 | better | 127,628 |
| 2018 | 87.3 | 85.9–88.7 | better | 96,921 |
| 2019 | 85.6 | 83.6–87.5 | better | 57,362 |
| 2020 | 97.5 | 91.4–103.5 | no different | 8,558 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 1,816,591 (initial tests) · Method: observed failures against those expected for the same model at the same ages, test-year level adjusted; verdict follows the printed one-decimal bound · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How to cite this page
MOT Risk Index (2026). Fiat 500 2012 MOT statistics (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 30 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/fiat-500/2012/
How every figure is calculated: methodology. Age, test year and build year are tied together (age = test year − build year), so the test-year level is taken as observed, not estimated.
Other pages for this model
Fiat 500 2007 · Fiat 500 2008 · Fiat 500 2009 · Fiat 500 2010 · Fiat 500 2011 · Fiat 500 2013 · Fiat 500 2014 · Fiat 500 2015 · Fiat 500 2016 · Fiat 500 2017 · Fiat 500 2018 · Fiat 500 2019 · Fiat 500 2020 · Fiat 500 in Finland · Fiat 500 in the Netherlands · Fiat 500 in Norway · Fiat 500 by postcode area · Fiat 500 body, chassis and structure failures · Fiat 500 brakes failures · Fiat 500 vehicle identification failures · Fiat 500 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Fiat 500 noise, emissions and leaks failures · Fiat 500 road wheels failures · Fiat 500 seat belts and airbags failures · Fiat 500 steering failures · Fiat 500 suspension failures · Fiat 500 tyres failures · Fiat 500 visibility failures