In 2025, 82,595 Fiat Panda cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 64% passed first time, compared with 65% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the Panda about average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 158 of the 217 most-tested car models.
That comparison matters: older cars fail more often, so a raw pass rate flatters models that are mostly young. We compare each model against every car on the road at the same age.
Pass rate by age
At 5 years old, 83% of Pandas passed first time (all cars that age: 86%). By 20 years, that figure is 54% (all cars: 58%). It trails the average car at most ages, most noticeably at 20 years (4 points behind).
Fiat Panda All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | Panda passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 years | 1,409 | 83% | 86% | 25,067 |
| 6 years | 2,513 | 81% | 84% | 29,889 |
| 7 years | 2,659 | 79% | 81% | 34,421 |
| 8 years | 3,491 | 76% | 78% | 39,844 |
| 9 years | 4,792 | 73% | 75% | 45,480 |
| 10 years | 7,862 | 70% | 72% | 52,901 |
| 11 years | 7,854 | 68% | 69% | 59,388 |
| 12 years | 7,271 | 66% | 66% | 64,206 |
| 13 years | 6,163 | 64% | 63% | 65,590 |
| 14 years | 5,038 | 58% | 61% | 67,978 |
| 15 years | 8,116 | 57% | 59% | 72,027 |
| 16 years | 9,011 | 57% | 58% | 72,720 |
| 17 years | 4,098 | 53% | 57% | 79,218 |
| 18 years | 4,257 | 54% | 57% | 81,266 |
| 19 years | 3,204 | 54% | 57% | 81,806 |
| 20 years | 2,434 | 54% | 58% | 82,503 |
What fails most on a Fiat Panda
The area that lets the Panda down most, relative to other cars, is suspension: 27.2% of tests failed on it, 2.0 times the rate for the average car.
Share of Panda tests failing on this area Average car
The six most common failure items
| Failure item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | Suspension | 9.8% |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | Tyres | 4.8% |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | Lights and electrics | 4.0% |
| A shock absorber bush excessively worn | Suspension | 4.0% |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 3.9% |
| Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | Visibility | 3.9% |
What to check when buying a used Panda
Based on where the Panda fails more often than other cars, these are the checks worth making before you buy:
- Suspension: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, look for leaking shock absorbers, and check the car sits level. Ask whether springs, bushes or drop links have been replaced. Repair guide
- Emissions and leaks: Look for oil and coolant leaks underneath, listen for exhaust blows on a cold start, and watch for smoke when revving. Repair guide
- Body and structure: Get underneath with a torch: sills, jacking points, subframe mounts and floor pans. Structural rust is the failure that can make a car uneconomic to fix. Repair guide
Then check the individual car: its own MOT history will show whether it follows the pattern. A car with repeated advisories in the same weak area is more likely to fail its next test.
Check a specific Panda
Enter the registration to see its full MOT history, mileage record and reliability score, compared with these figures.
Check a PandaFrequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a Fiat Panda?
In 2025, 64% of Fiat Panda cars passed their MOT first time, across 82,595 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 65%.
What do Fiat Panda cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (9.8% of tests); tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements (4.8% of tests); a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning (4.0% of tests).
Other Fiat models
Fiat 500 (66%), Fiat Ducato (73%), Fiat Punto (55%), Fiat Doblo (63%), Fiat 500X (72%). All Fiat models
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 (class 4 normal tests; first-time pass means passed with no faults fixed at the test). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.