CarCostCheck

Fiat 500X Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid

What the Fiat 500X fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 59,593 MOT tests across 7 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).

Segment: small family car | Fuel: Petrol

84%

Fiat 500X pass rate

83%

Fiat average

82%

All-model average

The Fiat 500X has an average MOT pass rate of 84%, which is 1 point above the Fiat average and 2 points above the average across all models in our data. Newer Fiat 500Xs pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 8 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.

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What the Fiat 500X Fails Its MOT On

Of the 9,685 MOT tests on the Fiat 500X that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.

Lights and electrics

34%

Cars and vans the same age: 29% · Typical repair £15-£200

Steering

31%

Cars and vans the same age: 6.1% (the 500X fails on this more often) · Typical repair £100-£500

Tyres

24%

Cars and vans the same age: 27% · Typical repair £50-£300

Suspension

21%

Cars and vans the same age: 28% (the 500X fails on this less often) · Typical repair £150-£600

Exhaust, emissions and leaks

13%

Cars and vans the same age: 9.6% · Typical repair £80-£800

The 3 single faults it failed on most

  1. Position lamp: not working (23% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
  2. Track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (20% of failed tests, steering)
  3. Tyre tread depth below the 1.6mm limit (9.6% of failed tests, tyres)

Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.

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Fiat 500X Years to Avoid

Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each 500X year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.

Failed more often than cars their age

  • 2016: 82% passed, against 86% for all 2016 cars (4 points lower, 24,534 tests)
  • 2015: 80% passed, against 84% for all 2015 cars (4 points lower, 13,131 tests)
  • 2017: 84% passed, against 87% for all 2017 cars (3 points lower, 8,169 tests)

Passed more often than cars their age

No year passed 3 or more points more often than other cars of the same age.

A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.

Fiat 500X Reliability by Year

MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.

2015
80%
Lowest
2016
82%
2017
84%
2018
87%
2019
91%
2020
92%
Highest
2021
91%
YearFuelEnginePass RateFail RateAll Cars
2021Petrol1.0L91%8%93% (-2)
2020Petrol1.6L92%7%92% (0)
2019Petrol1.6L91%9%91% (0)
2018Petrol1.6L87%12%89% (-2)
2017Petrol1.6L84%16%87% (-3)
2016Petrol1.6L82%18%86% (-4)
2015Petrol1.6L80%19%84% (-4)

Fiat 500X Running Costs

Want to know the full annual running costs for the Fiat 500X? Including fuel, road tax, the MOT and predicted repairs based on MOT pass rates, plus an estimated insurance group.

View Fiat 500X Running Costs

Fiat 500X FAQ

What are the most common Fiat 500X problems?

In 2025, MOT tests on the Fiat 500X that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (34% of the 9,685 failed tests), steering (31%) and tyres (24%). The single most common fault was "Position lamp: not working" (23%). Across 59,593 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 84% ended in a pass.

Is the Fiat 500X reliable?

The Fiat 500X has an average MOT pass rate of 84%, from 59,593 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed 3 points less often on average, so check the history of any example carefully.

Which Fiat 500X years should I avoid?

Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2016 (82% of 24,534 tests passed, against 86% for all 2016 cars), the 2015 (80% of 13,131 tests passed, against 84% for all 2015 cars) and the 2017 (84% of 8,169 tests passed, against 87% for all 2017 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.

How much does it cost to fix common Fiat 500X faults?

As a rough guide, brake work on a Fiat 500X typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.

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