Fiat Punto Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Fiat Punto 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 110,715 MOT tests across 25 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: small family car | Fuel: Petrol, Diesel
72%
Fiat Punto pass rate
83%
Fiat average
82%
All-model average
The Fiat Punto has an average MOT pass rate of 72%, which is 11 points below the Fiat average and 10 points below the average across all models in our data. Newer Fiat Puntos pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 5 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Fiat Punto Fails Its MOT On
Of the 21,743 MOT tests on the Fiat Punto 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
52%Cars and vans the same age: 44% · Typical repair £15-£200
Suspension
34%Cars and vans the same age: 38% · Typical repair £150-£600
Exhaust, emissions and leaks
22%Cars and vans the same age: 13% (the Punto fails on this more often) · Typical repair £80-£800
Brakes
20%Cars and vans the same age: 25% · Typical repair £80-£450
Body, chassis and structure
19%Cars and vans the same age: 15% (the Punto fails on this more often) · Typical repair £200-£1200
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Position lamp: not working (14% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Stop lamp: not working (11% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Coil spring: fractured or broken (11% of failed tests, suspension)
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 Punto 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 Punto 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
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 Punto 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.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Petrol | 1.2L | 82% | 18% | - |
| 2017 | Petrol | 1.2L | 82% | 18% | 87% (-5) |
| 2016 | Petrol | 1.2L | 80% | 20% | 86% (-6) |
| 2015 | Petrol | 1.2L | 78% | 21% | 84% (-6) |
| 2014 | Petrol | 1.2L | 75% | 25% | 82% (-7) |
| 2013 | Petrol | 1.2L | 74% | 26% | 80% (-6) |
| 2012 | Diesel | 1.6L | 75% | 25% | 79% (-4) |
| 2011 | Diesel | 1.6L | 73% | 26% | 77% (-4) |
| 2010 | Petrol | 1.4L | 73% | 27% | 75% (-2) |
| 2009 | Petrol | 1.4L | 72% | 27% | 75% (-3) |
| 2008 | Petrol | 1.4L | 70% | 29% | 74% (-4) |
| 2007 | Petrol | 1.4L | 69% | 30% | 73% (-4) |
| 2006 | Petrol | 1.4L | 69% | 30% | 73% (-4) |
| 2005 | Petrol | 1.2L | 69% | 30% | 73% (-4) |
| 2004 | Petrol | 1.4L | 67% | 32% | 72% (-5) |
| 2003 | Petrol | 1.2L | 65% | 32% | 72% (-7) |
| 2002 | Petrol | 1.2L | 70% | 29% | 73% (-3) |
| 2001 | Petrol | 1.2L | 73% | 25% | - |
| 2000 | Petrol | 1.2L | 59% | 38% | - |
| 1999 | Petrol | 1.2L | 70% | 26% | - |
| 1998 | Petrol | 1.2L | 80% | 19% | - |
| 1997 | Petrol | 1.6L | 73% | 25% | - |
| 1996 | Petrol | 1.2L | 78% | 20% | - |
| 1995 | Petrol | 1.2L | 75% | 25% | - |
| 1994 | Petrol | 1.1L | 76% | 24% | - |
Fiat Punto Running Costs
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Fiat Punto FAQ
What are the most common Fiat Punto problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Fiat Punto that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (52% of the 21,743 failed tests), suspension (34%) and exhaust, emissions and leaks (22%). The single most common fault was "Position lamp: not working" (14%). Across 110,715 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 72% ended in a pass.
Is the Fiat Punto reliable?
The Fiat Punto has an average MOT pass rate of 72%, from 110,715 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 4 points less often on average, so check the history of any example carefully.
Which Fiat Punto years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2014 (75% of 6,811 tests passed, against 82% for all 2014 cars), the 2003 (65% of 2,537 tests passed, against 72% for all 2003 cars) and the 2013 (74% of 8,286 tests passed, against 80% for all 2013 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 Punto faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Fiat Punto 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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Other Fiat Models
Common problems pages for other Fiat models