12,229 tests in 2025
Fiat Tipo reliability and MOT pass rate
76.9% passed first time. The 23.1% fail rate is 0.5 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 8 years old with 55,093 miles.
Pass rate
76.9%
22.6% of all cars failed; 23.1% of these did.
Fixed on the day
5.2%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
55,093 mi
8 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 2,350 | 16.5% |
| 6-9 years | 9,827 | 24.7% |
| 10-13 years | 0 | — |
| 14+ years | 41 | — |
What the Tipo fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Suspension30 dangerous47.2%
- Tyres909 dangerous30.5%
- Brakes401 dangerous21.1%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment17.9%
- Visibility1 dangerous14.3%
- Noise, emissions and leaks2 dangerous9.4%
- Body, chassis, structure5 dangerous2.5%
- Steering1 dangerous1.8%
Is the Tipo getting worse?
The fail rate rose 5.2 points to 23.8% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (6.6 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 11,303 | 5 | 18.6% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 12,109 | 6 | 20.1% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 10,362 | 7 | 22.3% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 11,083 | 8 | 23.8% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Tipo at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a Tipo in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Coil spring: fractured or broken613 tests
- 2Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm374 tests
- 3Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak364 tests
- 4Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick294 tests
- 5Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively262 tests
- 6Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction215 tests
- 7Linkage ball joints: ball joint excessively worn206 tests
- 8Condition: has ply or cords exposed188 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Tipo collects 2.33 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2,483 tests
- 2Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened1,381 tests
- 3Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak1,228 tests
- 4Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1,042 tests
- 5Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure962 tests
- 6Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn490 tests
- 7Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt465 tests
- 8Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm341 tests
Questions
What is the Fiat Tipo MOT pass rate?
76.9% of the 12,229 Fiat Tipo first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 23.1% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 5.2% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Fiat Tipo usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded on 613 failed tests, followed by "Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" and "Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak". By section, suspension appears in 47.2% of failures, tyres appears in 30.5% of failures, brakes appears in 21.1% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 16.5%; at 6-9 years it was 24.7%. The median Fiat Tipo tested in 2025 was 8 years old with 55,093 miles.
Is the Fiat Tipo getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 5.2 points to 23.8% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (6.6 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every Tipo trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 6 safety recalls naming the Fiat Tipo: Fiat Tipo recalls.
Other Fiat models
- 500 27.2%
- Panda 30.6%
- Doblo 30.9%
- 500x 22.7%
- 500l 32.3%
- 500c 30.4%
- Auto Trail 7.7%
- Swift 6.7%
- Fiorino 30.5%
- Grand Punto 37.2%
Checking a particular Tipo?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.