Abarth
1,862 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where 124 Spider Multiairs pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 13.7 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
91.3%
Pass-after-fix
1.8%
Fail
6.5%
Avg miles
29,313
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Trim variants
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 1,862 tests
Pass rate climbs 1.9 points across the cohorts — newer 124 Spider Multiair examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
90.7%
Fail
7.2%
PRS
1.6%
Avg mileage at test
30,790 mi
Pass
92.5%
Fail
5.2%
PRS
2.3%
Avg mileage at test
25,924 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 1,100 MOT tests, the 124 Spider Multiair returns 90.5% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is windscreen damage. A defective wiper blade and wipers that don't clear the screen round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 25,838, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
ABI Insurance Group
Above average — worth comparing quotes before buying. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
22–30
out of 50
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Wiper blade defective
32 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
28 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
23 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
16 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
15 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
13 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
12 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
12 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
11 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps
8 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£88–£175
If every one of this 124 Spider Multiair's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 1.9-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy Abarth 124 Spider Multiair makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
92.5%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 92.5% — a 1.9-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: blade defective, does not clear the windscreen effectively — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. The stricter post-2018 MOT test rules meant manufacturers had to tighten up emissions and electrical checks, but this band still shows far fewer major failures on suspension and bodywork than the older fleet.
Band to be cautious about
90.7%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 90.7% pass rate against a fleet average of 92.5% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, blade defective, and inoperative in the case of multiple lamps…. Average mileage on test for this band is 30,790 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (92.5% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (90.7% pass). That's a 1.9-point spread across 1,299 older tests and 563 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
Item 03 · Amazon UK
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Click Mechanic · affiliate
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Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
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Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a 124 Spider Multiair and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.
