Fiat
Doblo Cargo
4,725 MOT tests analysed. runs below the UK fleet average — here's where Doblo Cargos pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 13.8 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
63.8%
Pass-after-fix
6.4%
Fail
29.0%
Avg miles
120,487
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Diesel cars registered before September 2015 are typically pre-Euro 6 — subject to daily charges in London ULEZ (£12.50), Birmingham CAZ (£8), Bristol CAZ (£9), and Glasgow LEZ. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 · Bristol £9.00 .
The picture
Doblo Cargo: a below-average pass rate worth digging into
Across 3,853 MOT tests, the Doblo Cargo returns 65.2% first-time pass — well below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is windscreen damage. A number-plate lamp out and a defective headlamp lens round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 115,229, 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
Group 14–22
Below the fleet average — generally reasonable to insure. 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 →
14–22
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
382 occurrences · 8.1% of tests
- 02
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
254 occurrences · 5.4% of tests
- 03
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
249 occurrences · 5.3% of tests
- 04
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
234 occurrences · 5.0% of tests
- 05
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
188 occurrences · 4.0% of tests
- 06
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
153 occurrences · 3.2% of tests
- 07
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
124 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
- 08
A tyre cords visible or damaged
119 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 09
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
115 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 10
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
97 occurrences · 2.1% 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
£28–£195
If every one of this Doblo Cargo'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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Tools that pre-empt a retest.
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
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 02 · Amazon UK
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Hycote
Hycote Touch Up Colour Paint Brush Fiat Broom Yellow 12.5ml
£6.59
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Hycote
Hycote Fiat Capri Blue Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Hycote
Hycote Fiat Black Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Hycote
Hycote Fiat Red Orange Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Book a mobile mechanic
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Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Owner reports · Honest John
What owners actually report.
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
What's good
The Fiat Doblo is a practical large MPV/van offering genuine family or light commercial versatility. Multijet diesel engines are efficient. The 2010 generation improved significantly over the first generation.
Buying or keeping a Doblo Cargo?
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 Doblo Cargo 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.