Performance by cohort

3 year bands · 152,527 tests

Pass rate climbs 16.9 points across the cohorts — newer Panda examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.

Pre-2018 cohort 144,120

Pass

70.5%

Fail

24.6%

PRS

4.3%

Avg mileage at test

65,918 mi

2018–2020 cohort 8,280

Pass

86.5%

Fail

10.1%

PRS

3.2%

Avg mileage at test

25,070 mi

2021+ cohort 127

Pass

87.4%

Fail

10.2%

PRS

1.6%

Avg mileage at test

20,407 mi

Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.

The picture

Fiat Panda at 72% — Suspension and Tyres Dominate

With a 72.21% pass rate across 117,602 tests, the Panda sits near the bottom of city car MOT performance. Tyre tread, suspension pin and bush wear, and shock absorber bush deterioration are all in the top three failures at an average of 60,394 miles. The TwinAir engine carries a known oil specification requirement: using the wrong grade causes documented problems, and Fiat-specified Selenia oil is non-negotiable. A cabin smell on Dualogic models sometimes traces to perished rubber breather hoses on the 1.2 engine — a £50 fix, but only if you know to look for it. Check suspension bushes and tyres closely, and verify correct oil grade history on TwinAir examples.

ABI Insurance Group

Group 2–10

A low-group car — among the cheapest to insure in the UK. 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 →

2–10

out of 50

Compare quotes →

Top ten reasons for rejection.

Filter failures:

Hide wear items to see the model's real defects.

01

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn

5,170 occurrences · 3.4% of tests
02

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

5,007 occurrences · 3.3% of tests
03

A shock absorber bush excessively worn

4,304 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
04

A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage

3,234 occurrences · 2.1% of tests
05

A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources

2,955 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
06

Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen

2,950 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
07

Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement

2,534 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
08

A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

2,491 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
09

Exhaust system leaking or insecure

2,346 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
10

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn

2,270 occurrences · 1.5% 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

£148–£370

If every one of this Panda'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 →

Try the calculator

Build your own retest budget.

Year-band analysis

Best year to buy. Worst to avoid.

First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 16.9-point gap between bands means the year you buy Fiat Panda has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.

Best band to buy

87.4%

2021+ registration

the 2021-on band climbs to 87.4% — a 16.9-point improvement. Tests in this band average 20,407 miles — roughly 46K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: pin or bush excessively worn, efficiency below requirements — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. Post-2020 examples are early in their MOT life and generally show the cleanest records.

Band to be cautious about

70.5%

Pre-2018 registration

On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 70.5% pass rate against a fleet average of 87.4% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: pin or bush excessively worn, tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, and has an excessively worn bush. Average mileage on test for this band is 65,918 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme. Honest John records: "MUST use correct Fiat specified Selenia oil in the TwinAir or will lead to problems. Google Pixel 10 Pro 128GB In Moonstone | Verizon (With 36 Monthly Installment Payments +…"

Best band to buy: 2021+ (87.4% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (70.5% pass). That's a 16.9-point spread across 144,120 older tests and 127 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.

Year-spread leaderboard →

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

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

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

My Motor World · affiliate

Parts & supplies for this fix

Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.

Hycote

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£6.59

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Hycote Fiat Red Orange Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml

£6.59

View at My Motor World →

Click Mechanic · affiliate

Book a mobile mechanic

Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.

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.

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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.

Where it falls short

Owner reports (12 entries) flag recurring problems with gearbox/clutch, engine failure, exhaust/emissions.

Recent owner-reported faults

8 Jul 2018
MUST use correct Fiat specified Selenia oil in the TwinAir or will lead to problems. Google Pixel 10 Pro 128GB In Moonstone | Verizon (With 36 Monthly Installment Payments + Plan)Meet the new status pro. Pixel 10 Pro is the ultimate Pixel experience, featuring advanced AI with Gemini, unbelievable camera quality, i...Verizon Wireless Ask a Pro: "How Long Does $2.5M Last in Retirement?"This quiz matches nearly 50,000 people each month with vetted financial advisors.SmartAsset Learn More [![Image 24: Missed the April 15 Tax Deadline? The IRS Still Offers Debt Forgiveness [See How to Qualify]](https://images.outbrainimg.com/transform/v3/eyJpdSI6ImM5NTFiY2UwOTE0MjYyMDllNjFjNDJkNzFhYWY4NmU2YzNkNjFiODFlY2Y2MjEyZWEzNjViZDFjMmFhZGFkMDIiLCJ3Ijo0MDAsImgiOjMwMCwiZCI6MS4wLCJjcyI6MCwiZiI6NH0.webp)Missed the April 15 Tax Deadline? The IRS Still Offers Debt Forgiveness [See How to Qualify]freshstartinfo.org](https://freshstartinfo.org/tax-relief-options/?utm_source=outbrain&utm_medium=programmatic&utm_campaign=Monthly+Deadline&utm_content=0040c3af2b90b0947883aaa6a2c344c348&camp_id=0096ea30c26a360a1fc372308e87d6d6d7&creative_id=0040c3af2b90b0947883aaa6a2c344c348&brand=FSI&source=OUT&adset_id={{section_id}}&obcid=0096ea30c26a360a1fc372308e87d6d6d7&obOrigUrl=true) Top 5 Mouse Repellents for 2026 Expert Product Review Learn More Why AI Brings Speech Clarity That Old Hearing Aids Just Can’t Match Understand speech in noise effortlessly AudioNova Stop Wasting Groceries: The Fridge Mistake Most Households Make Consumer Check [![Image 28: Find Senior Women Who Bring The Spark [See Who's Online]](https://images.outbrainimg.com/transform/v3/eyJpdSI6ImUzNDY5NWJhMzA0NzRhODZiMzJlYzFmNTJkNTM3ZDIxMzZiMWM1MTMzZTBhNDVkNTJkZjQ0ZWFhZDQ2ZTY3YWIiLCJ3Ijo0MDAsImgiOjMwMCwiZCI6MS4wLCJjaCI6LTc1NDE0MjE0NiwiY3MiOjAsImYiOjR9.webp)Sponsored Find Senior Women Who Bring The Spark [See Who's Online] Read more It all starts with a message.amorelation.com](https://amorelation.com/land/sp/17f2ebbb?utm_source=Outbrain&utm_medium=ua&utm_campaign=OBN_Amorelation_USA_All_Native_EU2_NewU_aOBX25_WL-exclude2_Creo-t_Text-t_mua_20Apr&campaign_id=004aea76c4e6e4694169bd0cc89a5ab731&utm_content=Find+Senior+Women+Who+Bring+The+Spark+%5BSee+Who%27s+Online%5D&partner=outbrain_datingsmatch&OutbrainClickId={{ob_click_id}}&subid={{ob_click_id}}&ad_id=00b3c19bfc65a0cbf37f87168b7a2dc38a&publisher_name={{publisher_name}}&section_name={{section_name}}&publisher_id={{publisher_id}}&ad_name={{ad_name}}&obOrigUrl=true) Sponsored Stop Wasting Money on Plumbers: This Simple Foam Fixes Any Drain Trending Deal Journal Sponsored Has Hyundai hit the mark with the new Palisade? Take a look!caffeinecommons.com Click Here Sponsored North Charleston: AudioNova is giving free 30-minute hearing checks complete this short quiz to schedule your free hearing test AudioNova Sponsored Top 5 Binoculars for 2026 Expert Product Review Learn More * Terms and Conditions * Privacy * Cookies * Advertise on this site * Contact * Mobile) Website of the Year 2016, 2017 & 2018
3 Feb 2018
Report that cabin smell in a Fiat Panda Dualogic might not be a failing clutch. The rubber breather/circulation hoses on the 1.2 engine perish. Cost abouty £50 for a fresh pair of hoses.
18 Jun 2017
Complaint of clunking noise from LH to RH brake conversion on RHD Fiat Panda.
1 Feb 2017
Poor starting reported from Panda TwinAir in cold, wet conditions. Suspect condensation getting into the coil packs.
30 Apr 2016
Clutch failed on 2015 Panda TwinAir at 7,185 miles. Slave cylinder, pipe and hydraulic valve replaced under warranty. Later clutch burned out. Dealer blamed 'driver error'. Fiat paid for clutch under goodwill, but owner had to pay labour. Clutch returned to owner shows oil contamination, so up to him to get an engineer's report and sue the dealer for return of the labour charge.
8 Mar 2016
Battery discharge problems with 2012 Panda after software upgrade 5958. Car bought used in April 2015. Software upgrade 5958 on 12-2-2016 after which radio stopped working and battery discharged. Battery replaced 21-2-2016 and discharged by 1-3-2016. Fiat dealer found faults with both battery and radio and wanted £600 to replace. Battery supplier tersted battery and found it okay. Dealer is legally obliged to fix the problem it caused.
13 Jun 2015
Noises heard from engine of pre-reg 15 plate Panda after 1,100 miles. Dealer found noise was coming from block, swarf in oil, etc. Fiat delayed fitting of new engine for for further tests. Reader advised that if car was not fitted with new engine immediately he should reject it for a full cash refund.
27 Mar 2015
Reader reports that an official fix for the 1,242cc EU6 engine problem in FIAT Pandas and 500s has finally reached dealers from Fiat.
11 Mar 2015
Report of recently purchased used 2014 Fiat Panda 1.2 (assumed to be EU6) lacking power on hills and suffering from a sticking throttle that resulted in a crash.
2 Oct 2014
Software fix available from Fiat dealers that restores the performance of EU6 1.2 Panda and 500 engines.
30 Sep 2014
Fiat acknowledged four recorded customer complaints of 2,600 EU6 Panda 1.2 sold, all from owners who had the EU5 engine before and expected the EU6 to perform the same.
11 Aug 2014
Complaint of sluggish performance in 1st and 2nd gear of EU6 Fiat Panda 1.2 Lounge purchased in April 2014. Hesitation when pulling away in 1st and 2nd gears due to a device fitted to the clutch to reduce emissions. "Feels very unsafe, when trying to pull out into traffic." See **Fiat Forum**

Source: honestjohn.co.uk · 12 reports indexed

Buying or keeping a Panda?

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 Panda 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.