84.2%
Fiat 124 pass rate
Used Fiat 124 buying guide
In 2025, Fiat 124 cars passed 84.2% of 2,847 initial MOT tests, 11.9 points above the 72.3% UK average. Here is where it fails and what to check before you buy.
Looking at a specific 124? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
Fiat 124 MOT record in brief
Initial MOT tests in 2025, retests excluded.
72.3%
UK average, all cars
+11.9
percentage points above average
Ranked on pass rate the 124 sits 136th of 575 models in the data. Fiat as a brand averaged 67.7%, so this model runs 16.5 points ahead of its own brand.
A pass rate is not a reliability score. The full Fiat 124 MOT record has the pass rate by age, every common failure and how the 124 compares with similar cars.
124 fuel types
Petrol was the most common fuel among Fiat 124 cars tested in 2025. Diesel made up just 0% of tests.
Where the 124 fails its MOT
Where Fiat 124 cars that failed their 2025 MOT were marked down, as a share of all recorded failure items.
The specific items testers recorded most often were position lamp not working (14.4%), wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively (9.4%) and brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick (7.6%). See every common 124 MOT failure.
These are DVSA failure records across every Fiat 124 that failed, not a claim that every 124 has these problems.
What should you check when buying a used 124?
The areas above, most common first, and what an MOT tester looks at in each.
1
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting. 34.4% of 124 failure items.
2
Brakes
Make sure the pedal feels firm, the car stops in a straight line, the handbrake holds on a slope and no brake warning light is showing. 19.4% of 124 failure items.
3
Visibility
Check the windscreen for chips or cracks in the driver's view, and that the wipers and washers clear it properly. 16.2% of 124 failure items.
4
Tyres
Check tread depth across the full width of every tyre (the legal minimum is 1.6mm), and look for cuts, bulges and uneven wear. 12.2% of 124 failure items.
5
Suspension
Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters. 12.2% of 124 failure items.
None of this replaces the car's own record. Run a free MOT history check on the registration to see every test, advisory and recorded mileage for that car.
What the MOT record doesn't tell you
Knowing Fiat 124 failures cluster around lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and brakes tells you what to inspect. It tells you nothing about whether the car is safe to buy. An MOT does not show money still owed on the car, a write-off, a theft record or a clocked odometer.
Check the exact 124 you are looking at. One £15 report, instant results, backed by a £30,000 data guarantee. More on the Fiat history check.
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off records
- Stolen markers
- Mileage history
- Previous keepers
Other used Fiat models
The most-tested Fiat models in 2025, with how their MOT pass rate compares with the 124.
Used Fiat 124 FAQs
Is the Fiat 124 reliable?
MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is an 84.2% first-time pass rate for the Fiat 124 across 2,847 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.
What should I check before buying a used Fiat 124?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, brakes and visibility. Then check the individual car's history: outstanding finance, insurance write-off records, stolen markers, mileage and previous keepers. None of these appear in the MOT record or on the V5C.
How do I check a Fiat 124's history?
Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability.