Fiat 238 vs Fiat 500: reliability comparison
MOT pass rates, common faults and mileage compared from real UK MOT data.
Fiat 238
63%
MOT pass rate · 6 vehicles
Fiat 500
77%
MOT pass rate · 333,596 vehicles
Verdict: On MOT pass rate the Fiat 238 (63%) and Fiat 500 (77%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.
Head to head
| Measure | Fiat 238 | Fiat 500 |
|---|---|---|
| MOT pass rate | 63% | 77% ✓ |
| MOT failure rate | 37% | 23% ✓ |
| Faults & advisories per test | 4.1 | 2.0 ✓ |
| Dangerous-fault share | 0% ✓ | 3% |
| Average mileage | 64,049 mi | 62,906 mi |
| Sample size (vehicles) | 6 | 333,596 |
Most common faults
Fiat 238
- Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)
- Nearside Front Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)
- Offside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)
- Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)
- Front Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)
- Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)
Fiat 500
- Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
- Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
- Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))
- Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))
- Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))
- Nearside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))
Reliability FAQ
On MOT pass rate the Fiat 238 (63%) and Fiat 500 (77%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.
Full Fiat 238 report Full Fiat 500 report Most reliable cars
Pass rates are computed over completed (pass/fail) MOT tests. Reliability also depends on age, mileage and upkeep — see each model's page for the full picture.