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Fiat Carado Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Fiat Carado car check

Is the Fiat Carado reliable? We analysed 1,925 real MOT tests across 336 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 1,925 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
90.0%
Typical Mileage
16,783mi
Annual Mileage
2,414mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
11yrs

The Fiat Carado is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Fiat Carado.

Fiat Carado Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Fiat Carado. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Fiat Carado MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Fiat Carado to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

89.6%
2020
91.3%
2019
87.4%
2018
90.6%
2017
94.9%
2016
88%
2015

Fiat Carado Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Fiat Carado owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
1,268 mi/yr
Typical
2,414 mi/yr
Average
3,006 mi/yr
Heavy usage
4,079 mi/yr

Fiat Carado MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Fiat Carado year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2020 192 89.6% 8,753 13,428 19,236
2019 344 91.3% 8,632 15,296 22,162
2018 412 87.4% 9,892 16,862 26,612
2017 445 90.6% 9,872 15,399 23,760
2016 195 94.9% 11,204 19,094 26,748
2015 234 88.0% 15,840 21,854 27,795

How Long Does a Fiat Carado Last?

Based on 336 Fiat Carado vehicles on UK roads.

Average
6.6 years
Median
6.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
11 years

Fiat Carado Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Fiat Carado MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
16,783 mi
75th Percentile
25,049 mi
95th Percentile
38,524 mi
Max Recorded
71,226 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Fiat Carado

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
2016

94.9% MOT pass rate from 195 tests

Year to avoid
2018

87.4% MOT pass rate from 412 tests

The best year to buy a used Fiat Carado is 2016, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 94.9% across 195 tests. The 2018 model year has the lowest pass rate at 87.4% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Fiat Carado Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Fiat Carado THIS CAR 90.0% 1,925 16,783 mi 11 yrs
Fiat Punto 68.7% 6,712,102 61,468 mi 32 yrs
Fiat 500 76.9% 3,854,072 42,469 mi 18 yrs
Fiat Ducato 75% 1,962,737 48,690 mi 38 yrs
Audi A4 Ultra SE Technik TDI 89% 1,742 94,710 mi — yrs

Compared to the Fiat Punto (68.7% pass rate) and the Fiat 500 (76.9% pass rate), the Fiat Carado outperforms both on MOT reliability.

Found a Fiat Carado you like?

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Should you buy a used Fiat Carado?

The Fiat Carado has an overall MOT pass rate of 90.0% across 1,925 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.

A typical Fiat Carado owner drives around 2,414 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

In terms of longevity, most Fiat Carado models stay on UK roads for around 11 years. If you're buying one that's already approaching that window, the data suggests it has plenty of life left provided it's been maintained.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Fiat Carado — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Fiat Carado reliable?
Based on 1,925 MOT tests, the Fiat Carado has a 90.0% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Fiat Carado?
The most common failure point is general wear and tear.
How many miles does a Fiat Carado do per year?
The typical Fiat Carado does around 2,414 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Fiat Carado last?
Most Fiat Carado models stay on UK roads for around 11 years based on our analysis of 336 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Fiat Carado?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.
What is the best year to buy a Fiat Carado?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Fiat Carado is 2016 with a 94.9% pass rate across 195 tests.