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Fiat Cinquecento Sporting Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Fiat Cinquecento Sporting car check

Is the Fiat Cinquecento Sporting reliable? We analysed 5,827 real MOT tests across 1,242 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 5,827 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
59.2%
Typical Mileage
68,667mi
Annual Mileage
4,593mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
31yrs

The Fiat Cinquecento Sporting is below average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include parking brake: efficiency below requirements, windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid and parking brake recording little or no effort. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Fiat Cinquecento Sporting.

Fiat Cinquecento Sporting Number Plates

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

Fiat Cinquecento Sporting MOT Pass Rate by Year

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

60.9%
1998
59.8%
1997
58.5%
1996
57.9%
1995

Fiat Cinquecento Sporting Problems — What Goes Wrong?

The most common reasons a Fiat Cinquecento Sporting fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 796
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 596
parking brake recording little or no effort 466
Headlamp aim too low 433
Direction indicator incorrect colour 395
brake recording little or no effort 379
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 350
Brake pipe excessively corroded 338
position lamp(s) not working 333
Stop lamp not working 318

Fiat Cinquecento Sporting Mileage — What's Normal?

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

Low usage
2,582 mi/yr
Typical
4,593 mi/yr
Average
5,391 mi/yr
Heavy usage
6,958 mi/yr

Fiat Cinquecento Sporting MOT Data by Registration Year

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

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
1998 670 60.9% 48,482 60,752 74,860
1997 1,989 59.8% 54,350 67,808 80,201
1996 1,930 58.5% 56,863 70,912 84,383
1995 1,213 57.9% 57,466 71,528 86,686

How Long Does a Fiat Cinquecento Sporting Last?

Based on 1,242 Fiat Cinquecento Sporting vehicles on UK roads.

Average
10.9 years
Median
11.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
31 years

Fiat Cinquecento Sporting Mileage Distribution

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

Median
68,667 mi
75th Percentile
82,173 mi
95th Percentile
104,598 mi
Max Recorded
914,213 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Fiat Cinquecento Sporting

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

Best year
1998

60.9% MOT pass rate from 670 tests

Year to avoid
1995

57.9% MOT pass rate from 1,213 tests

The best year to buy a used Fiat Cinquecento Sporting is 1998, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 60.9% across 670 tests. The 1995 model year has the lowest pass rate at 57.9% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Fiat Cinquecento Sporting Compare?

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

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Fiat Cinquecento Sporting THIS CAR 59.2% 5,827 68,667 mi 31 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
Dodge (usa) Nitro SE 69.2% 2,197 69,946 mi 19 yrs

Compared to the Fiat Punto (68.7% pass rate) and the Fiat 500 (76.9% pass rate), the Fiat Cinquecento Sporting trails behind on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Fiat Cinquecento Sporting?

The Fiat Cinquecento Sporting has an overall MOT pass rate of 59.2% across 5,827 real MOT tests — below the UK average, so reliability should be a key concern.

The most common problems on the Fiat Cinquecento Sporting are parking brake: efficiency below requirements (796 recorded failures), windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (596), and parking brake recording little or no effort (466). These are the faults most likely to cause an MOT failure on this model, so check for them carefully on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection. Many are wear-and-tear items that can be budgeted for, but a car that's already failing on multiple fronts may signal neglected maintenance.

A typical Fiat Cinquecento Sporting owner drives around 4,593 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 Cinquecento Sporting models stay on UK roads for around 31 years — a strong showing that suggests solid build quality and readily available parts. 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 Cinquecento Sporting — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Fiat Cinquecento Sporting reliable?
Based on 5,827 MOT tests, the Fiat Cinquecento Sporting has a 59.2% pass rate — below average, so factor in potential repair costs.
What are the common problems on a Fiat Cinquecento Sporting?
The most common MOT failures are parking brake: efficiency below requirements, windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid, and parking brake recording little or no effort. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Fiat Cinquecento Sporting do per year?
The typical Fiat Cinquecento Sporting does around 4,593 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Fiat Cinquecento Sporting last?
Most Fiat Cinquecento Sporting models stay on UK roads for around 31 years based on our analysis of 1,242 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Fiat Cinquecento Sporting?
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 Cinquecento Sporting?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Fiat Cinquecento Sporting is 1998 with a 60.9% pass rate across 670 tests.