Fiat Seicento Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults
Free Fiat Seicento car check
Is the Fiat Seicento reliable? We analysed 527,923 real MOT tests across 43,589 vehicles to find out.
Got a specific Fiat Seicento? Enter the reg for a free check:
The Fiat Seicento is about average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include parking brake: efficiency below requirements, brake pipe excessively corroded and parking brake recording little or no effort. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Fiat Seicento.
Fiat Seicento Number Plates
Number plates registered to a Fiat Seicento. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.
Fiat Seicento MOT Pass Rate by Year
How likely is a Fiat Seicento to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.
Fiat Seicento Problems — What Goes Wrong?
The most common reasons a Fiat Seicento fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.
Fiat Seicento Mileage — What's Normal?
How many miles does a typical Fiat Seicento owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.
Fiat Seicento MOT Data by Registration Year
Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Fiat Seicento year you're looking at.
| Year | Tests | Pass Rate | Low Mi. | Typical Mi. | High Mi. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 532 | 68.0% | 21,810 | 35,081 | 50,804 |
| 2003 | 70,868 | 69.3% | 26,080 | 41,903 | 61,227 |
| 2002 | 99,977 | 68.9% | 28,996 | 44,347 | 62,608 |
| 2001 | 126,228 | 67.8% | 32,336 | 47,411 | 64,677 |
| 2000 | 103,693 | 66.0% | 35,827 | 50,591 | 67,195 |
| 1999 | 92,139 | 64.4% | 40,122 | 54,720 | 70,661 |
| 1998 | 34,265 | 64.1% | 41,770 | 56,744 | 72,831 |
How Long Does a Fiat Seicento Last?
Based on 43,589 Fiat Seicento vehicles on UK roads.
Fiat Seicento Mileage Distribution
Total mileage recorded across all Fiat Seicento MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.
Best Year to Buy a Used Fiat Seicento
Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.
69.3% MOT pass rate from 70,868 tests
64.1% MOT pass rate from 34,265 tests
The best year to buy a used Fiat Seicento is 2003, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 69.3% across 70,868 tests. The 1998 model year has the lowest pass rate at 64.1% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How Does the Fiat Seicento Compare?
MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.
| Model | Pass Rate | Tests | Typical Mileage | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiat Seicento THIS CAR | 67.0% | 527,923 | 48,894 mi | 28 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 |
| Smart (mcc) Fortwo Coupe | 75.2% | 440,585 | 45,098 mi | 24 yrs |
Compared to the Fiat Punto (68.7% pass rate) and the Fiat 500 (76.9% pass rate), the Fiat Seicento trails behind on MOT reliability.
Found a Fiat Seicento you like?
Run a full vehicle history check on the specific car. See finance, stolen, write-off, mileage and MOT data for that exact vehicle.
Check a specific Fiat SeicentoShould you buy a used Fiat Seicento?
The Fiat Seicento has an overall MOT pass rate of 67.0% across 527,923 real MOT tests — roughly in line with the UK average.
The most common problems on the Fiat Seicento are parking brake: efficiency below requirements (40,977 recorded failures), brake pipe excessively corroded (38,236), and parking brake recording little or no effort (27,599). 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 Seicento owner drives around 3,837 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 Seicento models stay on UK roads for around 28 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.