Pass rate, every year
70.1% Below average
1,309 tests across 4 model years, 2004–2007.
−10.9 pts vs the national average
Fiat Idea MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics
Best year to buy
2006 73.6%
The strongest of the 4 years on record. See the 2006 page →
Worst year to buy
2004 67.5%
6.1 points below the 2006 peak. See the 2004 page →
The Fiat Idea MOT pass rate is 70.1%, −10.9 percentage points below the UK average. That is 1,309 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2004 and 2007. This page lists the most common Fiat Idea MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.
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Fiat Idea MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average
The Fiat Idea passed on its first attempt in 60.8%, and its overall record sits −10.9 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Fiat Idea in the 2023–2025 data: 1,309 tests across 4 model years (2004–2007). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 1,309 |
| Overall pass rate | 70.1% |
| Passed on first attempt | 60.8% |
| Average mileage at test | 81,057 mi |
| Model years covered | 2004–2007 (4 years) |
| Versus UK national average | −10.9 pts below |
Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.
Most Common Fiat Idea MOT Problems by Failure Category
Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Fiat Idea, the Body, chassis, structure section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.
| Inspection section | Share of failures |
|---|---|
| Body, chassis, structure | 33% |
| Suspension | 21% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 21% |
| Visibility | 14% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 6% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 3% |
| Tyres | 1% |
Shares are over the Fiat Idea's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Body, chassis, structure
Around 33% of the recorded Fiat Idea failures fall in the Body, chassis, structure section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (8.8%), "Joints constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (3.7%), "Exhaust system has a major leak of exhaust gases" (1.5%) among the Fiat Idea's body, chassis, structure faults.
Suspension
Around 21% of the recorded Fiat Idea failures fall in the Suspension section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" (4.1%), "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (2.1%), "Coil spring fractured or broken" (1.9%) among the Fiat Idea's suspension faults.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Around 21% of the recorded Fiat Idea failures fall in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (3.9%), "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (3.9%), "Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect" (0.9%) among the Fiat Idea's lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment faults.
Top Recorded Fiat Idea DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Fiat Idea, each with how many of the model's 1,309 tests it was noted on.
- "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 115 Fiat Idea tests, 8.8% of the model's MOT record.
- "Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" (Major) — noted on about 54 Fiat Idea tests, 4.1% of the model's MOT record.
- "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (Minor) — noted on about 51 Fiat Idea tests, 3.9% of the model's MOT record.
- "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 51 Fiat Idea tests, 3.9% of the model's MOT record.
- "Joints constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (Major) — noted on about 48 Fiat Idea tests, 3.7% of the model's MOT record.
- "Prescribed areas prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced" (Major) — noted on about 36 Fiat Idea tests, 2.7% of the model's MOT record.
Best and Worst Fiat Idea Model Years by Pass Rate
The strongest Fiat Idea model year on record is 2006 (73.6% across 394 tests), and the weakest is 2004 (67.5%). The gap between them is 6.1 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 Idea | 148 | 68.2% |
| 2006 Idea | 394 | 73.6% |
| 2005 Idea | 330 | 70.3% |
| 2004 Idea | 437 | 67.5% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Fiat Idea Owners
These checks follow this Fiat Idea's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Fiat Idea.
-
corrosion — “component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength”
Look under the sills, around the jacking points and where the suspension mounts meet the body. Flaking, holed or crumbly metal fails; a brown stain on sound metal does not.
-
the lights — “headlamp lens slightly defective”
Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.
-
the windscreen — “windscreen damaged”
Check the driver’s side of the screen within the swept area for chips and cracks; anything larger than 10mm in the driver’s central view is a fail. Most chips can be resin-repaired for far less than a new screen.
Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Fiat Idea. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions: Fiat Idea MOT & Reliability
What is the Fiat Idea MOT pass rate?
70.1% of the 1,309 recorded Fiat Idea MOT tests ended in a pass, −10.9 percentage points below the national average. 60.8% of those passed on the first attempt.
Which Fiat Idea model years pass the MOT most often?
2006 is the strongest Fiat Idea year on record at 73.6%, while 2004 is the weakest at 67.5%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
What are the most common Fiat Idea MOT failures?
The most recorded Fiat Idea failures are "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" and "Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" — together around 13% of tests, mostly in the Body, chassis, structure section.