Reliability, safety, running costs and what to check before you buy.
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With 407,405 currently licensed in the UK, the Fiat 500 is one of Britain's most popular cars.
Euro NCAP awarded the 500 3 stars in 2021, with 77% adult occupant and 71% child protection scores.
It has a 76.5% first-time MOT pass rate — above the UK national average of 72%. Common MOT failure areas include lighting, suspension, tyres.
Annual running costs are estimated at £1,213 for a typical 5-year-old example, breaking down to £101/month or 15p/mile.
Theft risk is rated very low at 1.7 per 1,000 registered vehicles.
NCAP Safety
2021
MOT Pass Rate
76.5%
280,000 tests
Monthly Cost
£101
est. annual total
New From
£21,000
Euro NCAP tested the 500 in 2021 and awarded it 3 out of 5 stars.
Adult Occupant
77%
Child Occupant
71%
Pedestrian
67%
Safety Assist
50%
There are 32 known DVSA recalls affecting the Fiat 500. Enter a registration number to check whether a specific vehicle is affected.
R/2025/319
On affected vehicles the Automatic Emergency Brake (AEB) function may remain deactivated in a specific use case. If the customer seeks to reactivate the AEB after previously deactivating it during the same driving cycle (key on/off) it will remain deactivated however the icon on the cluster to alert about deactivation remains off. This does not meet regulatory requirements.
Build dates: 2024-09-20 to 2025-03-07
R/2023/314
On affected vehicles incorrect data has been entered on the registration document and correspondingly the Certificate of Conformity (CoC).
Build dates: 2022-08-22 to 2023-04-21
R/2023/313
On affected vehicles incorrect data has been entered on the registration document and correspondingly the Certificate of Conformity (CoC).
Build dates: 2022-08-22 to 2023-04-22
R/2024/434
On affected vehicles the fastening nut may be missing from the negative terminal of the high-voltage battery pack which could result in a loss of torque failure to start the vehicle and in extreme cases it could present a possible fire hazard.
Build dates: 2021-09-23 to 2023-11-13
R/2024/144
On affected vehicles the reversing gear switch is not according to specification. This could result in a failure to illuminate the rear light of the vehicle during a reversing manoeuvre.
Build dates: 2023-03-29 to 2023-07-17
+ 27 more recalls. Check a specific vehicle to see the full list.
Based on 280,000 MOT tests, the 500 has a first-time pass rate of 76.5% — above the UK national average of 72%.
This is a positive sign for reliability. The 500 is less likely to have issues at MOT time than the average car on UK roads.
Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old Fiat 500 are estimated at around £1,213 per year, or £101 per month.
Fuel
£0
/year
Road Tax
£195
/year
Depreciation
£763
/year
MOT
£55
/year
Estimated annual running costs based on available data. Excludes insurance, parking, and finance costs. Actual costs depend on your driving habits and circumstances.
Battery
42 kWh
Range (WLTP)
199 mi
Motor
87 kW
117 bhp
Drive
FWD
Rapid charge: 35 min (0-80%) | Home charge: 6h (0-100%)
Starting from £21,000 new, a Fiat 500 typically retains about 50% after 3 years and 42% after 5 years.
| Age | Retained | Est. Value | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 68% | £14,200 | −£6,800 |
| 2 years | 57% | £12,050 | −£8,950 |
| 3 years | 50% | £10,600 | −£10,400 |
| 4 years | 45% | £9,550 | −£11,450 |
| 5 years | 42% | £8,800 | −£12,200 |
| 6 years | 39% | £8,150 | −£12,850 |
| 7 years | 37% | £7,650 | −£13,350 |
| 8 years | 35% | £7,300 | −£13,700 |
| 9 years | 33% | £6,950 | −£14,050 |
| 10 years | 31% | £6,600 | −£14,400 |
The 500 has a theft rate of 1.7 per 1,000 registered vehicles, rated very low compared to the national average of 5.5 per 1,000.
There are currently 407,405 licensed and 11,272 SORN 500s in the UK (418,677 total). This makes it a very common vehicle on UK roads.
The 500 has a 76.5% first-time MOT pass rate based on 280,000 tests — above the UK national average of 72%. This suggests good overall reliability.
Euro NCAP awarded the 500 3 out of 5 stars when tested in 2021. It scored 77% for adult occupant protection, 71% for child occupant protection, 67% for vulnerable road users, and 50% for safety assist features.
Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old 500 are estimated at around £1,213 per year (£101/month). This includes fuel, road tax, depreciation, and MOT fees — but excludes insurance, servicing, and repairs.
There are 32 known safety recalls affecting the 500. These are issued by the DVSA when a safety defect is found. You can check if a specific vehicle is affected by entering its registration number.
The 500 has a theft rate of 1.7 per 1,000 registered vehicles, which is rated very low compared to the national average of 5.5 per 1,000. Standard security precautions should be sufficient.
A new 500 starts from around £21,000. After 5 years, a typical example retains about 42% of its original value.
Enter the registration to check its full MOT history, tax status, mileage, recalls and estimated value — all free.
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