Used car guide

2020 Fiat Tipo: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the Fiat Tipo first registered in 2020: we looked at the 1,035 MOTs these cars had during 2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,035MOTs of 2020 cars, done in 2025
80%pass first time (all 2020 cars: 86%)
7,300typical miles a year
16.5×the usual rate for anti-roll bar link joints

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2020 Fiat Tipo?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2020 Fiat Tipo than on all cars registered in 2020.

  • Anti-roll bar link joints16.5× usual
    Fiat Tipo
    3.3% All 2020 cars
    0.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.2%, against 0.1% of all 2020 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Shock absorbers2.3× usual
    Fiat Tipo
    4.6% All 2020 cars
    2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1%, against 0.3% of all 2020 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

Common 2020 Fiat Tipo MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2020 Fiat Tipo MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    34% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    19% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Suspension
    12% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    8% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Lights and electrics
    6% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    4% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2020 Fiat Tipo

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the anti-roll bar link joints? (Flagged at MOT 16.5× as often on the 2020 Fiat Tipo as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the shock absorbers? (Flagged at MOT 2.3× as often on the 2020 Fiat Tipo as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Fiat Tipo?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Fiat Tipo compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2024–Too new for MOT data
2023–Too new for MOT data
2022215Tyres 26%
2021746Tyres 29%
20191,623Tyres 33%
20181,978Tyres 35%
20175,929Tyres 34%
20161,119Tyres 35%
1995–Too few tests
1994–Too few tests
1993–Too few tests
1992–Too few tests
1991–Too few tests
1990–Too few tests
1989–Too few tests

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2025, counting the MOTs of Fiat Tipo cars first registered in 2020. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score