Abarth 500 statistics

• Licensed in Great Britain 5,323 −1.7% on a year earlier
• Declared SORN 643 Off the road, not taxed
• MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 66.9% Cars of the same ages 64.8%
• Rank by number licensed No. 429 of 1,159 models we cover
• Peak year 2015 5,841 licensed
• Average annual mileage 4,712 miles a year

How many Abarth 500s are left in Great Britain?

There were 5,323 Abarth 500s licensed in Great Britain at the end of March 2026, and a further 643 declared off the road (SORN). That is 8.9% fewer than the peak of 5,841 in 2015.

Abarth 500 MOT reliability

In 2025, 66.9% of Abarth 500 MOT tests were passed first time, against 72.8% for all cars. Cars of the same ages as the Abarth 500s tested pass 64.8% of the time, so the Abarth 500 does better than average for its age, by 2.1 points. In 2024 its pass rate was 66.7%.

Abarth 500 MOT failures

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment is the most common reason a Abarth 500 fails its MOT, appearing on 45.2% of failed tests. A failed test can have defects in more than one category, so shares add up to more than 100%. 8.2% of Abarth 500 tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 7.3% for all cars.

Most common Abarth 500 MOT defects and advisories

The single most common reason a Abarth 500 failed its MOT in 2025 was “Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt”, on 10.7% of 1,732 failed tests. 60.0% of tests ended with at least one advisory, a problem to watch that did not fail the test; the most common was “Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened”. The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.

Abarth 500 by year

7 years of the Abarth 500, by year of first registration, have their own page with MOT results, common faults, mileage and how many are left. Against all cars of the same age, the 2009 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (68.6% passed first time) and the 2015 cars worst (67.6%).

Abarth 500 engine sizes and fuel types

Of the 5,416 Abarth 500s licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, 88.5% have an engine of 1,301cc to 1,400cc. The share with an engine of 1,301cc to 1,400cc has fallen from 100.0% in 2014 to 88.5%. Petrols made up 100.0% of those licensed in 2014 and 88.5% in 2025.

United Kingdom figures from DfT table VEH0220 (licensed cars at the end of each year, SORN excluded), so they differ slightly from the Great Britain counts elsewhere on this page. How we use engine sizes.

Abarth 500 fuel economy and CO2

The Vehicle Certification Agency’s new car data lists the Abarth 500 from 2009 to 2018. On the NEDC test (listings 2009 to 2018), official combined fuel economy for its petrol versions ranges from 43.5 to 48.7 mpg, with CO2 of 134 to 155 g/km.

Source:VCA July 2000 to 15 September 2026 Updated 15 Sept 2026

• Official figures from laboratory type-approval tests. VCA says they may not be achieved in real-world driving, and should not be used to rank cars with similar figures.
• Engine sizes are rounded to the nearest 0.1 litre. A version is one line in VCA’s data (description, gearbox, engine and fuel), counted once however many years it was listed. Matched from VCA’s model names “500, 2012 onwards”, “500”. How we use VCA’s figures.

Abarth 500 safety recalls

DVSA lists 1 safety recall for the Abarth 500, launched on 24 March 2025.

A recall applies to cars built on particular dates or with particular VINs, not to every Abarth 500. The details come from manufacturers through DVSA, which says they may be delayed or incomplete. To check a specific car, use GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check or ask the manufacturer or a dealer. How we match recalls to models.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis January 1992 to September 2026 Updated 15 Sept 2026

Compare the Abarth 500 with other Abarth models