Comparison · small hatchbacks

Fiat 500 vs Peugeot 208: which is more reliable?

The Fiat 500 and Peugeot 208 are very close at the MOT: scores of 95 and 94. Pick on the condition and history of the actual car. Based on 520,111 real MOT tests in 2024.

Fiat 500

95Below average
MOT tests325,109

Peugeot 208

94Below average
MOT tests195,002

By age

MOT Rank score for each age group (100 = an average car that age).

Age at testFiat 500Peugeot 208
3–5 years
100About average
97Below average
6–9 years
93Below average
94Below average
10–14 years
94Below average
91Well below average
15+ years
94Below average
–

Year by year

Share that passed first time, same registration year.

YearFiat 500Peugeot 208
202188.6%87.8%
202087.4%81.4%
201984.2%81.4%
201879.9%76.3%
201776.0%73.5%
201671.0%72.6%
201565.8%69.8%
201464.5%64.3%
201363.7%60.6%
201261.0%59.0%

Problem areas

Failure items per 100 tests.

AreaFiat 500Peugeot 208
Lights & electrics13.214.1
Suspension18.45.9
Brakes10.16.6
Tyres7.56.3
Emissions & leaks3.68.4
Body & chassis3.78.2
Visibility (wipers, screen, mirrors)5.13.9
Steering0.71.1

Fiat 500: top failures

  1. Suspension arms - pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn5.1%
  2. Shock absorbers: has an excessively worn bush2.8%
  3. Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak2.5%
  4. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.2%
  5. Suspension arms - ball joint: ball joint excessively worn2.1%
  6. Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements1.6%

Peugeot 208: top failures

  1. Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt3.7%
  2. Headlamp: not working on dipped beam2.4%
  3. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.1%
  4. Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits2.0%
  5. Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps1.6%
  6. Exhaust system: system insecure1.5%

Questions

Which is more reliable, the Fiat 500 or the Peugeot 208?

The Fiat 500 and Peugeot 208 are very close at the MOT: scores of 95 and 94. Pick on the condition and history of the actual car.

Which years of the Fiat 500 and Peugeot 208 can be compared?

Both were tested for 10 registration years (2012–2021). The Fiat 500 had the higher pass rate in 8 of them and the Peugeot 208 in 2.

What fails most on each?

Fiat 500: suspension arms - pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn; shock absorbers: has an excessively worn bush. Peugeot 208: joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt; headlamp: not working on dipped beam.