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BMW 3 Series vs Fiat 500

Figures per shared age band: numerator, denominator and country index for both models, from the same source.

AgeBMW 3 SeriesFiat 500Difference (percentage points)
Inspections with a defectCountry indexInspections with a defectCountry index
3-5 years410 of 3160 (13%)102637 of 4140 (15.4%)121-2.42
6-8 years3331 of 23543 (14.1%)7415144 of 65140 (23.3%)121-9.1
9-11 years17368 of 83646 (20.8%)7436806 of 106051 (34.7%)124-13.95
12-14 years25879 of 86730 (29.8%)8229376 of 76147 (38.6%)106-8.74
15-19 years32046 of 98846 (32.4%)7720908 of 46962 (44.5%)106-12.1

100 = country average for that age band in this country.

Recalls and complaints

BMW 3 Series

  • Official item from NHTSA: power train / automatic transmission / control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

    Campaign number: 23V821000.

    NHTSA, data through 06/12/2023

  • Official item from EU Safety Gate

    EU Safety Gate, data through 18/09/2026

  • Official item from EU Safety Gate

    EU Safety Gate, data through 07/08/2026

  • Official item from NHTSA: electrical system

    20 of the 53 of all NHTSA complaints for this model year.

    NHTSA, data through 06/12/2023

  • Official item from NHTSA: engine

    19 of the 53 of all NHTSA complaints for this model year.

    NHTSA, data through 06/12/2023

Fiat 500

No recalls or complaints reported for this model.

What this does not show

  • The country index is the average of all cars of this model in this country. It is not a chance of defects for one car.
  • A complaint share is a share of the reported complaints. It is not a chance of defects for this model.
  • Each band already takes age into account. Differences between generations or trims are not included.
  • These figures apply to United Kingdom. You cannot simply compare them with figures from another country.

Frequently asked questions

  • What are the inspection figures for BMW 3 Series and Fiat 500, per age band?

    BMW 3 Series vs Fiat 500: 3-5 years: 102 versus 121. 6-8 years: 74 versus 121. 9-11 years: 74 versus 124. 12-14 years: 82 versus 106. 15-19 years: 77 versus 106. 100 = country average for that age band in this country.

  • Are any recalls known for BMW 3 Series or Fiat 500?

    BMW 3 Series: 3. Fiat 500: 0.

  • Where do these figures come from?

    DVSA MOT statistics (data through 08/09/2026) Both models use the same source and the same reference date.

Methodology

Each row compares inspections from the same age band, in the same country.

The country index puts the model's defect rate on a scale. On that scale, 100 is the country average for that band.

We only compare two models if they share at least two age bands.

What counts as a failed inspection differs per country. So never compare these figures with figures from another country.

Citation

BMW 3 Series vs Fiat 500, United Kingdom, data through 8 September 2026. https://uk.plateop.com/modellen/vergelijk/bmw-3-series-vs-fiat-500

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