2020 Fiat 500 1.2L Petrol · VX20 LHR

The 2020 Fiat 500 passed its most recent MOT on 15 July 2025 at 14,016 miles, but the maintenance trend is clearly worsening. The two previous tests in March 2023 and July 2024 both passed with zero defects. The July 2025 test flagged significant deterioration on both front tyres: the nearside front was worn on the inner tread with sidewall cuts and tread cracking, and the Offside Front showed identical inner-edge wear with cuts and cracking. This sudden appearance of matched front-tyre defects after two clean tests suggests either a long period of neglect or a recent alignment and suspension issue that has gone unchecked. A car that was genuinely well maintained does not develop simultaneous inner-edge wear and sidewall cracking in a single year. The mileage pattern reinforces that concern. Between March 2023 at 6,864 miles and July 2024 at 12,388 miles, the car covered 5,524 miles in roughly sixteen months, which is moderate use. Then, between July 2024 and July 2025, it added only 1,628 miles. The vehicle has spent much of its life standing or covering very short trips. Low mileage on a city car often means repeated cold starts, incomplete warm-ups, and moisture accumulation in the exhaust and oil, all of which accelerate corrosion and fluid degradation far beyond what the odometer suggests. The long gap between the March 2023 and July 2024 tests, roughly sixteen months for a car due annually, also raises the possibility that the previous owner delayed or skipped a test entirely. A buyer should inspect the front suspension and steering geometry carefully. Inner-edge tyre wear on both fronts points to excessive negative camber or worn suspension bushes and top mounts. Check the subframe and inner wing arches for corrosion, as the Fiat 500 is prone to surface and structural rust in these areas, particularly if it has been standing for extended periods. Examine the brake discs and calipers for uneven wear or binding, since low-mileage cars frequently develop sticking calipers and corroded disc faces from lack of use. Verify the tyre date codes against the advisories: if the tyres were replaced recently but already show cracking, the rubber may be aged stock or the underlying alignment fault has not been corrected. A full underbody inspection and a four-wheel alignment check are essential before purchase.