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Chrysler / Lancia Ypsilon

All generations and engines together · 4,474 MOT tests in the 2025 data

Reliability verdict
EBy miles

Graded against its peers

One of the worst superminis per mile driven. Watch corrosion and suspension. A risky used buy. Check the MOT history for repeating corrosion advisories before you go.

First-time failure at 50-60k miles
37.3%
Across 643 tests. The average for superminis is 28.9%.

What owners report

Reported

Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press, with how well each report stands up. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.

TwinAir misfires and rough running

Confirmed pattern

Early 0.9 TwinAir cars suffered coilpack failures that caused misfiring, usually worse in cold or wet weather; this was serious enough that a TSB recall saw dealers retrofit improved coilpacks. On higher-mileage cars, a second wave of complaints from around 2018-2019 points to the air valve actuator instead, causing rough starting and the engine management light coming on. Repairs are cheap if you know what you're looking at, mostly under £150 for parts shared with the Fiat 500 and Panda, but a dealer chasing the wrong fault can run the bill up.

TwinAir only, both eras · sources: Honest John Chrysler Ypsilon review, Honest John Fiat Panda review (same engine, same coilpack complaint)

1.3 Multijet diesel: DPF regeneration and oil dilution

DisputedDiesel only

The 1.3 Multijet is the same basic diesel unit sold across the Fiat/GM/Suzuki group of that era (badged 1.3 CDTi in Vauxhall/Opel), and owners of sister cars report the DPF failing to regenerate on short runs, with unburnt fuel washing down into the sump and diluting the oil. Left unchecked this can wreck the engine; the fix is regular motorway-speed runs, and a full DPF replacement if it's already blocked can run to four figures. No Ypsilon-specific reports were found, only the identical engine in badge-mates, so treat this as a risk to check for rather than a proven Ypsilon pattern.

Mostly town-driven cars · sources: Honest John Vauxhall Corsa 1.3 CDTi review, Honest John DPF FAQ

Damp footwells and misted-up windows

Disputed

A recurring complaint on the smaller Fiat-based cars of this era, including the Ypsilon: persistent condensation on cold or wet nights and wet patches on the carpet. Owners argue about the cause, some blame the air-con being left on recirculate, others suspect a blocked scuttle or pollen-filter drain letting water in under the carpet. It's mostly a nuisance, but left long enough a wet footwell can start corroding wiring connectors under the dash, which is a much pricier fix.

Reported from new · sources: Honest John Chrysler Ypsilon forum thread (2012 model)

Warning lights that won't reset

Emerging

Owners report the oil-change or service light staying on after a service even when the system shows thousands of miles left, and separately, dash lights that stay lit and can only be cleared by cycling the ignition. Neither seems to be a safety issue and no recall covers it, but it points to the same dealer-network unfamiliarity that shows up elsewhere on this car: independent garages not stocking the right diagnostic reset procedure for a low-volume badge-engineered model.

Any age · sources: Honest John Chrysler Ypsilon forum threads (service light, dash lights)

What to check on this car

Ranked from this model’s own MOT record, then from what owners report.

Saveable checklist

From this model’s MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

LeaksRuns high on this model Look at the ground where the car usually stands, then glance under the engine after your test drive. Fresh drips of oil or coolant are the cheapest warning you will ever get about a car.Recorded on 11.6% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 4.8%
ExhaustRuns high on this model Listen along the exhaust at cold idle for blowing or chuffing, and give the tailpipe a push to check nothing hangs loose. Small blows only get louder.Recorded on 11.4% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 2.2%
Coil springsRuns high on this model Look through the wheel spokes at the bottom coil of each spring; when springs snap it is usually there, and the break is visible. Step back and check the car sits level too. A dropped corner is often a broken spring.Recorded on 10.7% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 3.2%
DampersRuns high on this model Look for oil misting on the damper body behind each wheel, then push down hard on each corner of the car. It should settle in one bounce. A floaty or crashy ride on the test drive is the same fault felt from the driver's seat.Recorded on 7.7% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 2.7%
Brake pipes underneath Follow the metal brake lines with a torch where they run along the sills and over the rear axle. White crust or flaking metal means they are corroding, and the online MOT history usually shows the same advisory creeping up for years before the fail.Recorded on 8.9% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 6.2%
Steering playRuns high on this model With the engine running and the car parked, waggle the wheel lightly about the straight-ahead. The wheels should respond almost at once. A dead zone before anything happens means wear in the rack or the track rod ends.Recorded on 3.7% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 1.7%
WheelsRuns high on this model Look at each rim for kerb damage and check no wheel nuts are missing. A steering wheel that shimmies between 50 and 60 on the test drive often turns out to be a buckled or badly balanced wheel.Recorded on 3.1% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 0.9%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller’s upkeep rather than the model, and they are where the haggling money is.

Tyres, all four Check the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 27.2% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 20.9%
Pads and discs Look through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 16.0% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 11.4%
Windscreen and wipers Scan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 2.6% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 2.0%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the reports above rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

Start the car from cold and watch for hesitation or a jerky, hopping pull-away, worse on TwinAir manuals. Points to the coilpack or air valve actuator fault; check for an engine management light too.
Ask when the coilpack recall/TSB was carried out, and check the service history for it. No record of the fix means it may still be running on the original early coilpacks.
On a diesel, check the oil level and smell the dipstick. Oil that's overfull or smells strongly of diesel suggests fuel dilution from a DPF that isn't regenerating.
Ask how the car is normally used, town runs only or regular motorway miles. A diesel that never sees a good run is at higher risk of DPF and oil-dilution problems.
On a cold, damp day, check for misted windows and lift the carpets to feel for damp underneath. Persistent condensation or wet carpet points to the scuttle-drain and water-ingress complaint.
Cycle the ignition and check all warning lights clear properly and stay off. Lights that won't reset even after a service suggest the last garage wasn't familiar with this car's dealer-only reset procedure.
Check the MOT history for repeated corrosion advisories on sills, arches or the tailgate. The same advisory reappearing means it's being pushed to the next test rather than fixed.

Open the saveable checklist, tick it off at the car

The MOT data

Measured

Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.

How this model wears

Chrysler / Lancia YpsilonClass average, all tracked models

What testers flag

Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.

Faults with the car itself

The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 4,441 tests in this band.

Exhaust system leaking or insecure
Advisory
13.8%class 3.1%
Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
Advisory
11.6%class 4.8%
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
Fail
10.7%class 3.2%
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
Advisory
10.1%class 5.0%
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
Advisory
8.9%class 6.2%
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
Advisory
7.7%class 2.7%
A shock absorber bush excessively worn
Fail
6.9%class 0.1%
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
Advisory
6.6%class 11.1%
A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded
Advisory
6.6%class 4.7%
A shock absorber bush excessively worn
Advisory
5.9%class 0.4%

Wear, upkeep and luck

Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Advisory
31.0%class 23.4%
A tyre seriously damaged
Advisory
16.4%class 9.7%
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
Advisory
16.0%class 11.4%
Number plate inscription missing or illegible
Advisory
5.4%class 2.3%
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
Advisory
4.3%class 7.3%
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Fail
3.4%class 2.6%
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
Fail
2.6%class 2.0%
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
Fail
2.2%class 1.2%

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