Smart Fortwo MOT failure rate and common faults
49,409 Smart Fortwo cars aged 3 to 20 took their MOT in 2025, and 28.7% failed at the first attempt. An average car of the same age failed 33.1% of the time, which makes the Smart Fortwo 13% less likely to fail than the typical car on the road. Here is what fails, and which years to look for.
28.7%
failed first time
49,409 MOT tests in 2025
-13%
vs same age average
average car of this age mix: 33.1%
75 of 208
age adjusted rank
among cars; 1 fails least
81.5
dangerous defects per 1,000
same age average: 118.9
What fails on a Smart Fortwo MOT
Failure items recorded per 1,000 tests, by part of the car, set against an average car with exactly the same spread of ages. A figure well above average is a weak spot worth checking before you buy.
The most common Smart Fortwo MOT failures
The individual failure items testers recorded most often, per 1,000 tests.
| Failure item | Area | Per 1,000 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Coil spring: fractured or broken | Suspension | 39.0 |
| Stop lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 31.9 |
| Position lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 29.3 |
| Service brake performance: excessively binding | Brakes | 25.6 |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 25.4 |
| Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 25.3 |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction | Engine, emissions and leaks | 22.8 |
| Headlamp: not working on dipped beam | Lights and electrics | 21.2 |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 18.7 |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect | Lights and electrics | 18.0 |
Smart Fortwo MOT failure rate by year
Every car fails more often as it ages, so each registration year is compared with the average for all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 500 tests are left out.
| First registered | Tests | Failed | Same age average | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1,876 | 14.1% | 16.5% | 27,300 |
| 2018 | 3,366 | 17.0% | 19.1% | 33,300 |
| 2017 | 4,789 | 19.8% | 21.8% | 37,800 |
| 2016 | 5,694 | 23.1% | 25.1% | 42,700 |
| 2015 | 2,198 | 24.2% | 28.1% | 46,800 |
| 2014 | 3,707 | 25.3% | 31.4% | 49,800 |
| 2013 | 3,323 | 29.3% | 34.3% | 52,600 |
| 2012 | 2,529 | 28.6% | 36.6% | 58,500 |
| 2011 | 3,674 | 31.7% | 38.8% | 65,300 |
| 2010 | 5,027 | 34.5% | 40.7% | 68,700 |
| 2009 | 5,332 | 36.7% | 41.8% | 69,300 |
| 2008 | 4,355 | 37.5% | 42.9% | 72,000 |
| 2007 | 2,007 | 39.1% | 42.7% | 70,900 |
| 2006 | 857 | 42.1% | 43.0% | 67,700 |
| 2005 | 644 | 41.5% | 42.4% | 69,000 |
Advisories to look for in a Smart Fortwo's MOT history
An advisory is a tester's warning that something is wearing but has not failed yet. These are the ones written most often on the Smart Fortwo, per 1,000 tests. If the car you are looking at has one of these, ask whether it has been fixed since.
- Tyres: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing206.8
- Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge190.6
- Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material120.6
- Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened73.6
- Brake pads: wearing thin58.5
- Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive40.0
Checking a used Smart Fortwo before you buy
Against cars of the same age, the Smart Fortwo fails more often than average on engine, emissions and leaks. Start there.
Engine, emissions and leaks
Start the car from cold and watch the exhaust for smoke, look underneath for oil or fuel leaks, and make sure the engine warning light comes on with the ignition and goes out once the engine runs.
Averages only take you so far. The specific car's MOT history shows whether it has already failed on any of these, how often advisories were ignored, and whether the mileage climbs steadily from test to test. Read our guide to reading a car's MOT history before you go to view it.
Fuel mix of the Smart Fortwo cars tested: Petrol 91%, Diesel 8%. Average age at test 12.4 years, average recorded mileage 54,900.
Smart Fortwo MOT questions
What is the Smart Fortwo MOT failure rate?
28.7% of Smart Fortwo cars failed their first MOT test of 2025, from 49,409 tests on vehicles aged 3 to 20. An average car with the same age mix failed 33.1% of the time, so the Smart Fortwo was 13% less likely to fail.
What fails most often on a Smart Fortwo MOT?
Lights and electrics caused the most failure items, at 185 per 1,000 tests. The single most common failure item was "Coil spring: fractured or broken", recorded 39.0 times per 1,000 tests.
Which Smart Fortwo year has the best MOT record?
Measured against cars of the same age, 2012 registrations did best: 28.6% failed against an average of 36.6% for cars that age. Older cars always fail more often, so compare a year with its age group rather than with newer cars.
Does this tell me whether a particular Smart Fortwo will pass?
No. These are averages across every Smart Fortwo tested in 2025. The car in front of you has its own record: its full MOT history shows every pass, failure and advisory it has had, and it is free to view by registration.
Other Smart models
- Smart Forfour28.1% failed
Ranked close to the Smart Fortwo
- Toyota Corollarank 72
- Saab 9-3rank 73
- Skoda Yetirank 74
- Audi A4rank 76
How these figures are calculated
Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 release. We count first tests of cars and small vans (class 4) aged 3 to 20, so a car that fails and is retested is counted once. A failure includes faults fixed and passed within the same visit. The same age average weights the national failure rate for each age by how many Smart Fortwo cars of that age were tested, so a model is never penalised for having an older fleet. Make and model are as recorded at the test; trim levels are combined. Full method and rankings.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.