MOT pass rates / Smart
Smart MOT pass rates and common failures
Smart cars passed 70.2% of their MOTs first time in 2024, across 2,055 class-4 initial tests and 1 model group. That is below the 71.2% UK average, and ranks Smart 36th of 59 makes in the dataset.
Pass rates track age more strongly than badge: an older Smart is compared here against older cars of every other make, so read the age table below before drawing conclusions about the brand.
Checking a Smart?
Make-level pass rates cannot reveal the condition or provenance of one car.
Check its registration free for the actual MOT, tax and mileage record. Before buying, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.
What Smart cars fail on
The items most often behind a first-test failure across Smart model groups, as a share of Smart tests. DVSA publishes each model group's six most common categories, so this ranks the biggest published causes rather than every possible one.
- Brake Performance — 5.5% of Smart tests. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
- Headlamps — 4.7% of Smart tests. A headlight fault, from a blown bulb to a failed unit.
- Headlamp Aim — 4.4% of Smart tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Springs — 4.2% of Smart tests. A broken or sagging coil spring. Replaced in pairs, so it is not the cheapest failure.
- Exhaust Emissions — 4.1% of Smart tests. The car exceeded its emissions limits. Can be a sensor or a service, but on a diesel it can also mean an expensive filter or catalyst.
- Condition — 3.4% of Smart tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
Smart MOT pass rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 10–14 years | 1,740 | 71.3% |
| 15–30 years | 315 | 64.4% |
Smart models by MOT pass rate
| Model | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| Fortwo Passion MHD Auto | 2,055 | 70.2% |
Before you buy
- Brake Performance — 5.5% of tests in 2024. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
- Headlamps — 4.7% of tests in 2024. A headlight fault, from a blown bulb to a failed unit.
- Headlamp Aim — 4.4% of tests in 2024. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Springs — 4.2% of tests in 2024. A broken or sagging coil spring. Replaced in pairs, so it is not the cheapest failure.
- Check the actual Smart — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.
Common questions
What is the Smart MOT pass rate?
70.2% of 2,055 class-4 initial MOT tests on Smart cars passed first time in 2024 — below the 71.2% UK average across all published models.
Which Smart has the best MOT pass rate?
Of the Smart model groups with a substantial sample, the Fortwo Passion MHD Auto has the highest initial pass rate at 70.2% across 2,055 tests. Pass rates track vehicle age closely, so newer model groups tend to sit higher.
Does a good Smart pass rate mean the car I am looking at is fine?
No. A model-level rate describes a population, not one vehicle. Enter the registration for that car's own MOT, tax and mileage record, and check for outstanding finance, write-off and stolen markers before you buy.
Methodology and limitations
MOT outcomes describe testable items at the time of inspection. They are not a measure of overall mechanical reliability.
Scope: Class 4 normal initial MOT tests completed in 2024. Models require at least 1,000 qualifying tests. Duplicate source rows are removed using official DVSA test IDs.
Source: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency anonymised MOT tests and results, 2024, published 2025-05-23 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Check the actual car
Enter the registration for that Smart's own free MOT, tax and mileage record. Before money changes hands, the £9.99 full history check adds outstanding finance, insurance write-off and stolen checks.