MOT pass rates / Smart (MCC)
Smart (MCC) MOT pass rates and common failures
Smart (MCC) cars passed 72.1% of their MOTs first time in 2024, across 65,326 class-4 initial tests and 5 model groups. That is above the 71.2% UK average, and ranks Smart (MCC) 31st of 59 makes in the dataset.
Pass rates track age more strongly than badge: an older Smart (MCC) 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 (MCC)?
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 (MCC) cars fail on
The items most often behind a first-test failure across Smart (MCC) model groups, as a share of Smart (MCC) tests. DVSA publishes each model group's six most common categories, so this ranks the biggest published causes rather than every possible one.
- Exhaust Emissions — 4.8% of Smart (MCC) 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.
- Suspension Arms — 2.7% of Smart (MCC) tests. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
- Condition — 2.3% of Smart (MCC) tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Headlamp Aim — 2.3% of Smart (MCC) tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Stop Lamp — 2.1% of Smart (MCC) tests. A brake light out. Usually a bulb.
- Wipers — 2% of Smart (MCC) tests. Worn wiper blades. Minutes to fix, and a fair hint that servicing was skipped.
- Tread Depth — 1.9% of Smart (MCC) tests. Tyres below the 1.6mm legal limit. Budget for tyres, and treat it as a sign of how the car was maintained.
- Headlamps — 1.8% of Smart (MCC) tests. A headlight fault, from a blown bulb to a failed unit.
Smart (MCC) MOT pass rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 3,700 | 84.5% |
| 6–9 years | 33,563 | 76.7% |
| 10–14 years | 12,471 | 70.7% |
| 15–30 years | 15,459 | 60.4% |
Smart (MCC) models by MOT pass rate
| Model | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| Forfour | 21,718 | 73.5% |
| Fortwo | 20,913 | 80% |
| Fortwo Coupe | 15,342 | 64.3% |
| City Coupe | 3,851 | 58.8% |
| Fortwo Cabriolet | 3,502 | 65.7% |
How many Smart (MCC) vehicles are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 86,020 licensed and 11,144 SORN Smart (MCC) vehicles across 11 published model groups.
Licensed and SORN counts for every Smart (MCC) model
Before you buy
- Exhaust Emissions — 4.8% of tests in 2024. 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.
- Suspension Arms — 2.7% of tests in 2024. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
- Condition — 2.3% of tests in 2024. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Headlamp Aim — 2.3% of tests in 2024. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Check the actual Smart (MCC) — 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 (MCC) MOT pass rate?
72.1% of 65,326 class-4 initial MOT tests on Smart (MCC) cars passed first time in 2024 — above the 71.2% UK average across all published models.
Which Smart (MCC) has the best MOT pass rate?
Of the Smart (MCC) model groups with a substantial sample, the Fortwo has the highest initial pass rate at 80% across 20,913 tests. Pass rates track vehicle age closely, so newer model groups tend to sit higher.
Does a good Smart (MCC) 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 (MCC)'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.