Smart (MCC) Forfour MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 21,718 class-4 normal initial MOT tests in 2024, 73.5% passed without an initial fail or PRS repair — above the 71.2% UK average. Pass rate moves with age: 81.5% of cars aged 3–5 years passed first time, against 54.5% aged 15–30 years.
Checking a Smart (MCC) Forfour?
Model-level statistics 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.
Pass rate by vehicle age
| Age | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 1,884 | 81.5% |
| 6–9 years | 18,749 | 73.8% |
| 15–30 years | 1,075 | 54.5% |
Common initial failure categories
These are the items that most often caused a Smart (MCC) Forfour to fail its first test, with what each one usually means for a buyer.
- Exhaust Emissions — 4.9% of 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 — 4.2% of tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Suspension Arms — 3.8% of tests. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
- Tread Depth — 3.7% of tests. Tyres below the 1.6mm legal limit. Budget for tyres, and treat it as a sign of how the car was maintained.
- Wipers — 3.2% of tests. Worn wiper blades. Minutes to fix, and a fair hint that servicing was skipped.
- Stop Lamp — 3% of tests. A brake light out. Usually a bulb.
What this does and does not tell you
A pass rate describes how a population of cars behaved on test day. It says nothing about how one car was driven, serviced or repaired, and an MOT does not cover the engine, clutch or gearbox at all.
Use it to know what to look for: if tyres and brakes dominate the list, price those in; if corrosion or suspension appears, get underneath the car. Then check the individual vehicle — its MOT history shows whether these same items have been advised year after year, and its mileage record shows whether the reading is consistent.
How many Smart (MCC) Forfour are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 23,700 licensed and 1,368 SORN vehicles in the Smart (MCC) Forfour generic-model group.
Licensed and SORN trend for the Smart (MCC) Forfour
Before you buy
- Exhaust Emissions — 4.9% 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.
- Condition — 4.2% of tests in 2024. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Suspension Arms — 3.8% of tests in 2024. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
- Tread Depth — 3.7% of tests in 2024. Tyres below the 1.6mm legal limit. Budget for tyres, and treat it as a sign of how the car was maintained.
- Check the actual Forfour — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.
Other Smart (MCC) models
- Smart (MCC) Fortwo — 80% pass
- Smart (MCC) Fortwo Coupe — 64.3% pass
- Smart (MCC) City Coupe — 58.8% pass
- Smart (MCC) Fortwo Cabriolet — 65.7% pass
See every Smart (MCC) model MOT pass rate
Common questions
What is the Smart (MCC) Forfour MOT pass rate?
73.5% of 21,718 class-4 initial MOT tests on the Smart (MCC) Forfour passed first time in 2024 — above the 71.2% UK average.
Why does the Forfour fail its MOT?
The most common initial failure categories are exhaust emissions (4.9% of tests), condition (4.2% of tests), suspension arms (3.8% of tests), tread depth (3.7% of tests).
How many Smart (MCC) Forfour are left in the UK?
23,700 were licensed and 1,368 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.
Does this tell me whether one particular Forfour is a good buy?
No. These are population statistics. Enter that car's registration for its own MOT, tax and mileage record, then check outstanding finance, write-off and stolen markers before buying.
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 car'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.