MOT performance
Smart MOT pass rates and common failures
Across 177,310 MOT tests of Smart cars in 2023–2024, 71.6% passed first time. Allowing for age, mileage and fuel, Smarts failed 6% more often than comparable cars. Of the 2 Smart models with enough tests, the Smart Fortwo failed least often relative to comparable cars.
177,310 MOT tests on 92,281 vehicles, 2023–2024 · Source: DVSA (Open Government Licence) · Analysis: 73 Auto
Check a specific car's MOT history and running costsAt a glance
| Figure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| First-time pass rate | 71.6% | ±0.2 pts (95%), n = 177,310 |
| Failures vs similar cars | 1.06× | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00 |
| Tests with a dangerous defect | 6.6% | n = 177,310 |
| Average age at test | 10.5 years | n = 177,310 |
Smart models
Every Smart model with at least 10,000 tests, most-tested first.
| Model | Tests | First-time pass rate | Failures vs similar cars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Fortwo | 105,250 | 71.9% | 1.02× |
| Smart Forfour | 48,547 | 73.5% | 1.23× |
Where Smarts fail
| Area | Tests failed on it | vs similar cars |
|---|---|---|
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 11.6% | +14% |
| Suspension | 7.3% | -10% |
| Brakes | 6.4% | +7% |
| Driver's view of the road | 6.1% | +26% |
| Tyres | 6.0% | +8% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 4.6% | +59% |
| Body, chassis and structure | 2.6% | -14% |
| Steering | 0.8% | -50% |
| Seat belts and airbags | 0.5% | -36% |
| Registration plates and VIN | 0.4% | +25% |
| Road wheels | 0.2% | -27% |
| Speedometer and driving controls | 0.0% | +112% |
Most common failure items
| Item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| Stop lamp: not working | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 2.99% |
| Coil spring: fractured or broken | Suspension | 2.91% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively | Driver's view of the road | 2.81% |
| Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 2.35% |
| Position lamp: not working | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 2.16% |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid | Driver's view of the road | 2.14% |
| Headlamp: not working on dipped beam | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 1.81% |
| Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits | Noise, emissions and leaks | 1.74% |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 1.73% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction | Noise, emissions and leaks | 1.62% |
Pass rate by age
| Age at test (years) | Tests | First-time pass rate | Failures vs similar cars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-4 | 12,504 | 86.4% | +19% |
| 5-6 | 32,503 | 81.2% | +20% |
| 7-8 | 34,330 | 74.8% | +22% |
| 9-10 | 15,694 | 73.5% | +3% |
| 11-12 | 14,730 | 69.3% | -1% |
| 13-15 | 31,521 | 63.7% | -1% |
| 16+ | 34,183 | 60.4% | -1% |
MOT failures where Smart stands out
Individual failure items that Smarts record clearly more or less often than cars of the same age, mileage and fuel. All Smart MOT failure patterns.
- Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits · 2.22× comparable cars
- Service brake performance: excessively binding · 1.71× comparable cars
- Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid · 1.52× comparable cars
Check a specific Smart
Enter a UK registration to see that car's own MOT history and what it is likely to cost to own. Your first check is free and shows the vehicle summary and its headline ownership cost. The category-by-category breakdown is part of a paid check.
UK number plate or 17-character VIN
About this data. These are MOT test results, not a measure of mechanical reliability: a car's MOT outcome reflects its condition on the day, which depends on how it has been maintained and driven as well as how it was built. Figures cover class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans), normal tests only (retests excluded), outcomes pass, fail and pass after rectification at the station; vehicles at least 2.5 years old at test. Tests from 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-30. “Compared with similar cars” means compared with the national rate for cars of the same age, mileage band and fuel. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Makes and models are matched to 73 Auto's vehicle catalogue; tests that can't be matched are left out rather than guessed. See how the MOT figures are produced.