Verdict
Smart cars pass their MOT first time on 71.3% of tests, against 73.7% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. That beats only 34% of cars on UK roads and ranks Smart 29th of 40 makes, well behind MINI and Toyota.
No Smart model beats half of cars. The Fortwo, about three in five Smart tests, beats 39%, and the early City Coupe (2001–2007) 36%.
The Forfour (2004–2019) is the one to check most carefully: it beats only 15% of cars, about one in seven.
Smarts fail on emissions and leaks about 1.6 times as often as a typical car, on visibility about 1.3 times and on lights and electrics, the most common area at about 1 in 8 tests, about 1.2 times. Steering fails only a little over half as often as typical, and seat belts and airbags about a third less often.
Where it fails
Every Smart compared with typical cars of the same age and mileage.
Every MOT area
Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).
Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.
Smart models
Models with 20,000+ MOT tests, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate. Light vans are included and tend to grade lower, partly from hard commercial use.
| Model first registered | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fortwo 2003–2019 | 72.1% | Beats 39% | D |
| Forfour 2004–2019 | 74.0% | Beats 15% | E |
| City Coupe 2001–2007 | 57.2% | Beats 36% | D |
FAQ
What is the Smart MOT pass rate?
71.3% of Smart MOT tests were passed first time, from 691,414 tests. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 73.7%, so Smarts do a little worse than typical.
Is Smart reliable?
On MOT results it is below average: Smart beats 34% of cars on UK roads and ranks 29th of 40 makes. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Smart model is best?
The Fortwo, but it still beats only about four in ten cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account. No Smart model beats half.
Which Smart should I check most carefully?
The Forfour, which beats only about one in seven cars.
What are the most common MOT failures on Smart cars?
Lights and electrics (about 1 in 8 tests), suspension, brakes, visibility and tyres. Emissions and leaks fail about 1.6 times as often as on a typical car of the same age and mileage.