Verdict
The Smart City Coupe passes its MOT first time on 57.2% of tests, 3.2 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (60.4%). That puts it ahead of 36% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2001 City Coupe does best (beats 48% of cars) and the 2007 worst (beats 19%).
Better than average on seat belts & airbags.
Watch these weak spots
MOT pass rate by age
First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.
Best and worst years
By year of first registration, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.
Engines
All years, 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.
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.7 Petrol | 57.4% | Beats 35% | D |
| 0.6 Petrol | 56.7% | Beats 40% | C |
Where it fails
Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.
Every MOT area
Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).
Buying one or MOT due? Check these
- Windscreen washers 2.5× typical
Test the washers and wipers: a cheap fix, but a very common MOT fail. - Headlight aim 1.9× typical
Park facing a wall at night: both dipped beams should sit level and dip to the left. - Exhaust emissions (catalyst) 2.8× typical
Check past MOT emissions readings in the car's history: rising readings can mean catalyst or sensor problems. - Brake lights 1.8× typical
Walk around with the lights on: bulb failures are the easiest MOT fails to avoid. - Headlight bulbs & units 1.6× typical
Check dipped and main beam on both sides. - Coil springs 1.7× typical
Look behind each wheel for a snapped coil (often the bottom one) and listen for clunks over bumps.
Pass rate by mileage
First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.
Most common MOT failures
| Item | This car | Typical | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headlight aim | 9.3% | 5.0% | 1.9× |
| Windscreen washers | 7.6% | 3.0% | 2.5× |
| Brake lights | 7.0% | 3.9% | 1.8× |
| Headlight bulbs & units | 5.8% | 3.5% | 1.6× |
| Exhaust emissions (catalyst) | 5.6% | 2.0% | 2.8× |
| Coil springs | 4.8% | 2.8% | 1.7× |
| Sidelights | 4.3% | 3.9% | 1.1× |
| Windscreen wipers | 3.6% | 3.7% | 1.0× |
| Tyre damage & cracking | 3.3% | 3.4% | 1.0× |
| Suspension arm bushes | 2.4% | 1.5% | 1.6× |
Specific defects found
Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.
| Defect | per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 93.1 |
| Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 76.4 |
| Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 58.9 |
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 49.5 |
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 47.4 |
| A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED | 45.5 |
| Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer | 40.4 |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 33.3 |
Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.
Every year and engine
Tap a year to see its engines. 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.
2007 Smart City Coupe1 engine56.3% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.7 Petrol | 56.3% | Beats 19% | E |
2006 Smart City Coupe1 engine56.6% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.7 Petrol | 56.6% | Beats 19% | E |
2005 Smart City Coupe1 engine57.1% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.7 Petrol | 57.1% | Beats 35% | D |
2004 Smart City Coupe1 engine58.6% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.7 Petrol | 58.6% | Beats 47% | C |
2003 Smart City Coupe2 engines57.0% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.7 Petrol | 57.2% | Beats 42% | C |
| 0.6 Petrol | 56.4% | Beats 38% | D |
2002 Smart City Coupe2 engines56.5% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.6 Petrol | 56.2% | Beats 39% | D |
| 0.7 Petrol | 58.6% | Beats 45% | C |
2001 Smart City Coupe1 engine59.0% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.6 Petrol | 59.0% | Beats 48% | C |
FAQ
What is the Smart City Coupe MOT pass rate?
57.2% of MOT tests on the Smart City Coupe were passed first time, based on 43,674 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2001–2007. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 60.4% of the time.
Is the Smart City Coupe reliable?
On MOT results it rates D (below average): it passes first time less often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 36% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Smart City Coupe year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2001 City Coupe does best for its age and mileage: it beats 48% of cars on UK roads. The 2007 does worst: it beats 19%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Smart City Coupe?
The most common failure items are headlight aim, windscreen washers, brake lights. Compared with similar cars, windscreen washers comes up 2.5× as often.