2000 Smart City Coupe — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 493 MOT tests, the 2000 Smart City Coupe recorded a 75.5% pass rate. That is 2.2 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 26.7%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 17.6% of all tests — 7.3 points clear of emissions & environmental, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, headlamp aim and headlamp — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 71 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 15.2% in the 0-30k band and 40.0% in the 120-150k band, a 24.8-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 33.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 25.5% in 2021 to 20.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 17.6% | 87 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 10.3% | 51 |
| 3 | Visibility | 9.9% | 49 |
| 4 | Brakes | 7.1% | 35 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.6% | 18 |
| 6 | Tyres | 2.8% | 14 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 71 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 43 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 36 |
| 4 | Wipers | 28 |
| 5 | Washers | 26 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 20 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 33.9% | 167 |
| 2 | Suspension | 26.4% | 130 |
| 3 | Tyres | 22.5% | 111 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 18.3% | 90 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 12.4% | 61 |
| 6 | Other defects | 10.5% | 52 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 46 | 15.2% |
| 30-60k | 148 | 24.3% |
| 60-90k | 140 | 24.3% |
| 90-120k | 89 | 21.3% |
| 120-150k | 40 | 40.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 141 | 25.5% |
| 2022 | 103 | 21.4% |
| 2023 | 102 | 28.4% |
| 2024 | 82 | 25.6% |
| 2025 | 65 | 20.0% |
What to check before buying a 2000 City Coupe
On a 2000 City Coupe, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 17.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (17.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (10.3% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Visibility (9.9% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2000 Smart City Coupes pass their MOT?
75.5% of the 493 2000 Smart City Coupe MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2000 Smart City Coupe?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 17.6% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (10.3%).
Does the 2000 City Coupe get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 15.2% in the 0-30k band to 40.0% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 493 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.