2001 Smart City Coupe — MOT failures & pass rate
1,299 MOT tests on the 2001 Smart City Coupe are in this dataset, and 74.2% of them passed. Against all cars of a similar age (27.1% fail rate), the 2001 City Coupe comes out 1.3pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 18.2% of tests against 9.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, catalyst emissions and stop lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 118 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 23.2% in the 0-30k band and 29.4% in the 120-150k band, a 6.2-point spread.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 31.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 25.0% in 2021 to 22.9% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 18.2% | 237 |
| 2 | Suspension | 9.5% | 123 |
| 3 | Visibility | 9.2% | 120 |
| 4 | Brakes | 6.6% | 86 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 6.4% | 83 |
| 6 | Tyres | 3.4% | 44 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 118 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 111 |
| 3 | Stop lamp | 85 |
| 4 | Washers | 79 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 67 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 63 |
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 | 31.7% | 412 |
| 2 | Suspension | 26.2% | 340 |
| 3 | Tyres | 23.6% | 306 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 12.6% | 163 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 11.7% | 152 |
| 6 | Other defects | 10.0% | 130 |
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 | 95 | 23.2% |
| 30-60k | 462 | 27.3% |
| 60-90k | 466 | 22.8% |
| 90-120k | 196 | 28.6% |
| 120-150k | 51 | 29.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1,259 | 25.8% |
| Diesel | 40 | 25.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 344 | 25.0% |
| 2022 | 307 | 26.7% |
| 2023 | 255 | 24.7% |
| 2024 | 218 | 29.4% |
| 2025 | 175 | 22.9% |
What to check before buying a 2001 City Coupe
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 18.2% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (18.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (9.5% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Visibility (9.2% 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 2001 Smart City Coupes pass their MOT?
74.2% of the 1,299 2001 Smart City Coupe MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 25.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2001 Smart City Coupe?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 18.2% of tests, followed by suspension (9.5%).
Does the 2001 City Coupe get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 23.2% in the 0-30k band to 29.4% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,299 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.