2012 Smart City Coupe — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 296 MOT tests, the 2012 Smart City Coupe recorded an 83.5% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail 21.7% of the time, so this is 5.2pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.2% of tests against 5.7% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, wipers and service brake performance — headlamp aim alone was recorded 18 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2012 City Coupe fails 19.6% of the time in the 30-60k band and 18.8% at 90-120k, a spread of only 0.8 points.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 22.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 14.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.2% | 33 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.7% | 17 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.4% | 16 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.1% | 15 |
| 5 | Suspension | 4.4% | 13 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.7% | 11 |
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 | 18 |
| 2 | Wipers | 11 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 10 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 9 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 9 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 9 |
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 | 22.6% | 67 |
| 2 | Tyres | 20.3% | 60 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.5% | 31 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.8% | 20 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.4% | 19 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.7% | 14 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 148 | 19.6% |
| 60-90k | 81 | 14.8% |
| 90-120k | 32 | 18.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 264 | 15.9% |
| Diesel | 32 | 21.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 57 | 14.0% |
| 2022 | 62 | 19.4% |
| 2023 | 59 | 15.3% |
| 2024 | 60 | 16.7% |
| 2025 | 58 | 17.2% |
What to check before buying a 2012 City Coupe
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 11.2% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (11.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.7% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Brakes (5.4% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
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 2012 Smart City Coupes pass their MOT?
83.5% of the 296 2012 Smart City Coupe MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Smart City Coupe?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.2% of tests, followed by tyres (5.7%).
Does the 2012 City Coupe get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 19.6% in the 30-60k band to 18.8% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 296 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.