2004 Smart City Passion 61 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2004 Smart City Passion 61 passed 74.0% of its 1,077 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.7 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 27.7%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 20.6% of tests against 9.6% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, washers and catalyst emissions — headlamp aim alone was recorded 150 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 18.2% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 31.4% once past 120-150k.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 34.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 29.2% in 2021 to 22.5% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 20.6% | 222 |
| 2 | Visibility | 9.6% | 103 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.4% | 101 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 7.5% | 81 |
| 5 | Brakes | 6.6% | 71 |
| 6 | Tyres | 4.7% | 51 |
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 | 150 |
| 2 | Washers | 88 |
| 3 | Catalyst emissions | 84 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 77 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 57 |
| 6 | Coil spring | 41 |
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 | 34.4% | 370 |
| 2 | Tyres | 26.7% | 287 |
| 3 | Suspension | 23.9% | 257 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 16.1% | 173 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 13.8% | 149 |
| 6 | Other defects | 9.8% | 106 |
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 | 66 | 18.2% |
| 30-60k | 331 | 26.0% |
| 60-90k | 441 | 27.2% |
| 90-120k | 168 | 23.8% |
| 120-150k | 35 | 31.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 301 | 29.2% |
| 2022 | 255 | 27.5% |
| 2023 | 213 | 22.5% |
| 2024 | 179 | 25.1% |
| 2025 | 129 | 22.5% |
What to check before buying a 2004 City Passion 61
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 20.6% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (20.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (9.6% 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.
- Suspension (9.4% 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.
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 2004 Smart City Passion 61s pass their MOT?
74.0% of the 1,077 2004 Smart City Passion 61 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2004 Smart City Passion 61?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 20.6% of tests, followed by visibility (9.6%).
Does the 2004 City Passion 61 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 18.2% in the 0-30k band to 31.4% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,077 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.