2020 Smart Eq Fortwo Prime Exclusive — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Smart Eq Fortwo Prime Exclusive passed 94.0% of its 731 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (9.4% fail rate), the 2020 Eq Fortwo Prime Exclusive comes out 3.4pp better. Failures cluster in visibility, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (4.2%) and tyres (2.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and size/type — wipers alone was recorded 37 times.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 11.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 4.2% of tests failed in 2023 against 6.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 4.2% | 31 |
| 2 | Tyres | 2.7% | 20 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.1% | 8 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.4% | 3 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 0.3% | 2 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.3% | 2 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 37 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 8 |
| 3 | Size/type | 6 |
| 4 | Brake discs | 3 |
| 5 | Headlamp levelling device | 3 |
| 6 | Washers | 2 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 11.1% | 81 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.8% | 57 |
| 3 | Other defects | 2.5% | 18 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.5% | 11 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 0.8% | 6 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.1% | 1 |
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 | 699 | 5.6% |
| 30-60k | 32 | 15.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 236 | 4.2% |
| 2024 | 239 | 7.1% |
| 2025 | 249 | 6.8% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Eq Fortwo Prime Exclusive
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: visibility accounted for 4.2% of tests. Start there.
- Visibility (4.2% 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.
- Tyres (2.7% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (1.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 2020 Smart Eq Fortwo Prime Exclusives pass their MOT?
94.0% of the 731 2020 Smart Eq Fortwo Prime Exclusive MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Smart Eq Fortwo Prime Exclusive?
Visibility, recorded in 4.2% of tests, followed by tyres (2.7%).
Does the 2020 Eq Fortwo Prime Exclusive get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.6% in the 0-30k band to 15.6% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 731 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.