2007 Smart Forfour Passion — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2007 Smart Forfour Passion passed 80.3% of its 290 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (26.8% fail rate), the 2007 Forfour Passion comes out 7.2pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 18.3% of all tests — 11.4 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp, stop lamp and headlamp aim — headlamp alone was recorded 24 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 22.6% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 26.7% once past 120-150k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 33.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 19.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 29.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 18.3% | 53 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.9% | 20 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.9% | 17 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.8% | 14 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 4.1% | 12 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.1% | 9 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp | 24 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 21 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 21 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 15 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 9 |
| 6 | Catalyst emissions | 8 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 33.5% | 97 |
| 2 | Tyres | 21.4% | 62 |
| 3 | Brakes | 20.7% | 60 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 17.9% | 52 |
| 5 | Other defects | 10.7% | 31 |
| 6 | Steering | 5.2% | 15 |
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 | 31 | 22.6% |
| 60-90k | 125 | 17.6% |
| 90-120k | 96 | 19.8% |
| 120-150k | 30 | 26.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 73 | 19.2% |
| 2022 | 64 | 14.1% |
| 2023 | 55 | 20.0% |
| 2024 | 50 | 18.0% |
| 2025 | 48 | 29.2% |
What to check before buying a 2007 Forfour Passion
On a 2007 Forfour Passion, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 18.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (18.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.9% 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.
- Tyres (5.9% 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.
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 2007 Smart Forfour Passions pass their MOT?
80.3% of the 290 2007 Smart Forfour Passion MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2007 Smart Forfour Passion?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 18.3% of tests, followed by brakes (6.9%).
Does the 2007 Forfour Passion get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 22.6% in the 30-60k band to 26.7% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 290 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.