Smart Fortwo 21 Mhd MOT pass rate & common failures
1,758 MOT tests on the Smart Fortwo 21 Mhd (2013–2014) give it an 84.6% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (20.1% fail rate), the Fortwo 21 Mhd comes out 4.7pp better. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.6% of tests against 5.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, headlamp and service brake performance — stop lamp alone was recorded 70 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 24.1% versus 12.7%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 26.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 13.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Fortwo 21 Mhd model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 1,698 | 84.6% | 15.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 60 | 85.0% | 15.0% | Brakes |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 9.6% | 168 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.5% | 97 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.2% | 73 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.0% | 70 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.1% | 55 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.2% | 39 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.9% | 34 |
| 8 | Other defects | 0.3% | 5 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stop lamp | 70 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 68 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 54 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 53 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 50 |
| 6 | Wipers | 43 |
| 7 | Washers | 42 |
| 8 | Coil spring | 37 |
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 | 26.4% | 464 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.3% | 340 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.3% | 93 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 4.0% | 71 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.4% | 60 |
| 6 | Suspension | 3.2% | 56 |
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 | 322 | 12.7% |
| 30-60k | 982 | 14.1% |
| 60-90k | 393 | 19.3% |
| 90-120k | 58 | 24.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 346 | 13.9% |
| 2022 | 352 | 13.6% |
| 2023 | 342 | 13.7% |
| 2024 | 359 | 16.7% |
| 2025 | 359 | 18.7% |
What to check before buying a Smart Fortwo 21 Mhd
- Lighting & signalling (9.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.5% 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 (4.2% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Smart Fortwo 21 Mhd?
84.6% of the 1,758 Smart Fortwo 21 Mhd MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 15.4% fail rate, across model years 2013–2014.
What does the Smart Fortwo 21 Mhd most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.6% of tests, then brakes (5.5%).
How much does mileage affect Fortwo 21 Mhd MOT results?
Fail rates run at 12.7% for cars in the 0-30k band and 24.1% for 90-120k, a 11.4-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,758 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.