2012 Smart Fortwo Coupe — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2012 Smart Fortwo Coupe passed 82.5% of its 8,857 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 21.7% of the time, so this is 4.2pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (8.6%) and brakes (6.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, headlamp aim and headlamp — service brake performance alone was recorded 398 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 18.4% versus 13.0%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 17.3% fail against 18.8% for diesel, a 1.5-point gap across 8,850 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.6% | 757 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.8% | 603 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.5% | 399 |
| 4 | Tyres | 4.3% | 378 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.0% | 356 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.4% | 298 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service brake performance | 398 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 309 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 286 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 273 |
| 5 | Wipers | 240 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 225 |
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 | 22.6% | 1,999 |
| 2 | Brakes | 21.7% | 1,923 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.9% | 520 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.0% | 444 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 4.4% | 389 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.3% | 296 |
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 | 1,485 | 13.0% |
| 30-60k | 4,263 | 16.5% |
| 60-90k | 2,400 | 20.5% |
| 90-120k | 549 | 23.1% |
| 120-150k | 120 | 21.7% |
| 150k+ | 38 | 18.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 7,495 | 17.3% |
| Diesel | 1,355 | 18.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,835 | 16.9% |
| 2022 | 1,777 | 16.0% |
| 2023 | 1,805 | 18.2% |
| 2024 | 1,758 | 18.1% |
| 2025 | 1,682 | 18.4% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Fortwo Coupe
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 8.6% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (8.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.8% 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.
- Suspension (4.5% 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 2012 Smart Fortwo Coupes pass their MOT?
82.5% of the 8,857 2012 Smart Fortwo Coupe MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Smart Fortwo Coupe?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.6% of tests, followed by brakes (6.8%).
Does the 2012 Fortwo Coupe get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.0% in the 0-30k band to 18.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 8,857 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.