2010 Smart Fortwo Passion 54 A — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2010 Smart Fortwo Passion 54 A passed 75.8% of its 838 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail at 24.2%, so the 2010 Fortwo Passion 54 A sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (11.9%) and lighting & signalling (10.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, service brake performance and malfunction indicator lamp — coil spring alone was recorded 62 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 23.8% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 29.7% once past 120-150k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 27.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 25.5% in 2021 to 21.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 11.9% | 100 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 10.7% | 90 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.0% | 84 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 6.4% | 54 |
| 5 | Tyres | 5.5% | 46 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.5% | 29 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 62 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 50 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 43 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 36 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 28 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 28 |
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 | 27.1% | 227 |
| 2 | Brakes | 23.0% | 193 |
| 3 | Suspension | 13.1% | 110 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 7.0% | 59 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 5.9% | 49 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.4% | 45 |
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 | 269 | 23.8% |
| 60-90k | 336 | 24.7% |
| 90-120k | 167 | 23.4% |
| 120-150k | 37 | 29.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 797 | 24.6% |
| Petrol | 41 | 17.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 208 | 25.5% |
| 2022 | 187 | 26.2% |
| 2023 | 162 | 22.8% |
| 2024 | 140 | 24.3% |
| 2025 | 141 | 21.3% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Fortwo Passion 54 A
On a 2010 Fortwo Passion 54 A, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 11.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (11.9% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (10.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (10.0% 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.
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 2010 Smart Fortwo Passion 54 As pass their MOT?
75.8% of the 838 2010 Smart Fortwo Passion 54 A MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Smart Fortwo Passion 54 A?
Suspension, recorded in 11.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (10.7%).
Does the 2010 Fortwo Passion 54 A get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 23.8% in the 30-60k band to 29.7% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 838 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.