Smart Fortwo Passion Mhd MOT pass rate & common failures
16,952 MOT tests on the Smart Fortwo Passion Mhd (2008–2014) give it an 81.3% pass rate. That is 3.6 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 22.2%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
Best and worst Fortwo Passion Mhd years
Ranked across Fortwo Passion Mhd years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
The strongest year on this record is 2013 (83.2% pass rate); the weakest is 2009 (78.1%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.9% of tests against 6.6% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, coil spring and service brake performance — headlamp aim alone was recorded 725 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the Fortwo Passion Mhd fails 13.5% of the time in the 0-30k band and 16.7% at 150k+, a spread of only 3.1 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 17.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Fortwo Passion Mhd model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 377 | 75.9% | 24.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 2,412 | 78.1% | 21.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 2,192 | 78.5% | 21.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 2,479 | 81.2% | 18.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 2,574 | 82.8% | 17.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 6,804 | 83.2% | 16.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 114 | 82.5% | 17.5% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.9% | 1,852 |
| 2 | Suspension | 6.6% | 1,119 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.3% | 1,066 |
| 4 | Tyres | 4.5% | 766 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.2% | 719 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.0% | 503 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.0% | 338 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.3% | 54 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 725 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 721 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 710 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 663 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 524 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 499 |
| 7 | Tread depth | 465 |
| 8 | Washers | 419 |
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 | 24.3% | 4,114 |
| 2 | Brakes | 21.1% | 3,581 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.5% | 1,267 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.7% | 958 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.3% | 899 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 4.3% | 720 |
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 | 2,949 | 13.5% |
| 30-60k | 8,233 | 18.1% |
| 60-90k | 4,585 | 21.4% |
| 90-120k | 988 | 24.5% |
| 120-150k | 150 | 26.0% |
| 150k+ | 30 | 16.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,446 | 17.7% |
| 2022 | 3,438 | 17.6% |
| 2023 | 3,425 | 19.1% |
| 2024 | 3,370 | 19.5% |
| 2025 | 3,273 | 19.5% |
What to check before buying a Smart Fortwo Passion Mhd
- Lighting & signalling (10.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (6.6% 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.
- Brakes (6.3% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Smart Fortwo Passion Mhd?
81.3% of the 16,952 Smart Fortwo Passion Mhd MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 18.6% fail rate, across model years 2008–2014.
What does the Smart Fortwo Passion Mhd most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.9% of tests, then suspension (6.6%).
Which Fortwo Passion Mhd years are best and worst for MOT results?
2013 has the best pass rate at 83.2% and 2009 the weakest at 78.1%, from 6,804 and 2,412 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Fortwo Passion Mhd MOT results?
Fail rates run at 13.5% for cars in the 0-30k band and 16.7% for 150k+, a 3.1-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 16,952 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.