Smart Fortwo Pure 61 Mhd MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 6 model years and 1,424 tests, the Smart Fortwo Pure 61 Mhd passes its MOT 82.7% of the time. Against all cars of a similar age (21.1% fail rate), the Fortwo Pure 61 Mhd comes out 3.8pp better. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 10.6% of all tests — 4.3 points clear of tyres, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, tread depth and headlamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 67 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 33.8% once past 90-120k — 3.8× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 23.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 17.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Fortwo Pure 61 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 | 50 | 70.0% | 30.0% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 156 | 73.1% | 26.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 162 | 81.5% | 18.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 1,056 | 84.9% | 15.1% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.6% | 151 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.3% | 90 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.8% | 82 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.6% | 66 |
| 5 | Suspension | 4.3% | 61 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.0% | 43 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.0% | 28 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.5% | 7 |
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 | 67 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 64 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 53 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 43 |
| 5 | Washers | 42 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 40 |
| 7 | Coil spring | 37 |
| 8 | Wipers | 31 |
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 | 23.9% | 340 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.4% | 277 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 7.4% | 105 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.6% | 65 |
| 5 | Other defects | 3.7% | 53 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.9% | 42 |
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 | 443 | 8.8% |
| 30-60k | 603 | 18.7% |
| 60-90k | 295 | 22.7% |
| 90-120k | 68 | 33.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 293 | 17.4% |
| 2022 | 279 | 14.0% |
| 2023 | 289 | 16.6% |
| 2024 | 285 | 19.3% |
| 2025 | 278 | 19.1% |
What to check before buying a Smart Fortwo Pure 61 Mhd
- Lighting & signalling (10.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.3% 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.
- Brakes (5.8% 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.
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 Pure 61 Mhd?
82.7% of the 1,424 Smart Fortwo Pure 61 Mhd MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 17.3% fail rate, across model years 2008–2013.
What does the Smart Fortwo Pure 61 Mhd most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.6% of tests, then tyres (6.3%).
How much does mileage affect Fortwo Pure 61 Mhd MOT results?
Fail rates run at 8.8% for cars in the 0-30k band and 33.8% for 90-120k, a 25.0-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,424 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.