2019 Smart Fortwo — MOT failures & pass rate
8,234 MOT tests on the 2019 Smart Fortwo are in this dataset, and 92.3% of them passed. That is effectively the same as city cars of a similar age (8.6% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.9%) and visibility (3.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, tread depth and headlamp aim — wipers alone was recorded 211 times.
A 60-90k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 16.1% versus 6.3%.
The electric cars hold up better: 5.9% fail against 8.2% for petrol, a 2.2-point gap across 8,234 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 18.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 5.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 9.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.9% | 324 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.5% | 291 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.5% | 209 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.0% | 164 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.6% | 49 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 35 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 211 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 165 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 156 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 120 |
| 5 | Washers | 110 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 66 |
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 | 18.3% | 1,510 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.4% | 860 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.3% | 350 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.7% | 223 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.4% | 114 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.3% | 109 |
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 | 6,517 | 6.3% |
| 30-60k | 1,495 | 12.6% |
| 60-90k | 193 | 16.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 6,751 | 8.2% |
| Electric | 1,483 | 5.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 102 | 5.9% |
| 2022 | 2,072 | 5.8% |
| 2023 | 2,050 | 7.4% |
| 2024 | 1,973 | 8.4% |
| 2025 | 2,037 | 9.6% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Fortwo
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 3.9% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (3.9% 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.
- Visibility (3.5% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Lighting & signalling (2.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 2019 Smart Fortwos pass their MOT?
92.3% of the 8,234 2019 Smart Fortwo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Smart Fortwo?
Tyres, recorded in 3.9% of tests, followed by visibility (3.5%).
Does the 2019 Fortwo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.3% in the 0-30k band to 16.1% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 8,234 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.