Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto passed on its first attempt in 70.6%, and its overall record sits −4.8 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto in the 2023–2025 data: 699 tests across 4 model years (2004–2007). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.

Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.

Most Common Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto, the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.

Shares are over the Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto, each with how many of the model's 699 tests it was noted on.

• "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (Minor) — noted on about 54 Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto tests, 7.7% of the model's MOT record.
• "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 51 Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto tests, 7.3% of the model's MOT record.
• "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 40 Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto tests, 5.7% of the model's MOT record.
• "Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt" (Minor) — noted on about 31 Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto tests, 4.4% of the model's MOT record.
• "Position lamp not working" (Major) — noted on about 28 Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto tests, 4.0% of the model's MOT record.
• "Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect" (Major) — noted on about 24 Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto tests, 3.4% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto model year on record is 2007 (78.1% across 151 tests), and the weakest is 2004 (73.4%). The gap between them is 4.7 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 1.6 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.

Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.

Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto Owners

These checks follow this Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto.

• the lights — “headlamp lens slightly defective”

  Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.

• the suspension joints — “ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated”

  With the car parked on level ground, rock the top of each front wheel in and out while someone watches the suspension arm. Clunks, or rubber boots split and greasy, are what testers record here.

• the windscreen — “windscreen damaged”

  Check the driver’s side of the screen within the swept area for chips and cracks; anything larger than 10mm in the driver’s central view is a fail. Most chips can be resin-repaired for far less than a new screen.

Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Smart Forfour Passion Semi-Auto MOT & Reliability