Pass rate, every year
81.1% Around average
53 tests across 1 model years, 2013–2013.
+0.1 pts vs the national average
Smart Fortwo Electric Drive MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics
Best year to buy
2013 81.1%
The strongest of the 1 years on record. See the 2013 page →
Worst year to buy
2013 81.1%
0.0 points below the 2013 peak. See the 2013 page →
The Smart Fortwo Electric Drive MOT pass rate is 81.1%, +0.1 percentage points above the UK average. That is 53 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2013 and 2013. This page lists the most common Smart Fortwo Electric Drive MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.
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Smart Fortwo Electric Drive MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average
The Smart Fortwo Electric Drive passed on its first attempt in 76.2%, and its overall record sits +0.1 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive in the 2023–2025 data: 53 tests across 1 model years (2013–2013). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 53 |
| Overall pass rate | 81.1% |
| Passed on first attempt | 76.2% |
| Average mileage at test | 37,988 mi |
| Model years covered | 2013–2013 (1 years) |
| Versus UK national average | +0.1 pts above |
Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.
Most Common Smart Fortwo Electric Drive MOT Problems by Failure Category
Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive, the Tyres section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.
| Inspection section | Share of failures |
|---|---|
| Tyres | 33% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 27% |
| Brakes | 20% |
| Visibility | 13% |
| Suspension | 7% |
Shares are over the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Tyres
Around 33% of the recorded Smart Fortwo Electric Drive failures fall in the Tyres section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" (3.8%), "Has a lump, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure" (1.9%), "Has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure" (1.9%) among the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive's tyres faults.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Around 27% of the recorded Smart Fortwo Electric Drive failures fall in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Side repeaters not working" (3.8%), "Stop lamp not working" (3.8%) among the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive's lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment faults.
Brakes
Around 20% of the recorded Smart Fortwo Electric Drive failures fall in the Brakes section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Service brake performance excessively binding" (5.7%) among the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive's brakes faults.
Top Recorded Smart Fortwo Electric Drive DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive, each with how many of the model's 53 tests it was noted on.
- "Service brake performance excessively binding" (Major) — noted on about 3 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive tests, 5.7% of the model's MOT record.
- "Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" (Major) — noted on about 2 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive tests, 3.8% of the model's MOT record.
- "Side repeaters not working" (Major) — noted on about 2 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive tests, 3.8% of the model's MOT record.
- "Stop lamp not working" (Major) — noted on about 2 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive tests, 3.8% of the model's MOT record.
- "Bonnet cannot be secured in the closed position" (Major) — noted on about 1 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive tests, 1.9% of the model's MOT record.
- "Bonnet primary retaining device ineffective" (Major) — noted on about 1 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive tests, 1.9% of the model's MOT record.
Best and Worst Smart Fortwo Electric Drive Model Years by Pass Rate
The strongest Smart Fortwo Electric Drive model year on record is 2013 (81.1% across 53 tests), and the weakest is 2013 (81.1%). Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 Fortwo Electric Drive | 53 | 81.1% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Smart Fortwo Electric Drive Owners
These checks follow this Smart Fortwo Electric Drive's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Smart Fortwo Electric Drive.
-
the lights — “stop lamp not working”
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 coil springs — “coil spring fractured or broken”
Look up inside each wheel arch with a torch, all the way round the spring. A snapped spring usually breaks at the very bottom coil, where a quick glance will not reach.
Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions: Smart Fortwo Electric Drive MOT & Reliability
What is the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive MOT pass rate?
81.1% of the 53 recorded Smart Fortwo Electric Drive MOT tests ended in a pass, +0.1 percentage points above the national average. 76.2% of those passed on the first attempt.
Which Smart Fortwo Electric Drive model years pass the MOT most often?
2013 is the strongest Smart Fortwo Electric Drive year on record at 81.1%, while 2013 is the weakest at 81.1%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
What are the most common Smart Fortwo Electric Drive MOT failures?
The most recorded Smart Fortwo Electric Drive failures are "Service brake performance excessively binding" and "Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" — together around 9% of tests, mostly in the Brakes section.