Smart Fortwo Passion MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Smart Fortwo Passion MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Smart Fortwo Passion passed on its first attempt in 72.4%, and its overall record sits −3.2 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Smart Fortwo Passion in the 2023–2025 data: 6,051 tests across 7 model years (2007–2013). 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 Fortwo Passion MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Smart Fortwo Passion, 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 Fortwo Passion's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Smart Fortwo Passion DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Smart Fortwo Passion, each with how many of the model's 6,051 tests it was noted on.

• "Coil spring fractured or broken" (Major) — noted on about 281 Smart Fortwo Passion tests, 4.6% of the model's MOT record.
• "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 187 Smart Fortwo Passion tests, 3.1% of the model's MOT record.
• "Service brake performance excessively binding" (Major) — noted on about 183 Smart Fortwo Passion tests, 3.0% of the model's MOT record.
• "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 133 Smart Fortwo Passion tests, 2.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Position lamp not working" (Major) — noted on about 129 Smart Fortwo Passion tests, 2.1% of the model's MOT record.
• "Malfunction indicator lamp inoperative or indicates a malfunction" (Major) — noted on about 113 Smart Fortwo Passion tests, 1.9% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Smart Fortwo Passion Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Smart Fortwo Passion model year on record is 2013 (81.4% across 886 tests), and the weakest is 2007 (75.3%). The gap between them is 6.1 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Smart Fortwo Passion reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 1.1 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 Fortwo Passion Owners

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

• 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.

• 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.

• the lights — “registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources”

  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.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Smart Fortwo Passion MOT & Reliability