Pass rate
73.5%
Below average — 0.9 pts ahead of the 72.6% that cars this age and mileage manage.
Across 480 recorded tests.
Typical repair bill £22–£75
2003 Smart Mcc Fortwo MOT pass rate
- 2003
- 2 trims combined
- typical 72,962 mi
Most common fault
Brakes
20.3% of faults · 20.9% nationally
mostly worn pads and discs, corroded pipes and a handbrake that will not hold.
Which year to buy
- Best 2019 91.5% pass
- Avoid 2001 70.3% pass
Across the 20 years on record, a spread of 21.2 points. See every year →
- First-attempt pass
- 66.2%
- Typical mileage
- 73k mi
The 2003 Smart Mcc Fortwo MOT pass rate is 73.5% of its MOT tests — about what its age and mileage predict. Brakes is the biggest single reason it fails, at 20.3% of what testers record.
Check your postcode
MOT pass rates are national — type your postcode to see how Smart Mcc Fortwo does in your corner of the country.
Expert verdict
Lamps & electrics: 1.5× the national share
Lamps & electrics make up 18.3% of everything recorded on the 2003 Smart Mcc Fortwo, against 12.2% nationally — 6.1 points above. Brakes are still the single largest share at 20.3%, but at 20.9% nationally that one is ordinary. Walk round the car with the lights on before the test: bulbs, indicators and number-plate lamps are the cheapest failures to prevent and among the most common.
- Failures here tend to be cheap ones. 58% of the repairs this model fails on cost under £30 in parts. The pass rate matters less than what a bad afternoon at the test centre actually costs you.
Written from this page's own figures: fault shares against the national composition, the like-for-like pass rate, and the priced repair list. How these are worked out
Watching a Smart Mcc Fortwo? Get an email when these numbers change .
Every Smart Mcc Fortwo first registered in 2003 is combined here — 2 trim and body variants in total — so the sample is as large as the DVSA data allows.
How does the 2003 Smart Mcc Fortwo compare?
Cars of this age and mileage average 72.6%, so this figure is 0.9 points ahead of what its age and mileage predict. On a first attempt, before any retests, the figure drops to 66.2%. The median 2003 Smart Mcc Fortwo in this dataset had covered 72,962 mi.
Pass rates also shift with the test month: tests recorded October–March passed 74.0% of the time, April–September 73.3%.
The single most recorded failure item is "Headlamp lens slightly defective", noted on 5.83% of tests.
- 480 recorded tests behind this page.
- 73.5% overall pass rate, 66.2% on a first attempt.
- Across every year of the Smart Mcc Fortwo, the average is 82.4% — best year 2019 (91.5%), worst 2001 (70.3%).
Figures count every completed test on this vehicle-year in the dataset, including retests. See methodology for the exact definition.
This page's data
- Tests analysed
- 480
- Typical mileage (median)
- 72,962 mi
- Make and model
- Smart Mcc Fortwo
- Updated
- 2026-11-05
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2023–2025), OGL v3.0.
Top part to budget for
Headlight Bulb
Usually a DIY or independent-garage job.
Does mileage affect the Fortwo MOT pass rate?
Pass rate by odometer reading. Bar lengths start at 62% so small gaps stay visible.
Regional pass rates for the Fortwo
| Region | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| South West | 136 | 67.6% |
| South East | 106 | 78.3% |
| East of England | 66 | 69.7% |
| East Midlands | 39 | 66.7% |
| London | 32 | 84.4% |
| North West | 26 | 61.5% |
| West Midlands | 24 | 87.5% |
| Yorkshire | 20 | 80.0% |
| Wales | 17 | 82.4% |
Regions come from the postcode area recorded at the test station. Areas on region borders are assigned to the region with the majority of their population.
What fails a 2003 Fortwo
Everything a tester recorded on this vehicle, grouped into the inspection sections that produced it. The notch on each bar is the national share, so you can see at a glance whether this car is unusual or just ordinary.
A test can record several items, so these percentages do not add up to 100%. The exact strings, with prices, are in the full DVSA record at the bottom of this page.
Before your test
Three checks worth doing on a 2003 Fortwo
These are not generic tips — they are the faults recorded most often on this exact model, rewritten as things you can check yourself. All three take about ten minutes and cost nothing.
-
Check the lights 5.8% of tests
“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.
-
Check the exhaust and emissions 4.4% of tests
“catalyst emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits”
Listen for a blow at idle and have someone rev it gently. Then look at the tailpipe smoke: blue is oil, white when warm is coolant, black is over-fuelling. Any of those and the emissions test is the least of it.
-
Check the wipers and washers 3.5% of tests
“washers provides insufficient washer liquid”
Run the wipers with the screen wet: they should clear it in one sweep without smearing or juddering. Top the washer bottle up and check both jets hit the screen.
Shares are the proportion of tests on this vehicle that recorded the item, so they overlap: one test can record several.
What it costs to get a 2003 Fortwo through its MOT
Across the 10 items that are recorded most often on this model, the average repair comes to £22–£75 — and 58% of those repairs are parts that cost under £30.
- Average repair across the 10 common items
- £22–£75
- Cheapest common item: stop lamp not working
- £3–£12
- Dearest common item: catalyst emissions lambda reading after 2nd…
- £60–£250
- Common items a careful owner can do at home
- 70%
- Repairs that still cost under £30
- 58%
Estimates from typical UK parts prices, weighted by how often each item appears in 480 MOT tests on this vehicle. They exclude diagnostics, retest fees and garage labour where the part is a DIY fit, and they are not figures from the DVSA dataset. Older and higher-mileage examples cost more than the average. How these estimates are built → · All MOT repair costs → · Cheapest cars to put through a test →
Every year of the Fortwo, side by side
20 model years on record, from 2001 to 2020. Across them the pass rate runs from 70.3% to 91.5% — a spread of 21.2 points. The bar under each year is the item that failed it most often.
- 2001 70.3% headlamp aim projected beam image…
- 2002 72.4% stop lamp not working
- 2003 73.5%headlamp lens slightly defective
- 2004 74.5% headlamp aim projected beam image…
- 2005 70.9% headlamp aim projected beam image…
- 2006 74.1% headlamp aim projected beam image…
- 2007 75.6% coil spring fractured or broken
- 2008 76.7% coil spring fractured or broken
- 2009 76.7% coil spring fractured or broken
- 2010 78.0% coil spring fractured or broken
- 2011 79.4% coil spring fractured or broken
- 2012 81.9% service brake performance…
- 2013 82.6% coil spring fractured or broken
- 2014 85.5% windscreen damaged but not…
- 2015 85.0% windscreen damaged but not…
- 2016 85.7% registration plate lamp(s)…
- 2017 87.6% registration plate lamp(s)…
- 2018 89.8% wipers does not clear the…
- 2019 91.5% wipers does not clear the…
- 2020 91.2% tread depth below requirements of…
Colour is the pass rate on a fixed scale, so a block means the same thing on any model. Each year links to its own page with the full fault breakdown.
Compare the 2003 Smart Mcc Fortwo with another year
The raw pass rate mostly measures age. The year comparison adds the like-for-like figure, the mileage bands and the repair bill.
Other 2003 cars with a similar record
- Mazda Mx-5 73.6%
- Subaru Forester 73.7%
- Toyota Corolla 73.9%
- Volkswagen Passat 73.1%
- Nissan Almera 73.9%
- Suzuki Jimny 73.1%
Closest pass rates among 2003 cars with at least 2,000 tests, so a small sample cannot flatter itself into the list. See the full rankings: best and worst MOT pass rates.
The full DVSA record for the 2003 Smart Mcc Fortwo 10 failure items · 6 advisories · 10 inspection categories · mileage brackets · all of it in the page, none of it above the fold
Every inspection category
Shares of the 1,299 individual items recorded on this vehicle, and the same share across all cars nationally. A single test can record several items, so a row is not a percentage of tests.
| Category | Items | This car | Nationally | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 268 | 20.30% | 20.89% | −0.59 |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 242 | 18.30% | 12.21% | +6.09 |
| Suspension | 229 | 17.30% | 20.98% | −3.68 |
| Tyres | 172 | 13.00% | 19.76% | −6.76 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 141 | 10.70% | 5.52% | +5.18 |
| Visibility | 77 | 5.80% | 4.97% | +0.83 |
| Body, chassis, structure | 75 | 5.70% | 5.57% | +0.13 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 40 | 3.00% | 1.76% | +1.24 |
| Non-component advisories | 28 | 2.10% | 4.18% | −2.08 |
| Steering | 27 | 2.00% | 2.57% | −0.57 |
The exact failure items, in the tester's words
| Recorded item | Severity | Tests | Est. cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headlamp lens slightly defective Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | Minor | 5.8% | £5–25 |
| Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | Major | 5.2% | £30–80 |
| Catalyst emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits Noise, emissions and leaks | Major | 4.4% | £60–250 |
| Washers provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility | Major | 3.5% | £5–15 |
| Coil spring fractured or broken Suspension | Major | 3.1% | £25–65 |
| Washers not working Visibility | Major | 3.1% | £5–15 |
| Stop lamp not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | Major | 2.9% | £3–12 |
| Headlamp not working on dipped beam Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | Major | 2.7% | £5–25 |
| Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | Minor | 2.5% | £5–20 |
| Fuel cap/sealing device ineffective Body, chassis, structure | Major | 2.3% | £80–250 |
Severity is as recorded: Major and Dangerous fail the test outright; Minor and Advisory do not. Costs are estimates from typical UK parts prices — see how they are built.
What testers noted without failing the car
Advisories are the early warnings — the same parts a year or two before they fail. Reading them is how you tell a car that has been maintained from one that has been patched.
| Recorded item | Severity | Tests | Est. cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded Brakes | Advisory | 18.8% | £80–180 |
| Engine oil leaks leaking excessively from engine Noise, emissions and leaks | Advisory | 15.8% | £200–700 |
| Has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Tyres | Advisory | 15.6% | £45–95 |
| Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | Advisory | 14.6% | £45–95 |
| Brake discs in such a condition that it is seriously weakened Brakes | Advisory | 11.9% | £45–110 |
| Registration plates inscription illegible Identification of the vehicle | Advisory | 7.7% | £20–80 |
Pass rate by mileage
| Mileage | Tests | Pass rate | Median odometer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 7 | 85.7% | 25,541 mi |
| 30-60k | 121 | 78.5% | 45,137 mi |
| 60-90k | 189 | 70.9% | 72,566 mi |
| 90-120k | 132 | 70.5% | 101,927 mi |
| 120k+ | 27 | 81.5% | 148,929 mi |
Source: 480 recorded tests on this vehicle-year. Every row above is recomputed from the same DVSA extract as the rest of the page — see the methodology.
2003 Fortwo MOT questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a 2003 Smart Mcc Fortwo?
73.5% of the 480 2003 Smart Mcc Fortwo tests in this dataset passed, against a national average of 72.6% for cars first used in 2003. First-attempt pass rate: 66.2%.
What are the most common MOT failures on a 2003 Smart Mcc Fortwo?
The three most recorded items are headlamp lens slightly defective (5.83%), headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (5.21%), catalyst emissions lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (4.38%). Percentages are the share of tests on this vehicle that recorded the item.
Does mileage affect the 2003 Smart Mcc Fortwo MOT pass rate?
Yes. Cars under 30,000 miles passed 85.7% of the time, falling to 81.5% for those over 120,000 miles. The median 2003 Smart Mcc Fortwo in this dataset had covered 72,962 mi.
Does the season affect the 2003 Smart Mcc Fortwo MOT pass rate?
Tests recorded in the winter months (October–March) passed 74.0% of the time; summer months (April–September) passed 73.3%. Brakes, tyres and lights are tested harder in bad weather, but the difference is small on most models.