2010 · 14 years old at test · Petrol mostly

2010 Smart Fortwo Coupe MOT pass rate and common faults

3,541 MOT tests in 2024. 65.0% passed first time, compared with 59.6% for all cars the same age.

109Well above average
Passed first time65.0%
Failed or needed repairs35.0%
Typical mileage at test64,000

Most common reasons for failing

Share of all 3,541 tests where this item caused a failure.

  1. Coil spring: fractured or broken5.6%
  2. Service brake performance: excessively binding3.8%
  3. Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction3.6%
  4. Suspension arms - ball joint: ball joint excessively worn3.0%
  5. Suspension arms - pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn2.9%
  6. Position lamp: not working2.7%
  7. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.5%
    131 marked dangerous
  8. Headlamp: not working on dipped beam2.2%
  9. Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively1.8%
  10. Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded1.8%

Problem areas

Failure items found per 100 tests, by part of the car.

  1. Lights & electrics20.4%
  2. Suspension16.1%
  3. Brakes12.6%
  4. Emissions & leaks6.6%
  5. Tyres6.2%
  6. Visibility (wipers, screen, mirrors)5.7%
  7. Body & chassis2.3%
  8. Number plates & VIN0.6%

Most common advisories

Not failures yet, but things the tester warned about.

  1. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm14.1%
  2. Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded13.6%
  3. Tyres - condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure11.8%
  4. Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick5.5%
  5. Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine5.0%

What this means if you are buying one

This model year does better than most cars its age, so it is a reasonable used buy on MOT record alone. Before buying, check the area that fails most: coil spring: fractured or broken. Then look up the car's own MOT history on GOV.UK with its number plate, and look for repeat advisories.

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Questions

What is the MOT pass rate for a 2010 Smart Fortwo Coupe?

In 2024, 65.0% of 2010 Smart Fortwo Coupe cars passed their MOT first time, across 3,541 tests. The average for all 14-year-old cars was 59.6%.

What are the most common MOT failures on a 2010 Smart Fortwo Coupe?

The most common failure reasons were coil spring: fractured or broken; service brake performance: excessively binding; malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction. The biggest problem area was lights & electrics.

Is the 2010 Smart Fortwo Coupe reliable at MOT time?

Its MOT Rank score is 109, which is well above average for a car of its age (100 means exactly average).