Smart ForTwo MOT pass rates & common failures

Every completed first-attempt MOT on a Smart ForTwo in Great Britain in 2025 — 58,035 tests. Figures cover every ForTwo first-tested in 2025, all trims grouped. How the ForTwo ages, what it fails on, and what mileage is normal, computed directly from the official DVSA record of every test.

Pass rate 2025
70.7%
1.6 points below the class-4 average (72.3%); unadjusted for age — the age-matched comparison is below
Tests analysed
58,035
first tests, 2025
Arrived with a dangerous fault
5.8%
of ForTwo first tests; national 7.3%
Typical mileage at 10 years
43,750
middle half: 28,750–61,250 miles (2,500-mile-band midpoints)

How many Smart ForTwo cars are still on the road?

At the end of 2025, DVLA's register held 69,377 Smart ForTwo cars that were taxed or on SORN: 58,937 taxed and 10,440 on SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification — kept, but declared off the road by the keeper). The MOT figures above count tests; these count cars, across the whole United Kingdom, cars only. Smart ForTwo vans, where they exist, are counted by DVLA as goods vehicles and are not in these figures. DVLA records the original 1998-2002 City-Coupe under the maker's old name MCC with the model written as SMART; it is the car renamed ForTwo in 2004, and the MOT grouping folds it in the same way.

Still taxed, end of 2025
58,937
85.0% of the 69,377 ForTwo cars taxed or on SORN; 180 model variants grouped
On SORN, end of 2025
10,440
declared off the road by their keepers — 15.0% of that total

How the numbers are moving

The number of taxed ForTwo cars peaked at 73,424 at the end of 2018 and has since fallen by 14,487 (19.7%) to 58,937 at the end of 2025. Cars on SORN went from 2,316 at the end of 2014 to 10,440 at the end of 2025, up 350.8%. A car leaves the taxed count when it is scrapped, exported or declared off the road; the year-end counts do not say which.

Taxed ForTwo cars, year by year

Cars of this model taxed and on the road at the end of each year, 2014–2025.

020k40k60k80k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)Taxed ForTwo cars, year 2014: 67kTaxed ForTwo cars, year 2015: 67kTaxed ForTwo cars, year 2016: 71kTaxed ForTwo cars, year 2017: 73kTaxed ForTwo cars, year 2018: 73kTaxed ForTwo cars, year 2019: 72kTaxed ForTwo cars, year 2020: 70kTaxed ForTwo cars, year 2021: 68kTaxed ForTwo cars, year 2022: 67kTaxed ForTwo cars, year 2023: 64kTaxed ForTwo cars, year 2024: 62kTaxed ForTwo cars, year 2025: 59k59k
View this chart as a table
YearTaxed ForTwo cars
201467,475
201567,141
201670,980
201773,300
201873,424
201972,448
202069,545
202168,043
202266,699
202364,485
202461,774
202558,937

ForTwo cars on SORN, year by year

Cars of this model declared off the road at the end of each year, 2014–2025. Its own scale — SORN counts are a fraction of the taxed count.

05k10k15k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)ForTwo cars on SORN, year 2014: 2kForTwo cars on SORN, year 2015: 3kForTwo cars on SORN, year 2016: 5kForTwo cars on SORN, year 2017: 6kForTwo cars on SORN, year 2018: 6kForTwo cars on SORN, year 2019: 7kForTwo cars on SORN, year 2020: 8kForTwo cars on SORN, year 2021: 8kForTwo cars on SORN, year 2022: 8kForTwo cars on SORN, year 2023: 9kForTwo cars on SORN, year 2024: 10kForTwo cars on SORN, year 2025: 10k10k
View this chart as a table
YearForTwo cars on SORN
20142,316
20153,417
20164,512
20175,513
20186,412
20197,129
20207,982
20218,419
20228,480
20238,998
20249,641
202510,440

Which model years survive

Taxed ForTwo cars at the end of 2025 by year of manufacture, and each year's share of the 58,937 taxed in all. Every build year holding at least 1% has its own row; the rest share one. A build year's count depends on how many were sold that year as well as how many have lasted.

Year of manufacture Taxed, end of 2025Share of taxed ForTwo cars
20216911.2%
20191,8083.1%
20183,2145.5%
20174,6267.8%
20165,5239.4%
20152,1453.6%
20143,6226.1%
20134,3037.3%
20124,4537.6%
20113,6846.3%
20105,0158.5%
20095,2939.0%
20084,3017.3%
20072,4314.1%
20061,5302.6%
20051,2292.1%
20041,4142.4%
20031,1371.9%
20028151.4%
All other build years (eight years, each under 1%)1,7032.9%

Population source: Department for Transport / DVLA vehicle licensing statistics, table VEH0124, updated 15 July 2026; counts of the cars on DVLA's register that were taxed or on SORN at the end of each year shown, United Kingdom, cars only, excluding cars recorded with no model name. SortedCars groups DVLA's model names FORTWO, CITY, SMART under this model. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, DVLA or the Department for Transport.

How the ForTwo ages

First-time pass rate by vehicle age, ForTwo vs all cars, 2025.

Smart ForTwoAll cars
50%60%70%80%90%100%3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)Smart ForTwo, vehicle age 3: 93.8%Smart ForTwo, vehicle age 4: 91.1%Smart ForTwo, vehicle age 5: 89.7%Smart ForTwo, vehicle age 6: 85.9%Smart ForTwo, vehicle age 7: 83%Smart ForTwo, vehicle age 8: 80.3%Smart ForTwo, vehicle age 9: 76.9%Smart ForTwo, vehicle age 10: 75.9%Smart ForTwo, vehicle age 11: 74.8%Smart ForTwo, vehicle age 12: 70.7%Smart ForTwo, vehicle age 13: 71.2%Smart ForTwo, vehicle age 14: 68.4%Smart ForTwo, vehicle age 15: 65.4%Smart ForTwo, vehicle age 16: 63.4%Smart ForTwo, vehicle age 17: 62.5%Smart ForTwo, vehicle age 18: 60.4%Smart ForTwo, vehicle age 19: 58.2%Smart ForTwo, vehicle age 20: 59.7%All cars, vehicle age 3: 88.5%All cars, vehicle age 4: 87.2%All cars, vehicle age 5: 86%All cars, vehicle age 6: 83.5%All cars, vehicle age 7: 80.9%All cars, vehicle age 8: 78.2%All cars, vehicle age 9: 74.9%All cars, vehicle age 10: 71.9%All cars, vehicle age 11: 68.6%All cars, vehicle age 12: 65.8%All cars, vehicle age 13: 63.5%All cars, vehicle age 14: 61.2%All cars, vehicle age 15: 59.3%All cars, vehicle age 16: 58.3%All cars, vehicle age 17: 57.2%All cars, vehicle age 18: 57.4%All cars, vehicle age 19: 57%All cars, vehicle age 20: 57.6%Smart ForTwo 59.7%All cars 57.6%
View this chart as a table
Age (years)ForTwo testsForTwo pass rateAll cars
350393.8%88.5%
475391.1%87.2%
555489.7%86.0%
61,87785.9%83.5%
73,36783.0%80.9%
84,79380.3%78.2%
95,69676.9%74.9%
102,20075.9%71.9%
113,70974.8%68.6%
123,33270.7%65.8%
132,62871.2%63.5%
143,78968.4%61.2%
155,17065.4%59.3%
165,53163.4%58.3%
174,53262.5%57.2%
182,57360.4%57.4%
191,63158.2%57.0%
201,25459.7%57.6%

Better or worse than the average car?

The ForTwo's pass rate minus the all-cars pass rate at each age, in percentage points. Bars above zero: the ForTwo beats the average car of that age. Below zero: it trails.

ForTwo ahead
-8-4+0+4+8Age 3: +5.3 points vs the average car3Age 4: +3.9 points vs the average carAge 5: +3.7 points vs the average car5Age 6: +2.4 points vs the average carAge 7: +2.1 points vs the average car7Age 8: +2.1 points vs the average carAge 9: +2.0 points vs the average car9Age 10: +4.0 points vs the average carAge 11: +6.2 points vs the average car11Age 12: +4.9 points vs the average carAge 13: +7.7 points vs the average car13Age 14: +7.2 points vs the average carAge 15: +6.1 points vs the average car15Age 16: +5.1 points vs the average carAge 17: +5.3 points vs the average car17Age 18: +3.0 points vs the average carAge 19: +1.2 points vs the average car19Age 20: +2.1 points vs the average car20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)Gap (points)
3+5.3
4+3.9
5+3.7
6+2.4
7+2.1
8+2.1
9+2.0
10+4.0
11+6.2
12+4.9
13+7.7
14+7.2
15+6.1
16+5.1
17+5.3
18+3.0
19+1.2
20+2.1

The ForTwo fleet on the road, by age

How many took a first MOT in 2025 at each age — the shape of the ForTwo fleet still in use.

01k3k4k6kAge 3: 5033Age 4: 753Age 5: 5545Age 6: 1kAge 7: 3k7Age 8: 4kAge 9: 5k9Age 10: 2kAge 11: 3k11Age 12: 3kAge 13: 2k13Age 14: 3kAge 15: 5k15Age 16: 5kAge 17: 4k17Age 18: 2kAge 19: 1k19Age 20: 1k20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)First tests
3503
4753
5554
61,877
73,367
84,793
95,696
102,200
113,709
123,332
132,628
143,789
155,170
165,531
174,532
182,573
191,631
201,254

What a ForTwo fails on

Where the failure items land when a ForTwo fails or needs a fix at test, 2025. Use it as a pre-purchase checklist: these are the areas to look at first.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment30.8%
Suspension16.2%
Brakes15.3%
Tyres10.7%
Visibility9.7%
Noise, emissions and leaks9.6%
Body, chassis, structure4.6%
Steering1.2%

Share of all failure items, 2025 — the 8 biggest categories shown (98.2% of the items); smaller categories are not listed.

The advisories to watch

Where testers most often write "keep an eye on this" for a ForTwo, 2025 — the faults in the post.

Tyres: 33.6% of advisories33.6%Brakes: 29.2% of advisories29.2%Suspension: 16.7% of advisories16.7%Noise, emissions and leaks: 4.8% of advisoriesLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 3.7% of advisoriesNon-component advisories: 3.4% of advisories
TyresBrakesSuspensionNoise, emissions and leaksLamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentNon-component advisories
View this chart as a table
CategoryShare of advisories
Tyres33.6%
Brakes29.2%
Suspension16.7%
Noise, emissions and leaks4.8%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment3.7%
Non-component advisories3.4%

Petrol, diesel or hybrid ForTwo?

First-time pass rate for the three most-tested ForTwo fuel types, 2025, against the all-cars average. Fleet ages differ by fuel — newer fleets help the electrified bars.

50%60%70%80%90%100%all cars 72.3%Petrol: 70.2% of 51,494 tests70.2%Petrol51,494 testsDiesel: 64.0% of 3,827 tests64.0%Diesel3,827 testsElectric: 89.5% of 2,704 tests89.5%Electric2,704 tests
View this chart as a table
FuelTestsPass rate
Petrol51,49470.2%
Diesel3,82764.0%
Electric2,70489.5%

What mileage is normal for a ForTwo?

Mileage recorded at test by vehicle age, 2025. The line is the typical (median) ForTwo; the shaded band holds the middle half. A car far outside the band, in either direction, is worth questions the recorded history can answer.

Typical ForTwo (median)
0k25k50k75k100k3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)Age 3: typical 8,750 miles (middle half 6,250–13,750)Age 4: typical 11,250 miles (middle half 6,250–16,250)Age 5: typical 13,750 miles (middle half 8,750–21,250)Age 6: typical 23,750 miles (middle half 16,250–33,750)Age 7: typical 28,750 miles (middle half 18,750–43,750)Age 8: typical 33,750 miles (middle half 23,750–48,750)Age 9: typical 38,750 miles (middle half 26,250–53,750)Age 10: typical 43,750 miles (middle half 28,750–61,250)Age 11: typical 46,250 miles (middle half 31,250–63,750)Age 12: typical 48,750 miles (middle half 33,750–66,250)Age 13: typical 56,250 miles (middle half 41,250–73,750)Age 14: typical 63,750 miles (middle half 46,250–81,250)Age 15: typical 66,250 miles (middle half 48,750–83,750)Age 16: typical 66,250 miles (middle half 48,750–86,250)Age 17: typical 68,750 miles (middle half 51,250–88,750)Age 18: typical 68,750 miles (middle half 51,250–86,250)Age 19: typical 63,750 miles (middle half 48,750–81,250)Age 20: typical 68,750 miles (middle half 51,250–86,250)68k mi

Mileage values are midpoints of 2,500-mile bands.

View this chart as a table
Age (years)Lower quarterTypical (median)Upper quarter
36,2508,75013,750
46,25011,25016,250
58,75013,75021,250
616,25023,75033,750
718,75028,75043,750
823,75033,75048,750
926,25038,75053,750
1028,75043,75061,250
1131,25046,25063,750
1233,75048,75066,250
1341,25056,25073,750
1446,25063,75081,250
1548,75066,25083,750
1648,75066,25086,250
1751,25068,75088,750
1851,25068,75086,250
1948,75063,75081,250
2051,25068,75086,250

What fails at each age

The ForTwo's failure mix by age band, 2025 — each band's top categories at their true share of that band's failure items; the pale remainder is everything else. How the mix shifts with age is the point of the chart.

TyresVisibilityLamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentBrakesSuspensionNoise, emissions and leaksEverything else
View this chart as a table
Age bandCategoryShare of the band's failure items
3-5 yrsTyres36.7%
3-5 yrsVisibility24.4%
3-5 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment12.2%
3-5 yrsBrakes11.7%
3-5 yrsSuspension8.9%
3-5 yrsEverything else6.1%
6-9 yrsTyres23.2%
6-9 yrsNoise, emissions and leaks15.8%
6-9 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment15.3%
6-9 yrsBrakes13.7%
6-9 yrsVisibility12.4%
6-9 yrsEverything else19.6%
10-13 yrsBrakes22.8%
10-13 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment19.9%
10-13 yrsTyres15.9%
10-13 yrsSuspension15.8%
10-13 yrsNoise, emissions and leaks11.0%
10-13 yrsEverything else14.6%
14+ yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment28.6%
14+ yrsSuspension20.8%
14+ yrsBrakes17.1%
14+ yrsNoise, emissions and leaks9.2%
14+ yrsTyres8.6%
14+ yrsEverything else15.7%
How these figures are computed. Every number on this page is calculated by SortedCars from the DVSA anonymised MOT results dataset (every MOT test in Great Britain — 2025 for single-year figures; trend figures state their span, currently 2023–2025). Where a figure comes from a sample or uses banded values (mileage is banded to 2,500 miles), the page says so beside the figure. Test class 4 only, first tests only — retests are excluded. Class 4 is the car MOT class and also covers car-derived vans, pickups and motorhomes tested to the same standard; where this page says "cars" it means class 4. Pass rate = passes ÷ (passes + failures + pass-after-rectification): a vehicle that failed and was fixed during the visit counts as a fail. Pass rates describe fleets, not individual machines: they reflect how cars were driven, maintained and used as well as how they were built, and beyond recorded mileage none of that is in the data. A well-kept example of a model with a weak average can still pass; a neglected example of a strong one can still fail. No figure is shown for any group with fewer than 500 tests. Alias spellings of a make in the DVSA file are counted under one make name, and all trims and variants of a model are grouped under one model name, using SortedCars' grouping tables. The taxed and SORN counts on this page are the one exception: they are not computed from MOT records but taken from the Department for Transport's vehicle licensing statistics (DfT/DVLA table VEH0124, updated 15 July 2026, Open Government Licence v3.0), which count the cars on DVLA's register that were taxed or on SORN at the end of each year shown, UK-wide, cars only. They describe a model as a whole, grouped under SortedCars' model names, and say nothing about any one car. “Dangerous” is DVSA's statutory defect category (in force since May 2018): a defect posing an immediate risk to road safety — driving the vehicle before repair is an offence. What these figures are for. These statistics are general information about groups of vehicles. They are not advice, a valuation or a recommendation to buy, avoid or price any particular vehicle, and no decision about one car should rest on them alone — check the car itself and its own records. We take care over the calculations, but we cannot guarantee they are complete, current or free of error, and we accept no liability for loss arising from reliance on them. This does not limit any liability that cannot lawfully be limited — see our Terms & Conditions. If you believe any figure on this page is inaccurate, contact us. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the DVSA or DVLA. DVSA publishes the raw test records; the statistics on this page are SortedCars' own calculations from them. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.