Smart Cabriolet

What fails its inspection

Great Britain's MOT record for the 2003 0.7 petrol. 49 of 205 tests failed, 24%.

Better than 76% of 2003 cars. The typical one fails 28%, across 639 models with enough tests behind them to say.

The defects inspectors cite

• Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
• The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
• A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
• A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
• Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
• Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer

Where it stands out against its peers

• Visibility: failed more often than 99% of 2003 cars — 41% of its 49 failed tests, where an ordinary 2003 car has 10%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

NHTSA's investigations are American; no European regulator publishes an equivalent record, so this section has nothing to draw on for a European car. There is no European equivalent of the service-bulletin register either.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• Suspension — 35% of its failures
  • A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
  • A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
• Tyres and wheels — 27% of its failures
  • A tyre seriously damaged
• Brakes — 22% of its failures
• Exhaust and emissions — 22% of its failures
  • Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
  • Emissions levels exceed default limits
• Lights and electrics — 49% of its failures
  • Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
• Visibility — 41% of its failures
  • Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen

When it starts failing

At 80–100k miles this one fails 26% of its inspections, against the 28% an ordinary car of the same age fails.

158 British inspections, grouped by the odometer reading recorded at the test.

Half of these have more than 60k miles on them. That is how far people drive this car, not how long it lasts.