Smart City Coupe

What fails its inspection

Great Britain's MOT record for the 2003 0.7 petrol. 312 of 1,049 tests failed, 30%.

Better than 30% of 2003 cars. The typical one fails 28%, across 639 models with enough tests behind them to say.

The defects inspectors cite

• The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
• Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
• A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
• Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
• Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements
• A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened

Where it stands out against its peers

• Lights and electrics: failed more often than 97% of 2003 cars — 63% of its 312 failed tests, where an ordinary 2003 car has 42%.
• Visibility: failed more often than 98% of 2003 cars — 32% of its 312 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 — 36% of its failures
  • A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
  • A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
• Brakes — 34% of its failures
• Exhaust and emissions — 31% of its failures
  • Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
• Lights and electrics — 63% of its failures
  • Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements
  • Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
  • A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
• Visibility — 32% of its failures
  • Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
• Body and structure — 16% of its failures

When it starts failing

At 100–120k miles this one fails 33% of its inspections, against the 29% an ordinary car of the same age fails.

973 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.