Smart Fortwo
Registered from 2004 to 2020.
About this model
The Smart Fortwo is a two-seater city car manufactured and marketed by the Smart division of the Mercedes-Benz Group for model years 1998–2024. The car was sold across three generations — each using a rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout and a (generally) one-box design body shape. Much like the original Volkswagen Beetle decades earlier, the Smart car's identity is interchangeably associated with both its brand name and its model name.
From the Wikipedia article Smart Fortwo, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
What fails its inspection
Great Britain's MOT record for the 2016 1.0 petrol. 572 of 4,447 tests failed, 13%.
Better than 52% of 2016 cars. The typical one fails 13%, across 899 models with enough tests behind them to say.
| Where | Share of failures | Failed tests |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres and wheels | 34% | 197 |
| Brakes | 30% | 172 |
| Visibility | 25% | 144 |
| Lights and electrics | 20% | 115 |
| Exhaust and emissions | 17% | 100 |
| Suspension | 15% | 85 |
The defects inspectors cite
- A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
- Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
- A tyre seriously damaged
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
- Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
Where it stands out against its peers
- Visibility: failed more often than 95% of 2016 cars — 25% of its 572 failed tests, where an ordinary 2016 car has 11%.
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.
- Tyres and wheels — 34% of its failures
- A tyre seriously damaged
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
- Brakes — 30% of its failures
- A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
- Exhaust and emissions — 17% of its failures
- Suspension — 15% of its failures
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
- Lights and electrics — 20% of its failures
- Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- Visibility — 25% of its failures
- Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
- Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
When it starts failing
At 80–100k miles this one fails 29% of its inspections, against the 18% an ordinary car of the same age fails.
| Odometer | Failure rate | Rate | Its age | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–20k miles | 8% | 6% | 971 | |
| 20–40k miles | 12% | 10% | 2,073 | |
| 40–60k miles | 16% | 13% | 965 | |
| 60–80k miles | 20% | 16% | 315 | |
| 80–100k miles | 29% | 18% | 91 |
4,415 British inspections, grouped by the odometer reading recorded at the test.
Half of these have more than 20k miles on them. That is how far people drive this car, not how long it lasts.
Specification
| Year | Measured |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 1.0 petrol · 935 kg · 1873 mm wheelbase · 5.6 L/100km (WLTP) |
| 2018 | 1.0 petrol · 890 kg · 1873 mm wheelbase · 5.8 L/100km (WLTP) |
| 2017 | 1.0 petrol · 70 hp · 969 kg · 1873 mm wheelbase · 4.1 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2016 | 1.0 petrol · 71 hp · 965 kg · 1872 mm wheelbase · 4.2 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2015 | 1.0 petrol · 70 hp · 911 kg · 2065 mm wheelbase · 4.1 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2014 | 1.0 petrol · 75 hp · 850 kg · 1868 mm wheelbase · 4.3 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2013 | 1.0 petrol · 77 hp · 847 kg · 1867 mm wheelbase · 4.5 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2012 | 1.0 petrol · 70 hp · 855 kg · 1867 mm wheelbase · 4.2 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2011 | 1.0 petrol · 77 hp · 868 kg · 1898 mm wheelbase · 4.5 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2010 | 1.0 petrol · 855 kg · 1867 mm wheelbase · 4.5 L/100km (NEDC) |
Recalls
Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.
A12/1330/17
As a result of the weakening of the braking rope wrench adjustment knob, the hand brake lever travel could be prolonged gradually. Thus, the parking brake may not exert the necessary force in all situations.
Recall of the product from end users
A12/1405/17
The strength of the left front steering knuckle may be insufficient. As a result, the steering knuckle could break, affecting the control of the vehicle.
Recall of the product from end users