How reliable is the Smart (mcc) Cabriolet compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Smart (mcc) Cabriolet, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 63.6% across 687 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Smart (mcc) Cabriolet?

The item recorded most often is "The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements", which appears in 15.2% of failed Smart (mcc) Cabriolet tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.

What do testers most often warn about on a Smart (mcc) Cabriolet?

The most common advisory is "Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded", noted on 23.1% of all Smart (mcc) Cabriolet tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Smart (mcc) Cabriolet usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 68,608 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.

Are most Smart (mcc) Cabriolet models petrol or diesel?

Of the Smart (mcc) Cabriolet cars tested, 96% are petrol, 4% are diesel. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

Model reliability file

Smart (mcc) Cabriolet MOT pass rate & common failures

From 687 recorded MOT tests of the Smart (mcc) Cabriolet, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 687 MOT tests, 63.6% of Smart (mcc) Cabriolet tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Smart (mcc) Cabriolet fleet does not yet cover a wide enough spread of ages and distances to compare it fairly against other models. Its most commonly recorded failure is aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, which appears in 15.2% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 68,608 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

63.6%unadjusted, not comparable687 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the Cabriolet. The examples tested do not cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages to compare it fairly, and an unadjusted pass rate mostly sorts models by how recently they were bought rather than how well they were built. The failure and advisory patterns below come from the same 687 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Smart (mcc) Cabriolet tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements15.2%
30 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained
2.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened14.7%
29 occurrencesRoad spring broken or fractured explained
3.Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer13.7%
27 occurrencesEmissions above the permitted limit explained
4.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning12.2%
24 occurrencesLamp not working explained
5.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements12.2%
24 occurrencesTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
6.Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded10.7%
21 occurrencesBrake pipe corroded explained
7.Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake9.6%
19 occurrencesBrake binding or imbalanced across an axle explained
8.Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen8.6%
17 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
9.Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning8.1%
16 occurrencesStop lamp not working explained
10.Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen7.1%
14 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Smart (mcc) Cabriolet tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.

1.Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded23.1%
159 testsBrake pipe corroded explained
2.A tyre seriously damaged21.1%
145 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
3.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements19.5%
134 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
4.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured10.8%
74 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
5.Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users9.0%
62 tests
6.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened5.4%
37 testsRoad spring broken or fractured explained
7.A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm4.8%
33 testsBrake drum or shoe worn or contaminated explained
8.Number plate inscription missing or illegible3.5%
24 testsRegistration plate missing, insecure or illegible explained

What gets tested

The Cabriolet fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 68,608
Fuel mix of tested cars: Petrol95.9%
Diesel4.1%

Check a specific Smart (mcc) Cabriolet

A model average tells you the pattern. Its own MOT record tells you the car.

Compare within the range

Other Smart (mcc) models

Smart (mcc) Fortwo — 68.0% adjusted
Smart (mcc) Forfour — 64.8% adjusted
Smart (mcc) City — 60.1% unadjusted
Smart (mcc) Roadster — 74.1% unadjusted
All Smart (mcc) models

Common questions

How reliable is the Smart (mcc) Cabriolet compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Smart (mcc) Cabriolet, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 63.6% across 687 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Smart (mcc) Cabriolet?: The item recorded most often is "The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements", which appears in 15.2% of failed Smart (mcc) Cabriolet tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.
What do testers most often warn about on a Smart (mcc) Cabriolet?: The most common advisory is "Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded", noted on 23.1% of all Smart (mcc) Cabriolet tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Smart (mcc) Cabriolet usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 68,608 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.
Are most Smart (mcc) Cabriolet models petrol or diesel?: Of the Smart (mcc) Cabriolet cars tested, 96% are petrol, 4% are diesel. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

How this was worked out

Method and limits

Figures come from the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, published under the Open Government Licence. Only class 4 initial tests are counted: retests are excluded so a car appears once, and abandoned tests are excluded entirely. No adjusted rate is shown because this model's tested examples do not cover enough of the national age and mileage range for standardisation to mean anything.

An MOT measures whether a car met a legal standard on the day. It is not a breakdown record, a service history or a running-cost estimate, and a pass rate is a property of a fleet rather than a prediction about one car.