Model reliability file
Smart EQ Fortwo MOT pass rate & common failures
From 1,569 recorded MOT tests of the Smart EQ Fortwo, published by DVSA.
Data updated
Quick answer
Across 1,569 MOT tests, 91.8% of Smart EQ Fortwo tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Smart EQ Fortwo 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 wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, which appears in 36.0% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 12,962 miles on the odometer when tested.
At a glance
Recorded pass rate
We are not publishing a ranking for the EQ Fortwo. 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 1,569 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.
Electric car
How the EQ Fortwo compares with other electric cars
At 3 to 5 years old the Smart EQ Fortwo passes 91.8% of MOT tests, from 1,552 tests in that age band. Petrol and diesel cars of the same age pass 89.9%, so this model sits 1.9 points above that baseline. Among electric cars it ranks 2 of 43.
There is no emissions test for an electric car and the MOT does not check the battery. Electric cars as a group fail slightly more often than same-age petrol cars, almost entirely on tyres and suspension, because they are heavier and deliver full torque instantly.
Every electric car ranked, and what fails · What the MOT tests on an electric car
DVSA recorded wording
Most common failure items
Share of failed Smart EQ Fortwo tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.
- 1.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen36.0%
31 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
- 2.A tyre seriously damaged22.1%
19 occurrencesTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
- 3.Tyres on the same axle or on twin wheels are different sizes10.5%
9 occurrencesTyres of different sizes or construction on the same axle explained
- 4.A tyre seriously damaged10.5%
9 occurrencesTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
- 5.A tyre cords visible or damaged9.3%
8 occurrencesTyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
- 6.A tyre seriously damaged5.8%
5 occurrencesTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
- 7.Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution5.8%
5 occurrencesBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
- 8.A tyre has a lump, bulge or tear caused by separation or partial failure of its structure. This includes any lifting of the tread rubber4.7%
4 occurrencesTyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
- 9.Audible warning inoperative4.7%
4 occurrencesHorn not working, or of the wrong type explained
- 10.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured4.7%
4 occurrencesBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
Warnings without a failure
Most common advisories
Share of all Smart EQ Fortwo tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.
- 1.A tyre seriously damaged15.5%
- 2.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured9.8%
- 3.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements5.2%
- 4.A tyre seriously damaged3.0%
- 5.Nail in tyre1.8%
29 tests
- 6.Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn1.0%
- 7.A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm0.8%
- 8.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements0.8%
The rest of the record
Everything else recorded on the Smart EQ Fortwo
The 17 other defects testers recorded on this model, beyond the most common listed above. Each links to what it means and what it takes to put right.
- Suspension arm bush worn4.7%
- Headlamp aim incorrect3.5%
- Brake binding or imbalanced across an axle2.3%
- Tyre pressure monitoring system inoperative2.3%
- Shock absorber defective2.3%
- Ball joint worn2.3%
- Engine management light on, or not working2.3%
- Stop lamp not working2.3%
- Registration plate missing, insecure or illegible2.3%
- Direction indicator not working1.2%
- Lamp not working1.2%
- Airbag warning lamp on, or airbag missing1.2%
- Mirror missing, damaged or insecure0.2%
- Road spring broken or fractured0.1%
- Lamp of the wrong colour, position or intensity0.1%
- Road wheel damaged, distorted or cracked0.1%
- Brake pipe corroded0.1%
What gets tested
The EQ Fortwo fleet
- Average mileage recorded at test
- 12,962
- Fuel mix of tested cars
- Electric100.0%
Across examples of every age, so this is a description of the fleet rather than an annual figure.
Trim names grouped into this model (5)
Recorded exactly as DVSA holds them. Trim-level names are rolled up so one model is not split across a dozen thin pages.
- EQ FORTWO EDITION ONE
- EQ FORTWO EXCLUSIVE
- EQ FORTWO PREMIUM
- EQ FORTWO PRIME EXCLUSIVE
- EQ FORTWO PULSE PREMIUM
Check a specific Smart EQ Fortwo
A model average tells you the pattern. Its own MOT record tells you the car.
Compare within the range
Other Smart models
- Smart Fortwo — 68.1% unadjusted
- Smart EQ Forfour — 85.3% unadjusted
- Smart Roadster — 68.8% unadjusted
- Smart Forfour — 53.5% unadjusted
- All Smart models
Common questions
- How reliable is the Smart EQ Fortwo compared with other cars?
- We do not publish a comparison for the Smart EQ Fortwo, 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 91.8% across 1,569 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 EQ Fortwo?
- The item recorded most often is "Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen", which appears in 36.0% of failed Smart EQ Fortwo 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 EQ Fortwo?
- The most common advisory is "A tyre seriously damaged", noted on 15.5% of all Smart EQ Fortwo tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
- What mileage does a Smart EQ Fortwo usually have at its MOT?
- The average odometer reading recorded at test is 12,962 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.
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.
Further reading