Smart Car CheckFull history check, MOT history and common problems by model
Free Smart vehicle check by reg: MOT history, mileage and tax. Buying one? The full car history check shows outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, stolen markers, keepers and plate changes.
- 77% MOT pass rate (UK 77%)
- 752 Smarts checked
Smart reg check
Full Smart history check from £3.99
The MOT record is free, and it only shows the car's condition on test day. What a seller may not mention is in the full Smart car check:
- Outstanding finance: lender and agreement
- Insurance write-off: Cat S, N, C or D
- Police stolen marker
- High risk register
- Previous keepers and last change
- Plate and colour changes
- Scrapped, imported or exported
- Mileage anomaly check
£3.99 a report in the 5-report bundle, £11.99 for a single report; unused reports never expire. Shown on screen straight away and sent by email. No subscription. Start with the free check: you only pay for the full report.
Smart car check by model
MOT pass rate of each Smart model, all its versions included; the line marks the UK average (77%). Pass rates where at least 300 vehicles were checked.
- Smart Fortwo 451 vehicles checked 77% Top failure area: lights and indicators
- Smart Forfour 186 vehicles checked
- Smart City 49 vehicles checked
- Smart Roadster 27 vehicles checked
Free Smart MOT History and Mileage Data
What the MOT records of 752 Smart vehicles show. The full check above covers what the MOT doesn't.
- 77%of MOT tests passedUK average 77%
- 4,700typical miles a year
- 7.4%have a mileage anomalyan MOT reading lower than an earlier one
- 9,749MOT tests analysed
- 2008–2016built (middle half)
- 90%petrol; 8% diesel; 3% electric
Smart common problems: most common MOT failures and advisories
The defects MOT testers record most often on Smart vehicles, as a share of all their MOT tests (the same defect on any wheel or side counts once).
Top 19 Smart MOT failures
Reasons the car failed its MOT.
- Stop lamp not working2.8%
- Headlamp not working on dipped beam2.5%
- Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively2.3%
- Position lamp not working2.1%
- Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.1%
- Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid1.7%
- Coil spring fractured or broken1.6%
- Headlamp aim too low1.5%
- Brake pad less than 1.5 mm thick1.1%
- Headlamp aim too high1.1%
Show all 19
- Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction0.9%
- Coil spring broken0.8%
- Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect0.7%
- Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits0.7%
- Service brake excessively binding0.7%
- Registration plate lamp not working0.6%
- Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn0.6%
- Tyre has ply or cords exposed0.5%
- Brake pipe excessively corroded0.5%
Top 20 Smart MOT advisories
Wear the tester noted: not a failure yet, but money to budget for.
- Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge6.6%
- Tyre worn close to the legal limit4.6%
- Brake pad wearing thin4.1%
- Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing3.8%
- Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened3.6%
- Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material3.5%
- Oil leak, but not excessive2.3%
- Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread1.5%
- Coil spring corroded1.3%
- Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources1.2%
Show all 20
- Nail in tyre1.1%
- Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases1.0%
- Service brake binding but not excessively0.9%
- Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view0.9%
- Wheel bearing has slight play0.8%
- Road wheel slightly distorted0.7%
- Brake disc worn, but not excessively0.7%
- Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play0.6%
- Suspension arm ball joint has slight play0.6%
- Direction indicator slightly discoloured0.6%
Based on the DVSA MOT histories of all 752 Smart vehicles with an MOT checked on CarCheckUp (9,749 tests, retests included). Updated 2 October 2026. Every MOT test and advisory for one car is in the free MOT history check. Market-wide figures: UK Used Car Risk Report. How we calculate these figures. MOT and DVLA data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Before buying a used Smart
The MOT record shows condition on the day of the test. Run these checks on the Smart you're looking at too:
Smart MOT questions
Is a Smart car check free?
The MOT history, mileage anomaly check, tax and DVLA details of any Smart are free. The full car history check (finance, write-off, stolen, keepers and 150+ data points) is paid, from £3.99 a report.
What is the most common MOT failure on the Smart?
Stop lamp not working: found at 2.8% of the Smart MOT tests we analysed. By area, lights and indicators items appear in 53% of failed tests.
What is the Smart MOT pass rate?
77% of 9,749 MOT tests on 752 Smart vehicles checked on CarCheckUp were passed (retests included). The UK average across all vehicles we checked is 77%.
What are the common problems with the Smart?
Going by its MOT records, the Smart's most common failures are stop lamp not working (2.8% of tests); headlamp not working on dipped beam (2.5% of tests); windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (2.3% of tests). The full list of the top 20 MOT failures and advisories is on this page.
What is the most common MOT advisory on the Smart?
Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge: noted at 6.6% of tests. An advisory is not a failure, but it is wear to budget for.
How many miles a year is a Smart typically driven?
About 4,700 miles a year (the median, from MOT mileage readings). 7.4% have a mileage anomaly: an MOT reading lower than an earlier one.