MOT cost .
Smart (mcc) Fortwo
MOT 2023
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Smart (mcc)

Fortwo

25,719 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Fortwos pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.

That's 7.6 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,988 tracked models — a confident result.

Pass

83.3%

Pass-after-fix

4.5%

Fail

11.8%

Avg miles

33,580

Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%

The picture

Fortwo: above-average pass rates, with caveats

Across 25,719 MOT tests, the Fortwo returns 83.3% first-time pass — above the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is wipers that don't clear the screen. Tyre tread under the limit and windscreen damage round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 33,580, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.

Top ten reasons for rejection.

  1. 01

    Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen

    561 occurrences · 2.2% of tests

  2. 02

    Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

    537 occurrences · 2.1% of tests

  3. 03

    Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view

    432 occurrences · 1.7% of tests

  4. 04

    a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm

    426 occurrences · 1.7% of tests

  5. 05

    Wiper blade defective

    349 occurrences · 1.4% of tests

  6. 06

    A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources

    305 occurrences · 1.2% of tests

  7. 07

    A tyre seriously damaged

    289 occurrences · 1.1% of tests

  8. 08

    Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer

    245 occurrences · 1.0% of tests

  9. 09

    Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

    225 occurrences · 0.9% of tests

  10. 10

    A tyre seriously damaged

    193 occurrences · 0.8% of tests

Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.

Worst-case fix budget · top 4 failures

£180–£345

If every one of this Fortwo's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →

Try the calculator

Build your own retest budget.

Tools that pre-empt a retest.

Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.

Item 01 · Amazon UK

Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades

Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.

Search Amazon UK

Item 02 · Amazon UK

Digital tyre-tread depth gauge

Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.

Search Amazon UK

Item 03 · Amazon UK

Brake pad measurement gauge

Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.

Search Amazon UK

Owner reports · Honest John

What owners actually report.

Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.

What's good

Kia EV5 Well-equipped and spacious interior. Easy to drive. Kia's excellent seven-year warranty. Read more

Buying or keeping a Fortwo?

Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.

If you own a Fortwo and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.