Smart Fortwo: common problems, best years and what to check
Tiny two-seater city car; parks anywhere. Covers 2008–2022 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Smart Fortwo a good used buy?
Best buy
453 EQ fortwo for city use
Avoid
neglected 451 with jerky gearbox
Who it suits: City dwellers who need the smallest car possible.
What's good
- Parks anywhere
- Tiny turning circle
- Cheap EV version
- Distinctive
What's not
- Only two seats
- Jerky automated gearbox
- Bouncy ride
- EQ range ~70 miles
By the numbers
- #136 most common model on UK roads, with about 50k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2016: 5.5k cars still licensed.
- 2008 cars survive 71% better than comparable cars of that year.
- The most expensive common fault: Engine wear on neglected cars (up to £3,000).
Smart Fortwo common problems by generation and engine
Smart Fortwo 451 (2007–2014) · 2-seat city car; cabrio
How to spot it: 08 plate to 14 plate. Two-tone Tridion safety cell.
1.0 / 1.0 Turbo (M132 (Mitsubishi), petrol, 2007–2014)
Simple
- Engine wear on neglected cars£1,500–£3,00060k+
Faults on any 451 (2007–2014) engine
- Automated gearbox actuator£300–£900any
Smart Fortwo 453 (2014–2024) · 2-seat city car; EQ
How to spot it: 14 plate onwards. Wider, with a honeycomb grille.
0.9 Turbo / 1.0 (H4Bt / H4D (Renault), petrol, 2014–2019)
EQ fortwo (electric, electric, 2017–2024)
City EV
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Smart Fortwo years
How many Smart Fortwos from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
Years that outlast similar cars: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.
Smart Fortwo MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2008+ cars)
Smart Fortwos pass their MOT first time 5 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (68% vs 62%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 62% | 57% | 74k miles |
| 2009 | 63% | 58% | 70k miles |
| 2010 | 63% | 59% | 67k miles |
| 2011 | 70% | 61% | 63k miles |
| 2012 | 71% | 63% | 56k miles |
| 2013 | 70% | 66% | 50k miles |
Most common MOT failures
- Coil spring: fractured or broken5.87 per 100
- Service brake performance: excessively binding4.38 per 100
- Position lamp: not working4.28 per 100
- Stop lamp: not working3.66 per 100
- Headlamp: not working on dipped beam3.56 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.91 per 100
- Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction2.45 per 100
- Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect2.19 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tyres: has a tear18.97 per 100
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded18.08 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm16.71 per 100
- Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine5.78 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick5.47 per 100
- Service brake performance: excessively binding5.2 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened4.96 per 100
- Coil spring: corroded4.5 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Smart Fortwo have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 451 | chain | check from 60k | £500–£900 |
Smart Fortwo running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Smart Fortwo ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Electric: always compliant.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Smart Fortwo vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Fortwo | 50k | 1–15 | 260 l | 453 EQ fortwo for city use |
| Toyota Aygo | 279k | 2–8 | 168 l | 2014–2022 Mk2 1.0 manual |
| Fiat 500 | 400k | 3–19 | 185 l | 2016+ facelift 1.2 manual |
| Renault Twingo | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| Volkswagen up! | 130k | 1–10 | 251 l | 1.0 MPI 75 manual or up! GTI |
| Hyundai i10 | 269k | 1–7 | 252 l | 2014+ i10 1.0/1.2 manual |
What to check when buying a used Smart Fortwo
- Gearbox actuator
Smart Fortwo FAQ
›Is the Smart Fortwo reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 453 EQ fortwo for city use. Avoid: neglected 451 with jerky gearbox.
›What is the Smart Fortwo MOT pass rate?
68% of Smart Fortwos passed their MOT first time in 2025 (5,377 tests), better than the 62% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: coil spring: fractured or broken.
›What are the most common Smart Fortwo problems?
The costliest known faults are Engine wear on neglected cars. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Smart Fortwo have a timing belt or chain?
1.0 451: chain.
›What is the best year Smart Fortwo to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2008, 2009, 2010 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Smart Fortwo cost to run?
Real-world economy: 1.0 petrol 50–58 mpg; EQ 3.5–4.5 mi/kWh. Insurance groups 1–15. A minor service is about £140–£200 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Smart Fortwo?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Smart Fortwo ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.