Used car guide

2021 Smart EQ: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2021 Smart EQs, from 1,348 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,348MOT tests in 2025
87%pass first time (all 2021 cars: 87%)
3,200typical miles a year
2.4×the usual rate for wipers

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2021 Smart EQs than on all cars registered in 2021.

  • Wipers2.4× usual
    Smart EQ
    9.3% All 2021 cars
    3.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 6%, against 2.4% of all 2021 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £15–£60 our estimate

    At the viewing: Test the wipers and washers on every speed.

Better than most

Tread depth: 5.6% here, against 15% of all 2021 cars.

By area

The share of 2021 Smart EQ MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    21% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    11% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Brakes
    10% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Lights and electrics
    3% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Suspension
    1% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    1% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

Looking at a Smart EQ?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20221,095Tyres 16%
20201,143Tyres 26%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2021 Smart EQs registered in 2021. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score