Used car guide

2012 Smart Fortwo: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2012 Smart Fortwos, from 754 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

754MOT tests in 2025
72%pass first time (all 2012 cars: 63%)
4,300typical miles a year
2.7×the usual rate for rigid brake pipes

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2012 Smart Fortwos than on all cars registered in 2012.

  • Rigid brake pipes2.7× usual
    Smart Fortwo
    14.6% All 2012 cars
    5.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.7%, against 0.8% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

  • Braking performance2.1× usual
    Smart Fortwo
    10.5% All 2012 cars
    4.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.1%, against 1.8% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a quiet road, brake firmly from about 30mph. The car should stop straight without pulling.

Better than most

Brake discs: 3.1% here, against 14.2% of all 2012 cars.

By area

The share of 2012 Smart Fortwo MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Brakes
    30% 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.

  • Tyres
    26% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    18% 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
    14% 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.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    6% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

  • Exhaust and emissions
    5% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.

Looking at a Smart Fortwo?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20132,439Brakes 29%
2011680Brakes 26%
2010799Tyres 27%
2009742Brakes 35%
2008612Brakes 33%
2007245Lights and electrics 34%
2006106Suspension 39%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2012 Smart Fortwos registered in 2012. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score