Smart (MCC) City Coupe Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Smart (MCC) City Coupe fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 8,183 MOT tests across 14 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: city car | Fuel: Diesel, Petrol
74%
Smart (MCC) City Coupe pass rate
78%
Smart (MCC) average
82%
All-model average
The Smart (MCC) City Coupe has an average MOT pass rate of 74%, which is 4 points below the Smart (MCC) average and 8 points below the average across all models in our data. Newer Smart (MCC) City Coupes pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 4 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Smart (MCC) City Coupe Fails Its MOT On
Of the 1,449 MOT tests on the Smart (MCC) City Coupe that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Lights and electrics
59%Cars and vans the same age: 49% · Typical repair £15-£200
Suspension
31%Cars and vans the same age: 39% · Typical repair £150-£600
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
27%Cars and vans the same age: 17% (the City Coupe fails on this more often) · Typical repair £10-£350
Brakes
23%Cars and vans the same age: 29% (the City Coupe fails on this less often) · Typical repair £80-£450
Exhaust, emissions and leaks
20%Cars and vans the same age: 16% · Typical repair £80-£800
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect (15% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Stop lamp: not working (15% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid (13% of failed tests, windscreen, wipers and mirrors)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Smart (MCC) City Coupe Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each City Coupe year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points less often than other cars of the same age.
Passed more often than cars their age
- 2004: 76% passed, against 72% for all 2004 cars (4 points higher, 1,302 tests)
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Smart (MCC) City Coupe Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Diesel | 0.0L | 87% | 13% | - |
| 2011 | Petrol | 1.0L | 82% | 18% | - |
| 2010 | Petrol | 0.7L | 78% | 22% | - |
| 2009 | Diesel | 0.7L | 80% | 19% | - |
| 2008 | Petrol | 0.7L | 82% | 18% | - |
| 2007 | Petrol | 0.7L | 75% | 24% | - |
| 2006 | Petrol | 0.6L | 72% | 27% | 73% (-1) |
| 2005 | Diesel | 0.7L | 74% | 24% | - |
| 2004 | Petrol | 0.7L | 76% | 23% | 72% (+4) |
| 2003 | Petrol | 0.6L | 72% | 26% | 72% (0) |
| 2002 | Petrol | 0.6L | 73% | 26% | 73% (0) |
| 2001 | Petrol | 0.6L | 71% | 28% | - |
| 2000 | Petrol | 0.6L | 74% | 26% | - |
| 1999 | Petrol | 0.6L | 67% | 29% | - |
Smart (MCC) City Coupe Running Costs
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Smart (MCC) City Coupe FAQ
What are the most common Smart (MCC) City Coupe problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Smart (MCC) City Coupe that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (59% of the 1,449 failed tests), suspension (31%) and windscreen, wipers and mirrors (27%). The single most common fault was "Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect" (15%). Across 8,183 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 74% ended in a pass.
Is the Smart (MCC) City Coupe reliable?
The Smart (MCC) City Coupe has an average MOT pass rate of 74%, from 8,183 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed within 1 point of other cars of the same age, so about average for its age.
Which Smart (MCC) City Coupe years should I avoid?
No Smart (MCC) City Coupe year with 1,000+ tests passed 3 or more points less often than all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). The years that passed most often for their age were the 2004 (76% of 1,302 tests passed, against 72% for all 2004 cars). A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Smart (MCC) City Coupe faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Smart (MCC) City Coupe typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
Check a Specific Smart (MCC) City Coupe
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Other Smart (MCC) Models
Common problems pages for other Smart (MCC) models