Car statistics
How many Smart Forfours are still on the road in Great Britain, how many are declared off the road, how new registrations have changed and which fuels they use. Built from DVLA licensing records and 23,220 DVSA MOT tests.
There were 23,516 Smart Forfours licensed in Great Britain at the end of March 2026, and a further 1,333 declared off the road (SORN). That is 10.0% fewer than the peak of 26,117 in 2019.
The highest year-end count was 26,117 in 2019.
| Year | Licensed |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 1,787 |
| 2005 | 5,581 |
| 2006 | 8,328 |
| 2007 | 8,658 |
| 2008 | 8,690 |
| 2009 | 8,699 |
| 2010 | 8,620 |
| 2011 | 8,563 |
| 2012 | 8,456 |
| 2013 | 8,291 |
| 2014 | 7,967 |
| 2015 | 13,329 |
| 2016 | 17,514 |
| 2017 | 21,322 |
| 2018 | 24,658 |
| 2019 | 26,117 |
| 2020 | 25,940 |
| 2021 | 25,787 |
| 2022 | 25,849 |
| 2023 | 25,230 |
| 2024 | 24,389 |
| 2025 | 23,692 |
| 2026 | 23,516 |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
The Smart Forfour Brabus has its own page. The figures above include every version; each version page covers only the cars DVLA records under that version’s name.
| Version | Licensed | SORN |
|---|---|---|
| Smart Forfour Brabus | 124 | 99 |
In 2025, 71.7% of Smart Forfour MOT tests were passed first time, against 72.8% for all cars. Cars of the same ages as the Smart Forfours tested pass 76.0% of the time, so the Smart Forfour does worse than average for its age, by 4.3 points. In 2024 its pass rate was 72.5%.
Comparing like with like: each bar pair covers cars of the same age, so an older average age does not count against a model.
| Vehicle age | Smart Forfour | All cars |
|---|---|---|
| 6–7 years | 79.7% | 83.0% |
| 8–10 years | 70.9% | 75.7% |
| 15–19 years | 55.1% | 58.0% |
| 20+ years | 57.5% | 61.0% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment is the most common reason a Smart Forfour fails its MOT, appearing on 30.0% of failed tests. A failed test can have defects in more than one category, so shares add up to more than 100%. 7.5% of Smart Forfour tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 7.3% for all cars.
| Defect category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 30.0% |
| Tyres | 27.2% |
| Suspension | 27.2% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 20.5% |
| Visibility | 20.3% |
| Brakes | 13.5% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 9.7% |
| Steering | 3.1% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
The single most common reason a Smart Forfour failed its MOT in 2025 was “Stop lamp: not working”, on 11.4% of 6,575 failed tests. 48.4% of tests ended with at least one advisory, a problem to watch that did not fail the test; the most common was “Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge”. The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.
Share of failed tests with each defect. A test can fail for more than one.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Stop lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 11.4% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 11.3% |
| Suspension arms: ball joint excessively worn Suspension | 10.8% |
| Catalyst emissions: lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits Noise, emissions and leaks | 10.6% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility | 10.2% |
| Coil spring: fractured or broken Suspension | 7.3% |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility | 6.7% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks | 6.4% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 5.7% |
| Exhaust system: major leak of exhaust gases Body, chassis, structure | 5.6% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Share of all tests with each advisory: worth checking on a car you are buying.
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 19.3% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 11.4% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 10.0% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 5.7% |
| Brake discs: worn, but not excessively Brakes | 4.0% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 2.8% |
| Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 2.6% |
| Exhaust system: minor leak of exhaust gases Body, chassis, structure | 2.1% |
| Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle | 1.9% |
| Coil spring: corroded Suspension | 1.7% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
7 years of the Smart Forfour, by year of first registration, have their own page with MOT results, common faults, mileage and how many are left. Against all cars of the same age, the 2005 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (59.3% passed first time) and the 2015 cars worst (66.1%).
| Year | Registered | Left | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | – | 1,087 | 59.3% |
| 2006 | – | 1,015 | 55.4% |
| 2015 | 5,793 | 5,341 | 66.1% |
| 2016 | 5,109 | 5,149 | 70.6% |
| 2017 | 4,196 | 4,685 | 75.8% |
| 2018 | 3,867 | 3,752 | 79.5% |
| 2019 | 1,988 | 1,890 | 80.9% |
Registered: cars on the DVLA record at the end of the year they were first registered (these counts start in 2014, so older years show a dash). Left: licensed or declared SORN at the end of 2025. Both cover the United Kingdom. Pass rate: first-time passes at normal MOT tests in Great Britain in 2025; all cars: every car first registered the same year.
The average Smart Forfour covers 5,080 miles a year, worked out from odometer readings at consecutive MOT tests.
| Vehicle age | Miles a year |
|---|---|
| 6–7 years | 5,209 |
| 8–10 years | 5,139 |
| 11–14 years | 5,453 |
| 15–19 years | 4,290 |
| 20+ years | 4,056 |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Registrations of Smart Forfours for the first time in Great Britain peaked at 5,857 in 2015. In 2025, 5 were registered. With almost none registered new, the number on the road is likely to keep falling.
| Year | First registrations |
|---|---|
| ’01 | 0 |
| ’02 | 0 |
| ’03 | 0 |
| ’04 | 1,882 |
| ’05 | 4,187 |
| ’06 | 2,811 |
| ’07 | 271 |
| ’08 | 13 |
| ’09 | 4 |
| ’10 | 5 |
| ’11 | 1 |
| ’12 | 0 |
| ’13 | 1 |
| ’14 | 0 |
| ’15 | 5,857 |
| ’16 | 5,538 |
| ’17 | 4,995 |
| ’18 | 3,964 |
| ’19 | 1,997 |
| ’20 | 718 |
| ’21 | 687 |
| ’22 | 622 |
| ’23 | 3 |
| ’24 | 1 |
| ’25 | 5 |
Source:DfT / DVLA 2001 to 2025 Updated
Of the 23,874 Smart Forfours licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, 54.4% have an engine of 901cc to 1,000cc, and 29.8% have an engine of 801cc to 900cc. The share with an engine of 901cc to 1,000cc has grown from 0.0% in 2014 to 54.4%. Diesels made up 14.9% of those licensed in 2014 and 0.8% in 2025.
DVLA records engine size in 100cc bands.
| Engine size | Share of those licensed |
|---|---|
| 901cc to 1,000cc 12,992 licensed | 54.4% |
| 801cc to 900cc 7,105 licensed | 29.8% |
| No engine (electric) 2,047 licensed | 8.6% |
| 1,101cc to 1,200cc 698 licensed | 2.9% |
| 1,401cc to 1,500cc 530 licensed | 2.2% |
| 1,301cc to 1,400cc 502 licensed | 2.1% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2014 to end of 2025 Updated
| Engine size | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 901–1,000cc | Petrol | 12,992 | 54.4% |
| 801–900cc | Petrol | 7,104 | 29.8% |
| Electric | Electric | 2,047 | 8.6% |
| 1,101–1,200cc | Petrol | 692 | 2.9% |
| 1,301–1,400cc | Petrol | 501 | 2.1% |
| 1,401–1,500cc | Petrol | 334 | 1.4% |
Share of those licensed at the end of each year, for the most common sizes.
| Year | 901–1,000cc | 801–900cc | 1,101–1,200cc | 1,401–1,500cc |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 46.3% | 29.0% |
| 2015 | 29.5% | 13.5% | 26.2% | 16.7% |
| 2016 | 38.3% | 20.3% | 19.0% | 12.0% |
| 2017 | 43.5% | 24.6% | 14.5% | 9.1% |
| 2018 | 48.2% | 26.3% | 11.4% | 7.1% |
| 2019 | 50.6% | 27.6% | 9.3% | 5.8% |
| 2020 | 50.6% | 27.7% | 7.9% | 5.2% |
| 2021 | 51.0% | 27.8% | 6.3% | 4.4% |
| 2022 | 51.0% | 27.7% | 5.3% | 3.9% |
| 2023 | 52.1% | 28.4% | 4.6% | 3.2% |
| 2024 | 53.3% | 29.2% | 3.7% | 2.7% |
| 2025 | 54.4% | 29.8% | 2.9% | 2.2% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2014 to end of 2025 Updated
Share of those licensed at the end of each year.
| Year | Petrol | Electric | Diesel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 84.7% | 0.0% | 14.9% |
| 2015 | 91.1% | 0.0% | 8.6% |
| 2016 | 93.6% | 0.0% | 6.2% |
| 2017 | 94.9% | 0.3% | 4.6% |
| 2018 | 95.4% | 1.0% | 3.5% |
| 2019 | 95.6% | 1.5% | 2.8% |
| 2020 | 93.4% | 4.1% | 2.4% |
| 2021 | 91.3% | 6.6% | 2.0% |
| 2022 | 89.6% | 8.6% | 1.7% |
| 2023 | 89.8% | 8.8% | 1.3% |
| 2024 | 90.2% | 8.7% | 1.0% |
| 2025 | 90.6% | 8.6% | 0.8% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2014 to end of 2025 Updated
United Kingdom figures from DfT table VEH0220 (licensed cars at the end of each year, SORN excluded), so they differ slightly from the Great Britain counts elsewhere on this page. How we use engine sizes.
The Vehicle Certification Agency’s new car data lists the Smart Forfour from 2005 to 2021. On the WLTP test (listings 2020 to 2021), its electric versions have an official range of 72 to 81 miles. On the older NEDC test (listings 2005 to 2018), official combined fuel economy for its petrol and diesel versions ranges from 41.5 to 67.3 mpg, with CO2 of 96 to 159 g/km; electric versions have an official range of 95 miles.
| Engine and fuel | Combined mpg | CO2 g/km | Range, miles | Miles per kWh | Listed | Euro standard | Versions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric | – | 0 | 72–81 | 3.0–4.0 | 2020–2021 | – | 2 |
| Engine and fuel | Combined mpg | CO2 g/km | Range, miles | Miles per kWh | Listed | Euro standard | Versions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.9 petrol | 52.3–67.3 | 98–123 | – | – | 2015–2018 | Euro 6 to Euro 6c | 18 |
| 1.0 petrol | 54.3–67.3 | 96–118 | – | – | 2015–2018 | Euro 6 to Euro 6c | 15 |
| 1.1 petrol | 49.6–53.3 | 125–135 | – | – | 2005–2006 | Euro 4 | 8 |
| 1.3 petrol | 47.1–50.4 | 133–143 | – | – | 2005–2006 | Euro 4 | 8 |
| 1.5 petrol | 41.5–47.9 | 139–159 | – | – | 2005–2006 | Euro 4 | 6 |
| 1.5 diesel | 58.8–64.2 | 116–126 | – | – | 2005–2006 | Euro 4 | 16 |
| Electric | – | 0 | 95 | 4.8 | 2018 | – | 2 |
Source:VCA July 2000 to 15 September 2026 Updated
DVSA lists 5 safety recalls for the Smart Forfour since 1992, the first in 2005. The most recent was launched on 20 October 2017.
All 5 Smart Forfour recalls, with defects, remedies and build dates
A recall applies to cars built on particular dates or with particular VINs, not to every Smart Forfour. The details come from manufacturers through DVSA, which says they may be delayed or incomplete. To check a specific car, use GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check or ask the manufacturer or a dealer. How we match recalls to models.
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis January 1992 to September 2026 Updated
| Model | Licensed | Change on a year | SORN | Rank | Main fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Forfour | 23,516 | −2.9% | 1,333 | 220 | Petrol |
| Smart Fortwo | 52,344 | −3.2% | 4,845 | 144 | Petrol |
| Smart City | 3,402 | −15.3% | 2,463 | 486 | Petrol |
| Smart #1 | 3,245 | +45.5% | 20 | 491 | Electric |
| Smart Roadster | 1,796 | −7.9% | 2,160 | 574 | Petrol |
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed and SORN counts | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 24,849 Forfour records (licensed and SORN) | 15 September 2026 |
| Registered for the first time | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | 2001 to 2025 | – | 15 September 2026 |
| MOT results and mileage | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 23,220 MOT tests | 15 September 2026 |
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
