Car statistics by year
2017 Smart Fortwo
Smart Fortwo cars first registered in 2017: how they did at their 2025 MOT, what failed them, how far they have been driven and how many are still on the road. Compared with every car first registered in 2017, so like is set against like.
- MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 80.2% All 2017 cars 79.1%
- Typical mileage at the MOT 34,800 miles; all 2017 cars 58,200
- Left at the end of 2025 4,747 93.6% of the 5,069 at the end of 2017
- Tests finding a dangerous defect 5.5% All 2017 cars 6.3%
- Tests with an advisory 39.0% All 2017 cars 45.7%
- MOT tests in 2025 4,789 normal tests in Great Britain
How do 2017 Smart Fortwos do at their MOT?
In 2025, at about 8 years old, 80.2% of 2017 Smart Fortwo MOT tests were passed first time, against 79.1% for all cars first registered in 2017. 2017 Smart Fortwos did better than average for their age, by 1.1 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 80.7% of the time (all 2017 cars 80.7%).
MOT pass rate by year of first registration: Smart Fortwo vs all cars
Each pair of bars is one year of first registration, tested in 2025. Older cars pass less often, so compare each Smart Fortwo bar with the all-cars bar beside it.
| First registered | Smart Fortwo | All cars |
|---|---|---|
| ’08 | 62.5% | 57.0% |
| ’09 | 63.3% | 58.2% |
| ’10 | 65.4% | 59.3% |
| ’11 | 68.3% | 61.5% |
| ’12 | 71.5% | 63.6% |
| ’13 | 70.7% | 66.0% |
| ’14 | 74.8% | 69.1% |
| ’15 | 75.8% | 72.6% |
| ’16 | 76.9% | 75.6% |
| ’17 | 80.2% | 79.1% |
| ’18 | 83.0% | 81.8% |
| ’19 | 85.9% | 84.4% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT failures on the 2017 Smart Fortwo
Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively was the most common single reason a 2017 Smart Fortwo failed, on 15.8% of about 900 failed tests. By area of the car, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment failed most often (29.0% of failed tests; all 2017 cars 25.0%). 5.5% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 6.3% for all cars first registered in 2017. A failed test can have several defects, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Most common reasons for failure
Share of failed tests with each defect. The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility | 15.8% |
| Stop lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 12.4% |
| Catalyst emissions: lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits Noise, emissions and leaks | 10.4% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes | 9.6% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 8.9% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks | 8.4% |
| Exhaust system: major leak of exhaust gases Body, chassis, structure | 7.5% |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility | 7.2% |
| Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 5.8% |
| Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 5.3% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Failure categories: Smart Fortwo vs all 2017 cars
The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.
| Category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 29.0% |
| Visibility | 27.0% |
| Tyres | 26.1% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 22.5% |
| Brakes | 16.5% |
| Suspension | 12.7% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 8.2% |
| Identification of the vehicle | 2.6% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT advisories on the 2017 Smart Fortwo
An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 39.0% of 2017 Smart Fortwo tests had at least one (all 2017 cars 45.7%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.
Most common advisories
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 12.8% |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 12.6% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 7.6% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 5.7% |
| Brake discs: worn, but not excessively Brakes | 3.4% |
| Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle | 2.7% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 2.2% |
| Nail in tyre Non-component advisories | 1.5% |
| Tyres: cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 1.3% |
| Exhaust system: minor leak of exhaust gases Body, chassis, structure | 1.2% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What mileage is normal for a 2017 Smart Fortwo?
Half of the 2017 Smart Fortwos tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 34,800 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 23,400 and a quarter more than 48,400. For all cars first registered in 2017, the middle figure was 58,200 miles, so 2017 Smart Fortwos have been driven 40.2% less far than average.
Mileage at the 2025 MOT
Odometer readings at each car’s latest MOT of the year. The bar covers the middle half of cars; the line the middle 80%.
| 10% | 25% | Median | 75% | 90% | Cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Smart Fortwo | 15,200 | 23,400 | 34,800 | 48,400 | 64,000 | 4,594 |
| All 2017 cars | 28,400 | 41,600 | 58,200 | 77,000 | 98,000 | 2,218,578 |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
How many 2017 Smart Fortwos are left?
At the end of 2017, 5,069 2017 Smart Fortwos were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom. By the end of 2025, 4,747 were: 4,626 licensed and 121 declared off the road (SORN). That is 93.6% still on the record, against 95.8% for all cars first registered in 2017.
Share still on the record since 2017
Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2017. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.
| Year end | 2017 Smart Fortwo | All 2017 cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| 2018 | 98.2% | 100.7% |
| 2019 | 97.0% | 100.0% |
| 2020 | 91.4% | 95.7% |
| 2021 | 93.1% | 97.3% |
| 2022 | 94.0% | 97.6% |
| 2023 | 93.6% | 97.0% |
| 2024 | 93.5% | 96.5% |
| 2025 | 93.6% | 95.8% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated
Recalls that may affect cars built around 2017
1 of the Smart Fortwo’s 13 recalls in DVSA’s records covers cars built during 2017. 2 have no build dates, so could apply to any year.
The 2017 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2017 may have been built in 2016, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.
| Launched | Concern | Built | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 2017 | Steering knuckle incorrectly manufactured | 1 Mar 2017 to 30 Jun 2017 | 1,878 (all models) |
Every Smart Fortwo recall · Check a specific car on GOV.UK · How we match recalls
Recall details come from manufacturers through DVSA. “Vehicles” is the number the manufacturer reported; “all models” means the figure covers everything in the recall. A recall listed here may not apply to a particular car: only the manufacturer or GOV.UK can say for its VIN.
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis January 1992 to September 2026 Updated
Other years of the Smart Fortwo
16 years of the Smart Fortwo, 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 2012 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (71.5% passed first time) and the 2005 cars worst (58.5%).
| Year | Registered | Left | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | – | 670 | 62.5% |
| 2005 | – | 738 | 58.5% |
| 2006 | – | 920 | 57.9% |
| 2007 | – | 2,219 | 61.0% |
| 2008 | – | 4,859 | 62.5% |
| 2009 | – | 5,996 | 63.3% |
| 2010 | – | 5,660 | 65.4% |
| 2011 | – | 4,035 | 68.3% |
| 2012 | – | 4,702 | 71.5% |
| 2013 | – | 4,532 | 70.7% |
| 2014 | 4,247 | 3,758 | 74.8% |
| 2015 | 2,441 | 2,193 | 75.8% |
| 2016 | 6,275 | 5,641 | 76.9% |
| 2017 | 5,069 | 4,747 | 80.2% |
| 2018 | 3,485 | 3,279 | 83.0% |
| 2019 | 1,927 | 1,839 | 85.9% |
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.
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT results and mileage | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 4,789 MOT tests of 2017 Smart Fortwo cars | 15 September 2026 |
| Cars on the record | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of 2025 | 4,747 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) | 15 September 2026 |
- MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of Smart Fortwo cars first registered in 2017; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2017.
- Year of first registration is DVSA’s first-use date: when the car was first registered, in the UK or abroad.
- Defects and advisories are DVSA’s descriptions made readable. Where on the car a defect was found (side, front or rear) is ignored, so the same fault on any wheel counts once per test.
- Mileage is the odometer reading at each car’s latest normal MOT of the year, as recorded by the tester. A few readings are in kilometres or mistyped; percentiles are not thrown by a handful of outliers.
- Cars on the record come from DfT table VEH0124 and cover the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland; MOT figures cover Great Britain only.
- DVSA records the model name typed in at the test. We match those names to DVLA’s generic models, so a handful of tests may be counted under a close relative.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.