Car statistics by year
2004 Smart Roadster
Smart Roadster cars first registered in 2004: 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 2004, so like is set against like.
- MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 68.9% All 2004 cars 57.9%
- Typical mileage at the MOT 78,400 miles; all 2004 cars 101,100
- Left at the end of 2025 1,848 73.8% of the 2,504 at the end of 2014
- Tests finding a dangerous defect 4.5% All 2004 cars 9.6%
- Tests with an advisory 58.7% All 2004 cars 70.0%
- MOT tests in 2025 1,009 normal tests in Great Britain
How do 2004 Smart Roadsters do at their MOT?
In 2025, at about 21 years old, 68.9% of 2004 Smart Roadster MOT tests were passed first time, against 57.9% for all cars first registered in 2004. 2004 Smart Roadsters did better than average for their age, by 11.0 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 68.3% of the time (all 2004 cars 56.5%).
Most common MOT failures on the 2004 Smart Roadster
Position lamp: not working was the most common single reason a 2004 Smart Roadster failed, on 14.6% of about 300 failed tests. By area of the car, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment failed most often (59.9% of failed tests; all 2004 cars 49.2%). 4.5% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 9.6% for all cars first registered in 2004. 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 |
|---|---|
| Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 14.6% |
| Horn: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 11.8% |
| Headlamp: not working on dipped beam Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 8.6% |
| Rear fog lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 7.0% |
| Stop lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 6.7% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility | 6.1% |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 5.7% |
| Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded Brakes | 5.7% |
| Individual direction indicators: incorrect colour Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 5.4% |
| SRS malfunction indicator lamp: warning lamp indicates a fault Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 5.4% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Failure categories: Smart Roadster vs all 2004 cars
The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.
| Category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 59.9% |
| Brakes | 29.3% |
| Suspension | 25.8% |
| Visibility | 13.7% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 10.5% |
| Tyres | 8.9% |
| Steering | 8.6% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 8.0% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT advisories on the 2004 Smart Roadster
An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 58.7% of 2004 Smart Roadster tests had at least one (all 2004 cars 70.0%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.
Most common advisories
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material Brakes | 17.4% |
| Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 11.2% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 10.3% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 8.9% |
| Coil spring: corroded Suspension | 8.0% |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 7.1% |
| Shock absorbers: slightly worn bush Suspension | 4.9% |
| Individual direction indicators: slightly discoloured Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 4.7% |
| Wheel bearings: slight play Suspension | 4.1% |
| Suspension arms: ball joint has slight play Suspension | 4.0% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What mileage is normal for a 2004 Smart Roadster?
Half of the 2004 Smart Roadsters tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 78,400 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 55,900 and a quarter more than 101,000. For all cars first registered in 2004, the middle figure was 101,100 miles, so 2004 Smart Roadsters have been driven 22.5% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Smart Roadster | 38,500 | 55,900 | 78,400 | 101,000 | 125,000 | 951 |
| All 2004 cars | 51,600 | 73,300 | 101,100 | 133,200 | 166,100 | 309,169 |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
How many 2004 Smart Roadsters are left?
At the end of 2014, 2,504 2004 Smart Roadsters were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom (these counts start in 2014). By the end of 2025, 1,848 were: 849 licensed and 999 declared off the road (SORN). That is 73.8% still on the record, against 25.3% for all cars first registered in 2004.
Share still on the record since 2014
Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2014. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.
| Year end | 2004 Smart Roadster | All 2004 cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| 2015 | 98.2% | 94.1% |
| 2016 | 96.2% | 87.1% |
| 2017 | 92.7% | 77.1% |
| 2018 | 90.3% | 66.7% |
| 2019 | 87.7% | 57.2% |
| 2020 | 85.3% | 49.7% |
| 2021 | 82.9% | 42.3% |
| 2022 | 80.9% | 37.0% |
| 2023 | 79.0% | 32.8% |
| 2024 | 75.8% | 28.5% |
| 2025 | 73.8% | 25.3% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated
Other years of the Smart Roadster
2 years of the Smart Roadster, by year of first registration, have their own page with MOT results, common faults, mileage and how many are left.
| Year | Registered | Left | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | – | 1,848 | 68.9% |
| 2005 | – | 1,106 | 72.1% |
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 | 1,009 MOT tests of 2004 Smart Roadster cars | 15 September 2026 |
| Cars on the record | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of 2025 | 1,848 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) | 15 September 2026 |
- MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of Smart Roadster cars first registered in 2004; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2004.
- 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.