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Smart City build years & generations

Coverage 1998-20071 named generationHatchbackPETROL

The Smart City has one named generation (1998-2007). See how each group of build years does at its MOT.

Which year is which

Build years & generations, side by side

Find the build years you're looking at and see which generation they are. You'll also see which group of build years the MOT figures come from.

  • Built 1998-2004

    Generation
    W450 (City-Coupe/ForTwo Mk1)
    Figures from
    cars built before 2005

    Counted with every car built before 2005, so much older cars can affect the figures.

  • Built 2005-2007

    Generation
    W450 (City-Coupe/ForTwo Mk1)
    Figures from
    cars built 2005-2008

    Counted with this generation only.

“Figures from” is the group of build years behind each card's MOT figures. Years where one generation gave way to the next can sit in a wider group until there's enough history to split them.

By build-year group

How each group of build years performs

Each card shows MOT results for one group of Smart City build years. “Age” means the car's age on the day of its MOT, not its build year. “25+” groups every test on cars aged 25 or older.

Built

2009-2012

No generation name yet

We have MOT figures for these build years, but no generation name for them yet.

Fail rate at 16 years old (latest age)

24.7%

UK average for cars this age: about 3 in 10 (30%)

Ages with data

13 to 16 years old

MOT tests counted

340

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age
AgeFail rateMOT tests
13 years
6621.2%
14 years
7529.3%
15 years
12630.2%
16 years
7324.7%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 15 years old.

Built

2005-2008

W450 (City-Coupe/ForTwo Mk1) only

These build years are all W450 (City-Coupe/ForTwo Mk1), so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 20 years old (latest age)

27.8%

UK average for cars this age: about 3 in 10 (30.3%)

Ages with data

16 to 20 years old

MOT tests counted

2,551

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age
AgeFail rateMOT tests
16 years
5328.3%
17 years
28028.9%
18 years
1,05432.2%
19 years
78229.9%
20 years
38227.8%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 18 years old.

Built

Before 2005

W450 (City-Coupe/ForTwo Mk1) only

Counts every car built before 2005, so older cars with the same model name can be included as well as the W450 (City-Coupe/ForTwo Mk1).

Fail rate at 25+ years old

29.7%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 4 (23%)

Ages with data

20 to 25+ years old

MOT tests counted

3,489

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age
AgeFail rateMOT tests
20 years
47829.9%
21 years
1,34529.5%
22 years
99030.9%
23 years
48731.8%
24 years
12525.6%
25+ years
6429.7%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 23 years old.