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1,631 tests in 2025

Smart Eq Forfour reliability and MOT pass rate

89.1% passed first time. The 10.9% fail rate is 11.7 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 4 years old with 13,963 miles.

MOT pass rates / Smart

Pass rate

89.1%

22.6% of all cars failed; 10.9% of these did.

Fixed on the day

4.1%

Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.

Median at test

13,963 mi

4 years old.

Fail rate by age

Age at testTestsFail rate
3-5 years1,63110.9%
6-9 years0—
10-13 years0—
14+ years0—

What the Eq Forfour fails on

Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.

  1. Tyres74 dangerous57.3%
  2. Visibility41%
  3. Suspension7.3%
  4. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment6.7%
  5. Brakes6 dangerous6.2%
  6. Identification of the vehicle1.7%
  7. Steering4 dangerous1.1%
  8. Body, chassis, structure0.6%

The exact defects that fail it

Every failure item DVSA recorded against a Eq Forfour in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.

  1. 1Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively66 tests
  2. 2Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords36 tests
  3. 3Condition: has ply or cords exposed33 tests
  4. 4Condition: has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure16 tests
  5. 5Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm9 tests
  6. 6Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid7 tests
  7. 7Size/type: of different sizes are fitted on the same axle.6 tests
  8. 8Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn3 tests

What wears out first

Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Eq Forfour collects 2 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.

  1. 1Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure189 tests
  2. 2Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened139 tests
  3. 3Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm118 tests
  4. 4Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords58 tests
  5. 5Non-component advisories: Nail in tyre29 tests
  6. 6Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt25 tests
  7. 7Condition: has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure21 tests
  8. 8Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn16 tests

Questions

What is the Smart Eq Forfour MOT pass rate?

89.1% of the 1,631 Smart Eq Forfour first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 10.9% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 4.1% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.

What does a Smart Eq Forfour usually fail on?

The single most common failure is "Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively", recorded on 66 failed tests, followed by "Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" and "Condition: has ply or cords exposed". By section, tyres appears in 57.3% of failures, visibility appears in 41% of failures, suspension appears in 7.3% of failures.

Does age change the odds?

Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 10.9%; at 3-5 years it was 10.9%. The median Smart Eq Forfour tested in 2025 was 4 years old with 13,963 miles.

First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every Eq Forfour trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.

Other Smart models

Checking a particular Eq Forfour?

The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.

Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.