Smart (mcc)
Fortwo Cabriolet
7,851 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where Fortwo Cabriolets pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 4.1 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
73.4%
Pass-after-fix
5.8%
Fail
20.2%
Avg miles
64,479
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
The picture
Fortwo Cabriolet: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 5,408 MOT tests, the Fortwo Cabriolet returns 71.6% first-time pass — below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a broken or weak spring. A binding brake and a corroded brake pipe round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 62,752, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
Filter failures:
Hide categories
Tick a category to hide it from rankings sitewide. Saved in this browser only.
- 01
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
280 occurrences · 3.6% of tests
- 02
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
178 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
- 03
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
154 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 04
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
146 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
- 05
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
145 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
- 06
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
121 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 07
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
118 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 08
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
101 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 09
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
93 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
- 10
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
89 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£128–£365
If every one of this Fortwo Cabriolet's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Book a mobile mechanic
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Owner reports · Honest John
What owners actually report.
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
What's good
Kia EV5 Well-equipped and spacious interior. Easy to drive. Kia's excellent seven-year warranty. Read more
Buying or keeping a Fortwo Cabriolet?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Fortwo Cabriolet and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.