Sports car and convertible · 1999–2011 cars
Smart Roadster reliability
The Smart Roadster fails 28.9% of first MOT tests, 26% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age and mileage, based on 5,322 DVSA MOT tests from 2022 to 2024.
Checking a Smart Roadster before you buy?
- first-time MOT fail rate (all cars: 28.4%)
- 28.9%
- first-time MOT fail rate (all cars: 28.4%)
- fails than cars of the same age and mileage
- 26% fewer
- fails than cars of the same age and mileage
- MOT tests analysed, 2022 to 2024
- 5,322
- MOT tests analysed, 2022 to 2024
- typical miles a year, from MOT readings
- –
- typical miles a year, from MOT readings
MOT fail rate by age
How the Smart Roadster ages
Each point is the share of Smart Roadsters of that age that failed their MOT first time, against all cars of the same age.
| Age at MOT (years) | Smart Roadster | All cars |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | 29.4% | 42.9% |
| 17 | 28.8% | 43.4% |
| 18 | 29% | 43.5% |
| 19 | 28.5% | 43.4% |
| 20 | 26.6% | 42.8% |
By year
The best and worst Smart Roadster years
2005 cars come out best and 2004 cars worst, once age and mileage are taken into account.
| First registered | Tests | Fail rate | Against same-age cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 221 | 29.4% | 15% fewer fails | 57,869 |
| 2006 | 723 | 27.9% | 24% fewer fails | 64,705 |
| 2005 Roadster | 1,639 | 26.9% | 31% fewer fails | 73,392 |
| 2004 Roadster | 2,089 | 29.8% | 26% fewer fails | 80,011 |
| 2003 | 607 | 30.5% | 25% fewer fails | 82,642 |
Common problems
What fails most on a Smart Roadster
Failures by area, against cars of the same age and mileage.
Fail rate by area
- Lights and electrics15.5%16% below avg
- Brakes7.9%28% below avg
- Suspension7.2%49% below avg
- Windscreen, wipers and mirrors4.5%36% below avg
- Tyres3.5%42% below avg
- Exhaust, emissions and leaks3%49% below avg
- Body, chassis and structure2.6%65% below avg
- Steering2.1%33% below avg
- Seat belts and airbags1.7%25% below avg
Average for cars of the same age and mileage
Top MOT failures
- 1
Position lamp not working 2.95% of tests
A failed position lamp makes the car harder to see in poor light and is illegal, so it must be repaired.
- 2
Stop lamp not working 2.84% of tests
A failed stop lamp means drivers behind cannot see when you brake, a safety risk that must be fixed.
- 3
Horn not working 2.57% of tests
A non-working horn removes a key warning tool for other road users, so it must be repaired before driving.
- 4
Wiper blade not clearing windscreen 2.03% of tests
Wipers that do not clear the windscreen reduce visibility in rain, which is a safety risk, so replace them.
- 5
Dipped beam headlamp not working 1.95% of tests
A failed dipped beam makes it hard to see and be seen at night, so the lamp needs fixing before driving.
- 6
Direction indicator wrong colour 1.69% of tests
An indicator showing the wrong colour may confuse other drivers, so the lens or bulb should be replaced.
- 7
Rigid brake pipe excessively corroded 1.6% of tests
Badly corroded brake pipes can leak or fail, which can cause a loss of braking, so repair is urgent.
- 8
Airbag warning lamp shows fault 1.5% of tests
A lit airbag warning means the airbag system may not deploy in a crash, so it needs diagnosing and repairing.
Most common advisories
Not a fail yet, but worth pricing in: these show up on a Smart Roadster's MOT certificate most often.
- Brake pipes corroded and greasy16.16%
- Brake disc pitted or scored10.64%
- Tyre slightly damaged or cracking8.55%
- Engine oil leak, not excessive8.4%
- Coil spring showing some corrosion7.46%
- Tyre worn close to legal limit6.82%
Before you buy
What to check on a used Smart Roadster
- 1
Position lamp not working
A failed position lamp makes the car harder to see in poor light and is illegal, so it must be repaired.
- 2
Stop lamp not working
A failed stop lamp means drivers behind cannot see when you brake, a safety risk that must be fixed.
- 3
Horn not working
A non-working horn removes a key warning tool for other road users, so it must be repaired before driving.
- 4
Wiper blade not clearing windscreen
Wipers that do not clear the windscreen reduce visibility in rain, which is a safety risk, so replace them.
- 5
Every MOT since new
Look for the faults above coming back year after year: it shows how the car has been looked after.
- 6
The mileage record
A drop between MOTs is a warning sign.
- 7
Finance, stolen and write-off
The records the MOT can't show. A Full Check (£9.99) covers all three before you hand over any money.
Fuel types tested
- Petrol99.7%
- Diesel0.2%
- Electric0.1%
Most common colours
Silver, Black, Blue, Red, Yellow
Average engine size: 0.7 litres.
Compare
How the Smart Roadster compares with its rivals
| Model | Fail rate | Against same-age cars |
|---|---|---|
| Lamborghini Huracan | 2.6% | 78% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age |
| Aston Martin DBS | 4.6% | 71% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age |
| TVR Chimaera | 13.1% | 58% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age |
| Aston Martin DB7 | 14.1% | 56% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age |
| McLaren 570 | 5% | 55% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age |
| Mercedes-Benz GT | 5.8% | 55% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age |
| Smart Roadster | 28.9% | 26% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age |
Every sports car and convertible ranked in the sports car and convertible reliability index, or all Smart models.
Questions
Smart Roadster questions, answered
Is the Smart Roadster reliable?
On MOT results, the Smart Roadster is better than average: it fails 28.9% of first MOT tests, 26% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age and mileage. It ranks 38 of 62 sports car and convertible models in our index.
What fails most on a Smart Roadster MOT?
The most common MOT failures on the Smart Roadster are position lamp not working (2.95% of tests), stop lamp not working (2.84% of tests), horn not working (2.57% of tests). By area, lights and electrics fails 15.5% of its tests.
Which Smart Roadster year is the most reliable?
Among years with 1,000+ tests, 2005 cars do best (31% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age) and 2004 cars do worst (26% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age).
How do I check a Smart Roadster before I buy it?
Enter its registration for a free check of its MOT history, mileage, ULEZ status and tax. Before you pay, a Full Check (£9.99) shows outstanding finance, stolen and write-off records.
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results, 2022 to 2024, class 4 vehicles aged 3 to 25, normal tests only. How we compare like with like: our methodology.
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