2004 Smart Forfour Black — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 2004 perform at MOT as they age

22 years

Current Age

63.3%

Latest Pass Rate

1,128

Total Tests (All Years)

96,764 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Best vintage for Forfour Black

Compared to Average at Age 19

This car: 63.3%

Average: 55.4%

✅ 7.9% above average (7550 models compared)

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 2004 Smart Forfour Black as it ages.

5 yrs66.3%

→ ↑7.7%

6 yrs74.0%

→ ↓4.8%

7 yrs69.2%

→ ↓15.8%

8 yrs53.4%

→ ↑9.2%

9 yrs62.6%

→ ↓4.0%

10 yrs58.6%

→ ↓0.4%

11 yrs58.2%

→ ↑3.3%

12 yrs61.5%

→ ↑1.0%

13 yrs62.5%

→ ↑2.8%

14 yrs65.3%

→ ↓10.9%

15 yrs54.4%

→ ↑1.9%

16 yrs56.3%

→ ↓2.5%

17 yrs53.8%

→ ↓8.6%

18 yrs45.2%

→ ↑18.1%

19 yrs63.3%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
5 yrs	66.3%	101
6 yrs	74.0%	104
7 yrs	69.2%	107
8 yrs	53.4%	103
9 yrs	62.6%	107
10 yrs	58.6%	99
11 yrs	58.2%	98
12 yrs	61.5%	91
13 yrs	62.5%	80
14 yrs	65.3%	49
15 yrs	54.4%	57
16 yrs	56.3%	32
17 yrs	53.8%	39
18 yrs	45.2%	31
19 yrs	63.3%	30

Pass Rate Trend

How the 2004 Smart Forfour Black pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2023 (19 yrs)	63.3%	30
2022 (18 yrs)	45.2%	31
2021 (17 yrs)	53.8%	39
2020 (16 yrs)	56.3%	32
2019 (15 yrs)	54.4%	57
2018 (14 yrs)	65.3%	49
2017 (13 yrs)	62.5%	80
2016 (12 yrs)	61.5%	91
2015 (11 yrs)	58.2%	98
2014 (10 yrs)	58.6%	99
2013 (9 yrs)	62.6%	107
2012 (8 yrs)	53.4%	103
2011 (7 yrs)	69.2%	107
2010 (6 yrs)	74%	104
2009 (5 yrs)	66.3%	101

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

66.3%

Age (yrs) 5Tests 101Avg Mileage 39,369Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 22.8%

2010

74.0%

Age (yrs) 6Tests 104Avg Mileage 46,741Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 13.5%

2011

69.2%

Age (yrs) 7Tests 107Avg Mileage 51,793Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 19.6%

2012High Fail Rate

53.4%

Age (yrs) 8Tests 103Avg Mileage 58,644Top Failure Tyres — 25.2%

2013High Fail Rate

62.6%

Age (yrs) 9Tests 107Avg Mileage 65,042Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 43.9%

2014High Fail Rate

58.6%

Age (yrs) 10Tests 99Avg Mileage 69,857Top Failure Brakes — 44.4%

2015High Fail Rate

58.2%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 98Avg Mileage 74,964Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 62.2%

2016High Fail Rate

61.5%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 91Avg Mileage 78,643Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 65.9%

2017High Fail Rate

62.5%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 80Avg Mileage 82,956Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 58.8%

2018

65.3%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 49Avg Mileage 86,011Top Failure Brakes — 38.8%

2019High Fail Rate

54.4%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 57Avg Mileage 86,519Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 86.0%

2020High Fail Rate

56.3%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 32Avg Mileage 86,782Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 71.9%

2021High Fail Rate

53.8%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 39Avg Mileage 93,563Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 89.7%

2022High Fail Rate

45.2%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 31Avg Mileage 93,069Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 96.8%

2023High Fail Rate

63.3%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 30Avg Mileage 96,764Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 103.3%

MOT results for 2004 Smart Forfour Black by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	5	66.3%	101	39,369	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 22.8%
2010	6	74.0%	104	46,741	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 13.5%
2011	7	69.2%	107	51,793	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 19.6%
2012	8	53.4%	103	58,644	Tyres — 25.2%
2013	9	62.6%	107	65,042	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 43.9%
2014	10	58.6%	99	69,857	Brakes — 44.4%
2015	11	58.2%	98	74,964	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 62.2%
2016	12	61.5%	91	78,643	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 65.9%
2017	13	62.5%	80	82,956	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 58.8%
2018	14	65.3%	49	86,011	Brakes — 38.8%
2019	15	54.4%	57	86,519	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 86.0%
2020	16	56.3%	32	86,782	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 71.9%
2021	17	53.8%	39	93,563	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 89.7%
2022	18	45.2%	31	93,069	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 96.8%
2023	19	63.3%	30	96,764	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 103.3%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 2004 Smart Forfour Black, with age trends.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

80.7%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

39.3%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

30.5%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

29.4%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

26.0%

↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Tyres	15.8% (5 yrs)	36.7% (19 yrs)	+20.9%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	16.8% (5 yrs)	30.0% (19 yrs)	+13.2%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

2004 2005

← Back to Smart Forfour Black overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Smart Forfour Black page →

About This Data

This page shows how Smart Forfour Black cars manufactured in 2004 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2023, covering 1,128 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.