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2004 Smart Forfour Pulse — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 2004 perform at MOT as they age

22 years
Current Age
52.6%
Latest Pass Rate
2,494
Total Tests (All Years)
100,405 mi
Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Best vintage for Forfour Pulse

Compared to Average at Age 20

This car: 52.6%
Average: 56.6%

⚠️ 4.0% below average (6824 models compared)

How This Car Ages

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

5 yrs69.7%
6 yrs69.2%
7 yrs65.8%
8 yrs59.2%
9 yrs56.4%
10 yrs55.7%
11 yrs48.4%
12 yrs55.6%
13 yrs50.5%
14 yrs44.5%
15 yrs53.8%
16 yrs54.1%
17 yrs46.2%
18 yrs50.0%
19 yrs52.1%
20 yrs52.6%

Bar chart showing pass rate by car age from 5 to 20 years

Fail Rate %
📊 View as table
AgePass RateTests
5 yrs69.7%228
6 yrs69.2%227
7 yrs65.8%231
8 yrs59.2%228
9 yrs56.4%225
10 yrs55.7%230
11 yrs48.4%223
12 yrs55.6%196
13 yrs50.5%186
14 yrs44.5%119
15 yrs53.8%106
16 yrs54.1%85
17 yrs46.2%78
18 yrs50.0%46
19 yrs52.1%48
20 yrs52.6%38

Pass Rate Trend

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

Trend shows improving over 16 years

Pass Rate %
📊 View as table
BuiltPass RateTests
2024 (20 yrs)52.6%38
2023 (19 yrs)52.1%48
2022 (18 yrs)50%46
2021 (17 yrs)46.2%78
2020 (16 yrs)54.1%85
2019 (15 yrs)53.8%106
2018 (14 yrs)44.5%119
2017 (13 yrs)50.5%186
2016 (12 yrs)55.6%196
2015 (11 yrs)48.4%223
2014 (10 yrs)55.7%230
2013 (9 yrs)56.4%225
2012 (8 yrs)59.2%228
2011 (7 yrs)65.8%231
2010 (6 yrs)69.2%227
2009 (5 yrs)69.7%228

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009
69.7%
Age (yrs) 5Tests 228Avg Mileage 45,502Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.7%
2010
69.2%
Age (yrs) 6Tests 227Avg Mileage 50,800Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 19.4%
2011
65.8%
Age (yrs) 7Tests 231Avg Mileage 57,674Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.7%
2012High Fail Rate
59.2%
Age (yrs) 8Tests 228Avg Mileage 68,149Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 31.1%
2013High Fail Rate
56.4%
Age (yrs) 9Tests 225Avg Mileage 72,784Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 60.4%
2014High Fail Rate
55.7%
Age (yrs) 10Tests 230Avg Mileage 83,573Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 68.7%
2015High Fail Rate
48.4%
Age (yrs) 11Tests 223Avg Mileage 84,202Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 72.6%
2016High Fail Rate
55.6%
Age (yrs) 12Tests 196Avg Mileage 90,120Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 77.0%
2017High Fail Rate
50.5%
Age (yrs) 13Tests 186Avg Mileage 94,757Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 79.0%
2018High Fail Rate
44.5%
Age (yrs) 14Tests 119Avg Mileage 96,757Top Failure Brakes — 68.1%
2019High Fail Rate
53.8%
Age (yrs) 15Tests 106Avg Mileage 100,590Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 82.1%
2020High Fail Rate
54.1%
Age (yrs) 16Tests 85Avg Mileage 100,285Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 83.5%
2021High Fail Rate
46.2%
Age (yrs) 17Tests 78Avg Mileage 100,219Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 92.3%
2022High Fail Rate
50.0%
Age (yrs) 18Tests 46Avg Mileage 99,745Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 110.9%
2023High Fail Rate
52.1%
Age (yrs) 19Tests 48Avg Mileage 102,654Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 104.2%
2024High Fail Rate
52.6%
Age (yrs) 20Tests 38Avg Mileage 100,405Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 68.4%

Common MOT Failures

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

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
86.3%
↑ Increases with age
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment
48.2%
↑ Increases with age
Brakes
39.9%
↑ Increases with age
Suspension
28.3%
↑ Increases with age
Tyres
22.9%
↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

CategoryAt YoungestAt OldestChangeTrend
Suspension3.9% (5 yrs)55.3% (20 yrs)
+51.4%
🔴 ↑
Brakes12.3% (5 yrs)26.3% (20 yrs)
+14.0%
🔴 ↑
Tyres11.0% (5 yrs)15.8% (20 yrs)
+4.8%
🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

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

About This Data

This page shows how Smart Forfour Pulse cars manufactured in 2004 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 2,494 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.

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