Smart City 2005: MOT failure rate for its age
43.4% of 424 MOT tests of the Smart City first registered in 2005 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 104.3 (95% CI 89.2–119.4; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2005 build year is no different from other years of the same model at the same age. This is a rough estimate from a smaller sample.
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 43.4 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 424 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 89.2–119.4) | 104.3 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 424 |
| Rank among this model's 4 build years | 3 | of 4 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 424 |
| Tested in 2024 | 156 | tests | median 72,987 miles | 2024 | 156 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2005 Smart City fail at each age?
Cars built in 2005 were tested at ages 14 to 19 between 2019 and 2024. Each row compares their first-time failure share with what this model normally shows at that age, after allowing for the overall failure level of each test year.
| Age | Tests | Failed, % | 95% interval | Normal for this model at that age, % | Index (100 = normal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 256 (rough estimate) | 42.2 | 36.3–48.3 | not available | not available |
| 15 | 222 (rough estimate) | 42.3 | 36–48.9 | 41.7 | 101.6 |
| 16 | 202 (rough estimate) | 44.6 | 37.9–51.4 | 41.5 | 107.3 |
| 17 | 185 (rough estimate) | 43.2 | 36.3–50.4 | not available | not available |
| 18 | 167 (rough estimate) | 36.5 | 29.6–44.1 | not available | not available |
| 19 | 156 (rough estimate) | 34.6 | 27.6–42.4 | not available | not available |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 1,188 (initial tests) · Method: normal rate = this model's first-time failure share at that age across its build years (cells of 400+ tests), adjusted for each test year's overall level; cells of 30+ tests, under 500 marked rough · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
What fails most on the 2005 Smart City?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2005 is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 46.6 items per 100 first tests, against 46.4 across all build years of the Smart City. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2005 were tested at ages 14 to 19.
| Failure group | Built 2005, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 46.6 | 46.4 | 554 |
| Suspension | 21.4 | 21.3 | 254 |
| Visibility | 18.3 | 14.4 | 217 |
| Brakes | 15.7 | 15.6 | 187 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 10.4 | 10.4 | 123 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 1,188 (initial tests of this build year) · Method: failure items grouped by DVSA's top-level defect groups, per 100 initial tests; groups with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How does 2005 compare with the years around it?
Among the 4 published build years of the Smart City, 2005 ranks 3 (1 = fails least for its age). 2004: index 95.2. 2006: index 107.1.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 95.2 | 85.5–104.8 | no different (rough estimate) | 905 |
| 2005 | 104.3 | 89.2–119.4 | no different (rough estimate) | 424 |
| 2006 | 107.1 | 90.6–123.7 | no different (rough estimate) | 369 |
| 2007 | 102.1 | 82.4–121.9 | no different (rough estimate) | 251 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 1,949 (initial tests) · Method: observed failures against those expected for the same model at the same ages, test-year level adjusted; verdict follows the printed one-decimal bound · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How to cite this page
MOT Risk Index (2026). Smart City 2005 MOT statistics (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 30 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/smart-city-review-f7c5aa62/2005/
How every figure is calculated: methodology. Age, test year and build year are tied together (age = test year − build year), so the test-year level is taken as observed, not estimated.
Other pages for this model
Smart City 2004 · Smart City 2006 · Smart City 2007 · Smart City by postcode area · Smart City body, chassis and structure failures · Smart City brakes failures · Smart City vehicle identification failures · Smart City lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Smart City noise, emissions and leaks failures · Smart City seat belts and airbags failures · Smart City steering failures · Smart City suspension failures · Smart City tyres failures · Smart City visibility failures