MOT Risk Index.co.uk

Smart Roadster 2005: MOT failure rate for its age

32.9% of 727 MOT tests of the Smart Roadster 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 93.7 (95% CI 81.8–105.5; 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.

Smart Roadster built in 2005 at a glance
MeasureValueUnitCompared withYearsTests
Failed first time32.9%all ages tested2019–2024727
Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 81.8–105.5)93.7index100 = normal for this model at that age2019–2024727
Rank among this model's 2 build years2of 21 = fails least for its age2019–2024727
Tested in 2024294testsmedian 72,589 miles2024294
line · Smart Roadster built 2005 · first-time MOT failure share by age · built 2005 31.8% vs model normal 34.5% at age 14 · 2019–2024
Built 2005 against Smart Roadster normal for the age: first-time MOT failure share at each age, age 14: 31.8% vs 34.5%; age 15: 34.3% vs 35.8%; age 16: 28.1% vs n/a%; age 17: 31% vs n/a%; age 18: 28.3% vs n/a%; age 19: 30.3% vs n/a%. Axis from 0% to 40%. DVSA MOT bulk data, 2019–2024.
Check a 2005 Smart Roadster by registration · All Smart Roadster MOT statistics · Download the build-year table (CSV)

Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).

How does the 2005 Smart Roadster 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.

Smart Roadster built 2005: first-time MOT failure by age, against the model's normal rate at that age (2019–2024)
AgeTestsFailed, %95% intervalNormal for this model at that age, %Index (100 = normal)
14400 (rough estimate)31.827.4–36.534.592
15327 (rough estimate)34.329.3–39.635.895.7
16335 (rough estimate)28.123.5–33.1not availablenot available
17326 (rough estimate)3126.2–36.2not availablenot available
18307 (rough estimate)28.323.6–33.6not availablenot available
19294 (rough estimate)30.325.3–35.8not availablenot available

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 1,989 (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 Roadster?

The most common failure group on cars built in 2005 is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 31.1 items per 100 first tests, against 32 across all build years of the Smart Roadster. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2005 were tested at ages 14 to 19.

Failure items per 100 first tests, Smart Roadster built 2005 against the Smart Roadster in all build years (2019–2024, not age-adjusted)
Failure groupBuilt 2005, per 100All build years, per 100Items
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment31.132619
Brakes16.316.2325
Suspension11.313.2225
Visibility7.37.7146
Tyres5.35106

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 1,989 (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 2 published build years of the Smart Roadster, 2005 ranks 2 (1 = fails least for its age). 2006: index 86.1.

Smart Roadster build years: index against the model at the same age (2019–2024)
Build yearIndex (100 = normal)95% intervalVerdictTests
200593.781.8–105.5no different (rough estimate)727
200686.166.9–105.4no different (rough estimate)265

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 992 (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 Roadster 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-roadster-review-7a5000ac/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 Roadster 2006 · Smart Roadster by postcode area · Smart Roadster body, chassis and structure failures · Smart Roadster brakes failures · Smart Roadster lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Smart Roadster noise, emissions and leaks failures · Smart Roadster seat belts and airbags failures · Smart Roadster steering failures · Smart Roadster suspension failures · Smart Roadster tyres failures · Smart Roadster visibility failures