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Smart Forfour Brabus Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Smart Forfour Brabus car check

Is the Smart Forfour Brabus reliable? We analysed 4,685 real MOT tests across 263 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 4,685 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
75.3%
Typical Mileage
64,506mi
Annual Mileage
4,228mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
21yrs

The Smart Forfour Brabus is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include registration plate lamp not working, windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively and tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Smart Forfour Brabus.

Smart Forfour Brabus Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Smart Forfour Brabus. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Smart Forfour Brabus MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Smart Forfour Brabus to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

73.6%
2008
77.7%
2007
75.9%
2006
74.4%
2005

Smart Forfour Brabus Problems — What Goes Wrong?

The most common reasons a Smart Forfour Brabus fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.

Registration plate lamp not working 77
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 62
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 62
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 53
Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords 43
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 41
coil spring broken 38
position lamp(s) not working 35

Smart Forfour Brabus Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Smart Forfour Brabus owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
2,070 mi/yr
Typical
4,228 mi/yr
Average
5,447 mi/yr
Heavy usage
7,169 mi/yr

Smart Forfour Brabus MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Smart Forfour Brabus year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2008 159 73.6% 32,444 60,994 92,835
2007 94 77.7% 35,573 62,597 90,941
2006 2,669 75.9% 40,699 63,538 87,788
2005 1,757 74.4% 45,481 66,560 92,146

How Long Does a Smart Forfour Brabus Last?

Based on 263 Smart Forfour Brabus vehicles on UK roads.

Average
16.0 years
Median
18.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
21 years

Smart Forfour Brabus Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Smart Forfour Brabus MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
64,506 mi
75th Percentile
89,762 mi
95th Percentile
123,320 mi
Max Recorded
446,066 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Smart Forfour Brabus

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
2007

77.7% MOT pass rate from 94 tests

Year to avoid
2008

73.6% MOT pass rate from 159 tests

The best year to buy a used Smart Forfour Brabus is 2007, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 77.7% across 94 tests. The 2008 model year has the lowest pass rate at 73.6% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Smart Forfour Brabus Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Smart Forfour Brabus THIS CAR 75.3% 4,685 64,506 mi 21 yrs
Smart Roadster 80 Auto(rhd) 74% 44,118 54,896 mi 23 yrs
Smart Fortwo Passion Mhd Auto 79.4% 44,035 38,367 mi 18 yrs
Smart City Passion 61 Auto 73% 27,463 48,099 mi 23 yrs
Volvo XC60 Rdesign Pro T8 PHEV AWD A 88% 1,684 38,594 mi — yrs

Compared to the Smart Roadster 80 Auto(rhd) (74.0% pass rate) and the Smart Fortwo Passion Mhd Auto (79.4% pass rate), the Smart Forfour Brabus sits in the middle of the pack on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Smart Forfour Brabus?

The Smart Forfour Brabus has an overall MOT pass rate of 75.3% across 4,685 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.

The most common problems on the Smart Forfour Brabus are registration plate lamp not working (77 recorded failures), windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (62), and tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (62). These are the faults most likely to cause an MOT failure on this model, so check for them carefully on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection. Many are wear-and-tear items that can be budgeted for, but a car that's already failing on multiple fronts may signal neglected maintenance.

A typical Smart Forfour Brabus owner drives around 4,228 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

In terms of longevity, most Smart Forfour Brabus models stay on UK roads for around 21 years — a strong showing that suggests solid build quality and readily available parts. If you're buying one that's already approaching that window, the data suggests it has plenty of life left provided it's been maintained.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Smart Forfour Brabus — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Smart Forfour Brabus reliable?
Based on 4,685 MOT tests, the Smart Forfour Brabus has a 75.3% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Smart Forfour Brabus?
The most common MOT failures are registration plate lamp not working, windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively, and tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Smart Forfour Brabus do per year?
The typical Smart Forfour Brabus does around 4,228 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Smart Forfour Brabus last?
Most Smart Forfour Brabus models stay on UK roads for around 21 years based on our analysis of 263 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Smart Forfour Brabus?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.
What is the best year to buy a Smart Forfour Brabus?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Smart Forfour Brabus is 2007 with a 77.7% pass rate across 94 tests.