The ultimate city parking weapon in miniature form
The Smart City Coupe (later renamed ForTwo) is an ultra-compact two-seater city car just 2.7 metres long, sold from 2000 in the UK. It was marketed as a premium urban runabout under the Mercedes-Benz umbrella, appealing to city dwellers who needed easy parking and cheap running costs above all else. Its unique design makes it a love-it-or-hate-it proposition, and it remains one of the most recognisable city cars ever made.
We track 5 known issues across the Smart (mcc) CITY Coupe range, including 2 rated as safety-critical. Knowing which variants and configurations to approach with caution can save you from expensive surprises after purchase.
Found a Smart (mcc) CITY Coupe? Enter the reg to see which of our 5 known issues apply to that exact car, plus full MOT history and mileage checks.
MCC1 (1998–2007) — Engine options included the 0.6L naturally aspirated, 0.7L naturally aspirated. Our database flags 5 known issues on this generation, 2 of which are rated as safety-critical. The most significant concern is Brake hose deterioration (£80–£150 to address).
The flexible brake hoses on Smart City Coupe models deteriorate at an exceptionally high rate, with MOT failure rates reaching 68 times the national fleet average. The hoses become damaged, chafed, twisted or stretched, creating a direct safety risk. This affects both 0.6L and 0.7L variants across all mileage ranges and appears to be worsening year-on-year. The compact packaging and tight routing of brake lines in the Smart's design may contribute to accelerated wear.
Brake hose failure can result in complete loss of braking on the affected circuit, creating an immediate accident risk. Emergency replacement is required if deterioration is found. The car should not be driven with suspect brake hoses.
Check brake disc condition for lipping or scoring. Test braking at moderate speed for pulling to one side or vibration through the steering wheel. Review MOT advisories for brake-related items.
The brake system on 0.6L City Coupe models develops insufficient pedal reserve travel at a rate 65 times higher than the national average, particularly around 40,000-60,000 miles. This indicates either brake system wear, air in the hydraulic system, or brake adjustment issues. The problem appears to be worsening and may be related to the documented brake hose deterioration affecting this model.
Insufficient brake pedal reserve travel indicates a brake system fault that could result in extended stopping distances or complete brake failure. The vehicle should not be driven until the brake system is professionally inspected and repaired.
Check brake disc condition for lipping or scoring. Test braking at moderate speed for pulling to one side or vibration through the steering wheel. Review MOT advisories for brake-related items.
Smart City Coupe models experience fuel system leaks at a rate 44 times higher than the national fleet average, affecting both engine variants. The leaks typically occur in the fuel lines, connections, or filler cap system. This issue spans a wide mileage range from 20,000 to 100,000 miles and appears to be worsening, suggesting a design or material issue with the fuel system components.
Fuel leaks present a fire risk and cause MOT failure. Active fuel leaks must be repaired immediately. The vehicle should not be driven with confirmed fuel system leaks due to the fire hazard.
Check for fuel smells around the engine bay and underneath the car. Look for staining or wetness around fuel lines and connections. Injector issues may cause rough running or misfires that are most noticeable at idle.
Suspension pins, bushes and joints wear at rates up to 32 times higher than the national fleet average on Smart City Coupe models. This affects both engine variants across a wide mileage range, with over 3,000 MOT failures recorded. The compact suspension design and potentially under-specified components for the vehicle's weight distribution appear to cause premature wear of bushings and joint components.
Worn suspension components affect handling, steering precision, and tyre wear patterns. Severely worn components can cause MOT failure and create handling unpredictability. Progressive replacement is typically required rather than individual component fixes.
Listen for knocking, clunking or rattling over bumps during the test drive. Inspect the underside for corroded or cracked suspension components. Check the MOT history for suspension-related advisories, which often predict future failures.
The mountings become severely damaged or deteriorated, resulting in excessive engine movement. This affects both 0.6L and 0.7L variants from 40,000 miles upward and appears to be a worsening trend, suggesting the original mounting design was inadequate for long-term durability.
Worn engine mounts cause excessive vibration, accelerated wear of other components, and potential damage to exhaust or cooling systems from excessive engine movement. Severely worn mounts can cause MOT failure and make the car unpleasant to drive.
Check all auxiliary systems during the test drive — air conditioning (both hot and cold), engine mounts (excessive vibration at idle or clunking when pulling away) and all belt-driven accessories. Listen for squealing or chirping from the belt area.
For the full breakdown of all 5 tracked issues with repair costs, see the Smart (mcc) CITY Coupe common problems page.
Based on 30k real DVSA MOT tests, the Smart (mcc) CITY Coupe fails more often than average on several items. The biggest outlier is light unit fault at 87x the fleet average, followed by brake hoses perished or damaged (68x).
When viewing a specific car, check its MOT history for recurring advisories in these categories. See the full Smart (mcc) CITY Coupe MOT failure breakdown for data at every mileage point.
Routine servicing (oil and filter change every 9k miles) typically costs £60–£90 at an independent garage.
See the full Smart (mcc) CITY Coupe service schedule for every interval and cost breakdown.
The Smart (mcc) CITY Coupe has some well-documented weak points, including 2 safety-critical issues that demand careful checking. The right example, properly maintained, can still be a sound purchase — but cutting corners on the pre-purchase inspection is not advisable. Post-2003 models (when it was renamed ForTwo) benefited from incremental improvements. The mid-2001 facelift brought improved front suspension. For the original City Coupe shape (2000-2007), later 2004-2007 cars are the most refined. Avoid very early 2000-2001 cars which had the most teething problems.
Before committing, check the car's full MOT history, verify the service record is complete, and if possible arrange a specialist inspection. Enter any registration into our free report to see the complete picture.
Get Car Wise maintains a database of known mechanical issues for every popular car on UK roads, tracking the faults that owners, specialists and DVSA data reveal.
When you run a report on a specific Smart (mcc) CITY Coupe, we cross-reference the exact variant, engine and age against our database of 5 known issues. Combined with full MOT history analysis, mileage verification and DVLA data, you get a complete picture before viewing.
Enter the registration for MOT history, mileage verification, known faults for that exact variant, and a Get Car Wise Score.
This guide was compiled from independent expert reviews, DVSA MOT data, specialist workshops and our own database of 5 known Smart (mcc) CITY Coupe issues. We are not affiliated with any source listed.