Complaints by model year
Each bar is one model year. Highlighted: 2008. The most recent years are still collecting complaints.
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026
Year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Fortwo | 1 | 1 |
| 2018 Fortwo | 1 | 0 |
| 2017 Fortwo | 7 | 1 |
| 2016 Fortwo | 21 | 1 |
| 2015 Fortwo | 6 | 0 |
| 2014 Fortwo | 13 | 0 |
| 2013 Fortwo | 25 | 0 |
| 2012 Fortwo | 8 | 0 |
| 2011 Fortwo | 16 | 0 |
| 2010 Fortwo | 6 | 0 |
| 2009 FortwoMost complaints | 100 | 1 |
| 2008 FortwoMost complaints | 140 | 2 |
| 2005 Fortwo | 2 | 0 |
A model year gets its own page when it has enough data for at least three sections
Most common problems
- Engine82
- Power train71
- Electrical system57
- Unknown or other44
- Seat belts34
- Structure25
- Fuel/propulsion system25
- Engine and engine cooling23
NHTSA ODI complaints, all model years
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 50 Fortwo vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died, and 43 people died inside them. These are counts, not crash rates: a model with more cars on the road shows up more often, and people killed outside the vehicle are not counted here.
| Model year | Vehicles in fatal crashes | Deaths in the vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 1 | 1 |
| 2016 | 2 | 1 |
| 2015 | 2 | 1 |
| 2014 | 3 | 2 |
| 2013 | 10 | 9 |
| 2012 | 2 | 2 |
| 2011 | 3 | 2 |
| 2010 | 2 | 1 |
| 2009 | 14 | 15 |
| 2008 | 11 | 9 |
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain) · how we count
Crash-test ratings by year
NHTSA 5-star results for 3 model-year variants; 0 of 1 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Year | Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 2017 Smart Fortwo 2 DR RWD | ★★★★☆ | 14.7 % |
| 2012 | 2012 Smart Fortwo 2 DR RWD | — | 21.2 % |
| 2011 | 2011 Smart Fortwo 2 DR RWD | — | 21.2 % |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption by year
Official Canadian test results for 3 model years, best variant per year. Combined consumption ranges from 5.2–6.5 L/100 km.
| Year | Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | fortwo · Two-seater · Premium gasoline | 7.0 | 5.8 | 6.5 |
| 2006 | fortwo CDI · Two-seater · Diesel | 5.7 | 4.7 | 5.2 |
| 2005 | fortwo CDI · Two-seater · Diesel | 5.7 | 4.7 | 5.2 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
In New Zealand
464 Fortwo cars are on the New Zealand register; 65% arrived as used imports.
| Model year | Registered | Sold new in NZ | Used imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2018 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 2017 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 2016 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| 2015 | 20 | 0 | 20 |
| 2014 | 52 | 1 | 51 |
| 2013 | 41 | 0 | 41 |
| 2012 | 31 | 0 | 31 |
| 2011 | 30 | 0 | 27 |
| 2010 | 41 | 15 | 23 |
| 2009 | 34 | 8 | 24 |
| 2008 | 55 | 28 | 22 |
| 2007 | 28 | 26 | 2 |
| 2006 | 39 | 31 | 5 |
| 2005 | 35 | 30 | 4 |
| 2004 | 9 | 1 | 7 |
| 2003 | 14 | 0 | 11 |
| 2002 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| 2001 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
In the Netherlands
6,965 Fortwo cars are on Dutch roads; 21% arrived later as imports, and 247 still have a recall open. Open a year for APK defects, odometer checks and colours.
| First registered | On the road | Median list price |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 45 | €25,638 |
| 2018 | 348 | €20,487 |
| 2017 | 446 | €18,700 |
| 2016 | 351 | €17,238 |
| 2015 | 265 | €15,633 |
| 2014 | 240 | €14,168 |
| 2013 | 368 | €12,205 |
| 2012 | 519 | €11,835 |
| 2011 | 641 | €11,835 |
| 2010 | 696 | €13,189 |
| 2009 | 644 | €11,440 |
| 2008 | 799 | €13,899 |
| 2007 | 611 | €14,616 |
| 2006 | 312 | €12,899 |
| 2005 | 354 | €14,490 |
| 2004 | 326 | €11,917 |
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles (CC0) · list price is the manufacturer's catalogue price when new
Road collisions in Great Britain
From 2021 to 2025, 985 Fortwo cars were involved in road collisions in Great Britain that injured someone and were reported to the police. 11 of those collisions were fatal and 171 caused serious injuries. As with any count, models with more cars on British roads appear more often.
| Year | Cars in injury collisions | Fatal | Serious |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 176 | 2 | 34 |
| 2024 | 184 | 2 | 40 |
| 2023 | 193 | 4 | 35 |
| 2022 | 211 | 2 | 34 |
| 2021 | 221 | 1 | 28 |
Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data 2021–2025 · Open Government Licence v3.0 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
53,479 Fortwo cars were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, by year of manufacture.
| Built | Licensed | Off the road (SORN) |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 184 | — |
| 2023 | 277 | 9 |
| 2022 | 492 | 22 |
| 2021 | 691 | 22 |
| 2020 | 528 | 16 |
| 2019 | 1,808 | 33 |
| 2018 | 3,214 | 66 |
| 2017 | 4,626 | 121 |
| 2016 | 5,523 | 119 |
| 2015 | 2,145 | 48 |
| 2014 | 3,622 | 139 |
| 2013 | 4,303 | 231 |
| 2012 | 4,453 | 254 |
| 2011 | 3,684 | 365 |
| 2010 | 5,015 | 668 |
| 2009 | 5,293 | 734 |
| 2008 | 4,300 | 589 |
| 2007 | 1,852 | 375 |
| 2006 | 644 | 284 |
| 2005 | 454 | 293 |
| 2004 | 364 | 312 |
| 2003 | 3 | 1 |
| 2002 | 3 | — |
| 2000 | 1 | 1 |
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
6,799 Fortwo cars took their annual MOT test in 2023; 69% passed first time, against 63% for all cars of the same ages. Older cars fail more often, so compare a year with the same year of other cars.
| First registered | Tests | Passed first time |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 2,501 | 74% |
| 2012 | 767 | 71% |
| 2011 | 738 | 69% |
| 2010 | 870 | 64% |
| 2009 | 823 | 65% |
| 2008 | 688 | 63% |
| 2007 | 274 | 58% |
| 2006 | 138 | 65% |
Why they fail
Share of all first tests that ended in a fail because of each part of the car (one test can fail on several).
| Area | Fortwo | All cars, same ages |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 13.5% | 15.8% |
| Brakes | 8.6% | 8.6% |
| Suspension | 8.1% | 13.5% |
| Tyres | 5.6% | 7.1% |
| Visibility | 5.3% | 5.5% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 4.1% | 4.0% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 2.8% | 4.6% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 0.5% | 1.2% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests of cars only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
New registrations in Europe
131,161 new Smart Fortwo cars registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland between 2010 and 2022, from the European Environment Agency's CO₂ monitoring of every new car. In 2022 the largest markets were France (3), Spain (1).
| Year | New cars | CO₂ g/km |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 4 | 20 (WLTP) |
| 2020 | 1 | 78 (NEDC) |
| 2019 | 11,976 | 116 (WLTP) |
| 2018 | 8,907 | 115 (WLTP) |
| 2017 | 14,533 | 87 (NEDC) |
| 2016 | 15,808 | — |
| 2015 | 9,997 | — |
| 2014 | 10,547 | — |
| 2013 | 13,098 | — |
| 2012 | 13,632 | — |
| 2011 | 15,263 | — |
| 2010 | 17,395 | — |
Averages are weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value (NEDC until the WLTP switch). European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
EU safety alerts
Safety Gate, the European Union's rapid alert system, names the Fortwo in 8 alerts. European versions can differ from the North American car.
The adhesive bond between the roof section and the roof frame may become weak over time.As a result, the roof could become completely detached from the vehicle, increasing the risk of accident and injury for other road users.
The internal welds in the main cell diverters (connection between the individual cells and cell modules) of the high-voltage battery may not meet the specifications and could break, interrupting the electrical contact within the battery.This would result in th…
The strength of the left front steering knuckle may be insufficient. As a result, the steering knuckle could break, affecting the control of the vehicle.
As a result of the weakening of the braking rope wrench adjustment knob, the hand brake lever travel could be prolonged gradually. Thus, the parking brake may not exert the necessary force in all situations.
At high vehicle speed, combined with strong wind, the plastic front service hatch (located between the windscreen and headlights) can detach from the vehicle and fall into the traffic area.
The steering mechanism screws used for some vehicles may break, especially if subject to repeated vibrations. This may cause loss of control of the vehicle.
On the front-right brake caliper mounting, the tightening torque of the fastening bolts is inadequate. This can result in the brake caliper and the wheel rim coming into contact with each other. This can lead to loss of control of the vehicle, causing a risk o…
The car poses a risk of injury because due to an assembly fault, the seatbelt receivers and seats in some vehicles may not have been screwed in correctly, and the belt receivers and seats may not therefore withstand the resulting stresses.
Safety Gate (European Commission) · CC0
Recalls
5 campaigns cover the Fortwo.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling one 2019 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive vehicle. A welded joint within the high-voltage battery main cell conductors may detach and interrupt electrical contact, resulting in sudden battery failure. The detached weld may also cause an electrical arc which can ignite inside the battery cells.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2008-2009 smart fortwo cabrio and fortwo coupe vehicles. The rear insulation mat in the engine compartment may deform, deteriorate, and loosen over time, allowing the mat to contact hot exhaust system components.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 smart fortwo vehicles. In these vehicles, the lock nut that secures the parking brake cable to the parking brake lever may loosen over time, resulting in increased parking brake lever travel before the parking brake engages.
Mercedes-Benz USA LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017 smart fortwo and smart fortwo Cabriolet vehicles. Casting imperfections may result in the failure of the left front axle steering knuckle.
SMART USA IS RECALLING 43 MY 2008 FORTWO 451 VEHICLES. A SINGLE BATCH OF PAINT SENT TO THE COMPANY DID NOT MEET SPECIFICATIONS. A RE-WORK WAS DONE IN THE PLANT USING DIFFERENT FORMULATIONS OF PAINTING MATERIALS. AFTER THE RE-WORK WAS COMPLETED, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE COMBINATION OF MATERIALS USED TO REPAINT THE FRAME AND CHASSIS COULD LEAD TO DE LAMINATION OF THE PAINT MATERIALS FROM THE BODY AND FRAME STRUCTURES.
NHTSA recalls