Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2001 Smart (mcc) City Cabriolet?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2001 Smart (mcc) City Cabriolet?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2001 Smart (mcc) City Cabriolet?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

How many 2001 Smart (mcc) City Cabriolet vehicles have had dangerous defects recorded?

30% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Search the registration on CarHunch — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.

Is the 2001 Smart (mcc) City Cabriolet reliable?

Based on MOT data from 184 vehicles, the 2001 Smart (mcc) City Cabriolet has a first-time MOT pass rate of 71.6%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2001 Smart (mcc) City Cabriolet?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Smart (mcc) City Cabriolet (2001)

184 real MOT outcomes analysed • 71.6% first-time pass rate

2001 Smart (mcc) City Cabriolet

CarHunch analysed 184 real MOT records for the 2001 Smart (mcc) City Cabriolet. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Compare Models

The 2001 Smart City Cabriolet has a first-time MOT pass rate of 71.6%, which trails the UK average of 80% by a meaningful margin—and nearly a third of these cars (29.9%) have recorded dangerous defects at some point, making it a buyer concern worth taking seriously. With petrol examples showing a 71.4% pass rate, fuel type isn't the issue here.

These Smarts are running relatively light at a median of 53,337 miles for their age, yet still average 4.32 failures per test, suggesting wear-related problems hit hard even at moderate mileage. The high advisory count (12.7 per vehicle) points to accumulated small issues rather than catastrophic failure, but before buying one, get a full pre-purchase inspection focused on suspension, brakes, and rust—this model doesn't age gracefully.

We have limited data for the 2001 Smart (mcc) City Cabriolet — treat the figures below as indicative rather than definitive.

⚠️ Over 1 in 5 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

71.6%

UK average ~80%

Below average

Dangerous (ever)

29.9%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

4.32

Over 14.1 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

53k

Middle half: 39k–72k

For context

These stats describe 184 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

Buyer beware — pass it on

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 184 Smart (mcc) City Cabriolet cars.

Before you buy a 2001 Smart (mcc) City Cabriolet

Based on MOT data from 184 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 29.9% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Petrol (98%)	181	71.4%	4.35

Mileage Distribution

Most 2001 Smart (mcc) City Cabriolet vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

53,337

typical

39,455

low mileage

72,307

high mileage

Half of all 2001 Smart (mcc) City Cabriolet vehicles fall between 39,455 and 72,307 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 39,455 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 39,455–72,307 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2001 Smart (mcc) City Cabriolets sit.

⚠ Over 97,614 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2001 Smart (mcc) City Cabriolet — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 14% of 2001 Smart (mcc) City Cabriolets are still active.

Numbers are declining — 15 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 (14% of peak).

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2025.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

14.1

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

4.32

Avg failures per vehicle

12.7

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Smart (mcc) City Cabriolet: All City Cabriolet years → Which year to buy? →

2000 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Or browse all models: Smart (mcc) →

Compare with another model

See how the 2001 Smart (mcc) City Cabriolet stacks up against a rival.

Buyer beware — pass it on