2004 Smart City Passion 61 Auto — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 1,072 MOT tests analysed for the 2004 Smart City Passion 61 Auto, the most common recorded failure areas were lighting & signalling, visibility and suspension. Its pass rate of 74.0% was in line with the average for cars of a similar age (74.2%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 31.4% in the 120-150k group versus 18.2% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 20.6% | 221 |
| 2 | Visibility | 9.5% | 102 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.3% | 100 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 7.6% | 81 |
| 5 | Brakes | 6.6% | 71 |
| 6 | Tyres | 4.7% | 50 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 150 |
| 2 | Washers | 87 |
| 3 | Catalyst emissions | 84 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 76 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 57 |
| 6 | Coil spring | 41 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 34.1% | 366 |
| 2 | Tyres | 26.7% | 286 |
| 3 | Suspension | 24.0% | 257 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 16.1% | 173 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 13.9% | 149 |
| 6 | Other defects | 9.7% | 104 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 66 | 18.2% |
| 30-60k | 328 | 26.2% |
| 60-90k | 441 | 27.2% |
| 90-120k | 166 | 23.5% |
| 120-150k | 35 | 31.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 300 | 29.3% |
| 2022 | 252 | 27.4% |
| 2023 | 212 | 22.6% |
| 2024 | 179 | 25.1% |
| 2025 | 129 | 22.5% |
What to check before buying a 2004 City Passion 61 Auto
Before buying a 2004 Smart City Passion 61 Auto, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Lighting & signalling accounted for 20.6% of tests for this year.
- Lighting & signalling (20.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (9.5% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Suspension (9.3% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2004 Smart City Passion 61 Autos pass their MOT?
74.0% of the 1,072 2004 Smart City Passion 61 Auto MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2004 Smart City Passion 61 Auto?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 20.6% of tests, followed by visibility (9.5%).
Does the 2004 City Passion 61 Auto get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 18.2% in the 0-30k band to 31.4% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,072 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.