Smart Fortwo

72 complaints across 3 scored model years and 1 recall campaigns.

Which years to avoid

Ownership label · Smart Fortwo Full report

Grade 2011–2016

2016 vs model median 1.0×

Model median3× median

Fuel System 4

Engine 3

Electrical 3

Weakest

2013 · 2016

Best

2011 · 2013

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Severity-weighted complaint volume and grade by model year for the Smart Fortwo
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2011	0.80×	14	B
2013	1.00×	16	B
2016	1.02×	18	B

Recalls

1 campaign on record.

Recall campaigns, largest first
Campaign	Component	Model years	Units affected
17V448000	PARKING BRAKE	2016	5,061

Others in Subcompact Cars

Same body and size class. Each grade describes that model against its own history — these are not ranked against each other.

Other models in the same segment
Model	Years to avoid	Grade
Chevrolet Aveo	none flagged	B
Chevrolet Sonic	20122013	C
Chevrolet Spark	20132014	B
Fiat 500	20122014	C
Fiat 500L	2014	C
Ford Fiesta	20112013	C
Honda FIT	20132015	C
Hyundai Accent	20122013	C

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2016 Fortwo

Complaints in window: 18
Severity-weighted: 25.5
Model median (weighted): 25
vs model median: 1.02×
Recall campaigns (weighted): 1
Open investigations: 0

Score 72 B