Reliability & cost of ownership
Smart Fortwo Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Smart Fortwo? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars — then open the year you're shopping for a full reliability and repair-cost forecast.
Smart Fortwo problems by model year
5 recall entries and 343 owner complaints on file across 13 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Fortwo | 1 | 1 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2018 Fortwo | 0 | 1 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2017 Fortwo | 1 | 7 | 4.0 | Reliability forecast → |
| 2016 Fortwo | 0 | 20 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2015 Fortwo | 0 | 6 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2014 Fortwo | 0 | 13 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2013 Fortwo | 0 | 24 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2012 Fortwo | 0 | 8 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2011 Fortwo | 0 | 16 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2010 Fortwo | 0 | 6 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2009 Fortwo | 1 | 100 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2008 Fortwo | 2 | 139 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2005 Fortwo | 0 | 2 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Smart Fortwo, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- engine81 complaints
- power train70 complaints
- electrical system56 complaints
- unknown or other44 complaints
- seat belts33 complaints
- fuel/propulsion system25 complaints
- structure25 complaints
- engine and engine cooling23 complaints