smart Reliability Overview
Based on 546 real complaints filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
smart reliability varies significantly by model. Compare models below and review the specific model-year page before buying.
Is smart reliable? Quick answer
Based on 546 real NHTSA complaints across 1 smart models
smart shows above-average complaint rates — research the specific model carefully. smart's brand-wide crash rate of 5.9% is above the mainstream average. This doesn't mean every smart is problematic — several models are fine — but buyers should research the specific model year carefully, especially around engine problems.
1 reported fatalities in smart complaints. Scroll down for the full model-by-model breakdown, or use the links above to jump to a specific model's year-by-year page.
Best smart Models to Buy
Lowest complaint severity among smart models with enough data for a confident comparison (200+ complaints).
Worst smart Models to Avoid
All 1 smart models — sorted by severity (highest first)
Pick your model above, then check the VIN.
NHTSA data tells you which models & years to avoid. The VIN tells you if this specific car has hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Full report just $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Most Common smart Problems
Components most reported across all smart models in NHTSA complaints.
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| Engine Problems | 85 | 1.2% |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 75 | 5.3% |
| Electrical Faults | 69 | 1.4% |
| Seat Belt Issues | 37 | 0.0% |
| Fuel System | 26 | 11.5% |
| Body Structure | 25 | 8.0% |
| Engine & Cooling | 22 | 0.0% |
| Brakes | 18 | 22.2% |
| Airbags | 18 | 44.4% |
| Steering Defects | 10 | 40.0% |
smart Reliability — Frequently Asked Questions
How many NHTSA complaints does smart have?
smart has 546 NHTSA consumer complaints across 1 distinct models in the VinItel database (1995–present). 6.2% of those complaints involved a crash, and 1 involved a fatality. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation via VinItel.
Which smart model has the most NHTSA complaints?
By total complaint volume, the top smart models are: smart Fortwo (473 complaints). Note that higher-volume models naturally accumulate more complaints, so per-model severity depends on sales volume and crash rate. See the full sortable ranking at vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/smart.
What are the most common smart problems?
Across all smart models in the NHTSA database, the most-reported issue categories are: Engine Problems (85 complaints, 1.2% crash rate); Transmission / Drivetrain (75 complaints, 5.3% crash rate); Electrical Faults (69 complaints, 1.4% crash rate). Crash percentages indicate how often that component failure resulted in an accident — higher percentages are safety-critical.
Which smart model years should I avoid?
smart models with the highest severity scores include smart Fortwo. Specific model years to avoid depend on the model — click any smart model to see its year-by-year breakdown with complaint counts, crash rates, and recalls. Our AVOID label is applied when a year's normalized complaint rate exceeds 1.5× the model's median.
Which smart model is the most reliable?
Among smart models with at least 200 NHTSA complaints (enough data for a confident comparison), the lowest severity scores are: smart Fortwo (473 complaints). Lower complaint volume plus lower crash/fire/injury rates indicates fewer reported safety issues per vehicle on the road.
Is smart a reliable car brand?
NHTSA complaint data shows reliability varies significantly by model and year within every major brand — including smart. A brand-level reliability verdict is misleading because it averages a bad year of one model with a great year of another. VinItel's approach: pick your target smart model + year and view that specific page for actionable reliability data. See vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/smart to browse all 1 smart models.
Should I buy a used smart?
Buying used requires two checks: (1) research the specific model + year for known problems using the NHTSA data on this page, and (2) run a VIN report on the exact car to check for hidden accidents, title issues, and odometer rollbacks. VinItel offers both — reliability research is free, individual VIN reports are $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99). Common smart issues to ask about during inspection include engine problems.
Looking for accident history? See smart accident & safety statistics from our 16M+ vehicle history database.
Buying a smart?
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