The 2017 smart fortwo is associated with 9 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 1 safety recall campaign in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is Electrical System, accounting for 2 reports (22% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 6 certified vehicle configurations spanning 0.9l 3-cyl and all-electric configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 34 to 35 MPG combined. All-electric variants deliver up to 108 MPGe with an estimated range of 58 miles.

Key Data Findings
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 9 reports
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 1 campaign
  • • Top Reported Defect Area: Electrical System (2 / 22%)
  • • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: 4 / 5 Stars
  • • EPA Efficiency: 34–35 MPG (6 variants)
Data Note: Compiled directly from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.
Fuel Economy
34–35MPG
6 EPA certified variants (0.9l 3-cyl and all-electric configurations)
Reported Complaints
9
9 submitted owner reports
Safety Recalls
1
1 official NHTSA recall
NCAP Safety Rating
4 / 5 Stars Overall

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2017 smart fortwo?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
fortwo cabriolet 0.9L 3-Cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic (AM6) 33 MPG 38 MPG 35 MPG — $2,150 / yr
fortwo coupe 0.9L 3-Cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic (AM6) 33 MPG 39 MPG 35 MPG — $2,150 / yr
fortwo cabriolet 0.9L 3-Cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd 31 MPG 38 MPG 34 MPG — $2,250 / yr
fortwo coupe 0.9L 3-Cyl Rear-Wheel Drive Manual 5-spd 31 MPG 39 MPG 34 MPG — $2,250 / yr
fortwo electric drive coupe 100% Electric Electric Motor Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic (A1) 124 MPGe 94 MPGe 108 MPGe 58 mi $700 / yr
fortwo electric drive convertible 100% Electric Electric Motor Rear-Wheel Drive Automatic (A1) 112 MPGe 91 MPGe 102 MPGe 57 mi $750 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.
Electric Range & Charging: The 2017 smart fortwo provides an official EPA-rated driving range of up to 58 miles on a single battery charge.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2017 smart fortwo?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
2 DR RWD 14.7%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as No in official NHTSA records for tested 2017 smart fortwo models.
View complete 2017 smart fortwo crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2017 smart fortwo?

Summary of 9 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
9
Crash Reports
0
Fire Reports
0
Complaints w/ Injury
0
Total Injuries
0

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Electrical System 2 complaints
Seat Belts 2 complaints
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 complaint
Powertrain 1 complaint
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 1 complaint

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2017 smart fortwo problems & component breakdown (7 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2017 smart fortwo?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #17V447000 Active Recall
Affected Component: STEERING

Defect Summary: Mercedes-Benz USA LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017 smart fortwo and smart fortwo Cabriolet vehicles. Casting imperfections may result in the failure of the left front axle steering knuckle.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the left front axle steering knuckle, replacing any from the affected batch, free of charge. The recall October 13, 2017. Owners may contact smart customer service at 1-877-496-3691.
View all 2017 smart fortwo recalls & campaign history (1 campaigns) →
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.