Home · 2013 · Smart
2013 Smart Ed
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
24 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 28, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Complaints are overwhelmingly minor: almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#13 of 571Among the 2013 models with a matured record, the 2013 Smart Ed ranks #13, scoring higher than 96% of them. See the 2013 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
4/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2013 Smart ED 2 DR RWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 16%
No open NHTSA defect investigations on file.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2013 Smart Ed, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Seat belts (6) · Engine (6) · Transmission & drivetrain (5)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint. Treat them as a rough guide.
Seat belts
25%6 complaints
“THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT MOUNT, WHICH IN THIS CASE IS A STEEL CABLE, HAS MOSTLY BROKEN AND FRAYED RENDERING IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, IT WOULD …”
Engine
25%6 complaints
“ONE OF THE TWO V BELT FOR THE ALTERNATOR AND WATER PUMP SNAPPED WHILE DRIVING. LUCKILY I GET TO PULL OVER WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I HEARD THE BELT SNAP WHILE DRIVING AND I…”
Transmission & drivetrain
21%5 complaints
“THE GEAR CANNOT GO REVERSE. IT STUCK AT NEUTRAL. I CAN DRIVE FORWARD, NEUTRAL BUT NOT GO REVERSE.”
Electrical system
13%3 complaints
“Software for power control module is not correspond to the series level Software configuration. Basically it doesn't want to take charge due to the Software issues fro…”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.
Read all 24 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 3 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Smart before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- Owners of this model report seat belts problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any seat belts symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report engine problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any engine symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2013 Smart ED beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2013? See how every Ed model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2013 Smart Ed against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.