The re-emergence of the Smart brand, once known for its distinct two-seater city car, is long overdue. The Smart ForTwo attracted attention for its innovative design when it was first introduced in the early 2000s, but it didn’t ignite the market, with its high cost and restricted usefulness making it only popular among a handful of early car-sharing initiatives and advertising ventures.
The vehicle’s early models were noted for their vexing automatic gearbox, which was underwhelming to say the least. The Smart ForTwo had moderate success in the bustling cities of Europe but didn’t make significant inroads in the Irish market. Is this revival poised for success?
The vehicle’s loud engine, never the highlight of the driving experience, is being replaced by an electric motor, a move unlikely to negatively impact brand perceptions. The Smart brand has now joined forces with Mercedes and China’s Zhejiang Geely Group, the latter of which owns several notable names including Volvo and Polestar.
The public’s readiness to embrace new brands improves the brand’s odds of gaining customers, provided it delivers the right product and value. This is also a strategic move for Mercedes, which aims to trim down its entry-level models and place emphasis on its higher-end models with their higher profit margins. The introduction of Smart gives Mercedes a continued presence in the smaller car market and offers its distributors a way to keep customers. For Geely, it presents an additional model to leverage its SEA electric vehicle platform which is already employed in vehicles like the Volvo EX30.
The newly revamped Smart #1 seems to have got the formula correct. With a sleek and stylish design, shifting away from the quirky original Smart look to something more akin to a robust Mini, it manages to strike a balance between a hatchback and a crossover without appearing squared. The car’s interior reveals the advantages of having the backing of Mercedes and Volvo’s parent company, boasting top quality fittings and a touch of luxury in the cabin.
A sizeable 13-inch (33cm) screen takes centre stage on the dashboard, and all but the most basic models showcase a sleek digital driver display, complete with a heads-up display for the more premium offerings. Volvo, who decided to omit the driver display from the EX30 model should pay attention.
Mercedes components are heavily utilised in the central console, mirroring that of the previous C-class. With it comes a practical, wireless charging tray stating out of sight under a cover, which also conceals USB ports to eliminate mobile phone notifications during driving. An expansive storage space under the console along with generous door compartments, keeps the front of the car deceptively spacious. The seating, like Volvo’s, provides an impressive level of comfort.
This comfort extends to the back seats, providing ample headroom competitive with the most popular crossovers in addition to generous legroom for adults. Indeed, it appears considerably more spacious than its Volvo relative, the EX30.
Drawbacks do exist though. The boot space, while sufficient for everyday groceries, does not live up to the room implied by its substantial exterior.
Furthermore, the touchscreen control system, which features a cartoon fox avatar for the voice control system, may not appeal to all tastes. The main problem, as observed with many new models, is that essential utilities are hidden within complex menus, which are awkward to navigate especially whilst driving. Smart is not the primarily guilty party here, but they could have perhaps utilised the help of Mercedes when configuring the user functionality on and off screen.
When it comes to driving, Smart has to balance their performance ambitions against the car’s substantial weight. This is a heavyweight vehicle, and that plays out in its performance, despite the impressive torque of the electric motor and a respectable 0-100km/h time of 6.7 seconds, which is pretty fast for a typical hatchback.
Despite the Smart #1′s manoeuvrability being hindered by its weight, it manages to deliver a surprisingly smooth ride, even on the lesser maintained roads in Ireland. It effortlessly absorbs the familiar bumps and potholes with the proficiency of a high-end SUV with a far higher price tag, all whilst avoiding that undulating ‘spring-like’ feeling whilst on the move.
The Launch Edition, Pro +, and Premium models of the Smart #1 Premium electric vehicle are all equipped with a 62kWh nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) battery pack, powering a 272hp electric motor. This configuration claims a total driving range of 440km from a fully charged battery, but in practice, this mileage may be closer to approximately 350km.
The base Pro model comes fitted with a smaller, 49kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery, reducing the official range to a modest 310km.
In our recent test drive of the Premium model, we observed an energy consumption rate of 17.5kWh per 100km – a reasonably decent figure. This was marginally surpassed by the BYD Dolphin, which achieved a more efficient average of 13.2kWh per 100km, albeit in a more compact and significantly cheaper vehicle.
Although our test car retailed at €48,332, making it a challenging sell to even devoted Mercedes buyers, the base model starts at a more accessible €37,479. The mid-range Pro +, priced at €41,894, arguably provides the best value for money, particularly with its superior-range NCM battery pack.
Competition is fierce in the electric vehicle sector, beginning with the practical BYD Dolphin and spanning myriad other brands, including Volvo’s EX30, which has a starting price of €44,995.
Sadly, the #1 – and the forthcoming #3 – lack the unique flair and ingenuity associated with the original Smart vehicles, a far cry from the idiosyncratic ForTwo. The shortcomings of the original Smart were its impracticality and high price. Thanks to its sleek design and practical improvements, the current model of the Smart is poised to appeal to a wider range of Irish customers than previous versions, potentially winning over even those Mercedes buyers who have been left out.
To sum up, the Smart #1 Premium sports a 272hp electric motor, powered by a 62kWh NCM battery pack, offering an official WLTP range of 440km. It can achieve 0-100km/h in 6.7 seconds and supports a maximum charging speed of 22kW AC or 150kW DC.
The vehicle in question, which is assessed at €48,332 as tested, begins at €37,479 for a version with a lesser battery capacity. We gave it a score of 3 out of 5. Its aesthetic design is clever and driving it provides a pleasurably smooth experience.