Well, there’s quite a lot to unpack here, but let’s start by clearing up the name. This is the smart #1. And yes, you are meant to say “Hashtag One” in full like someone who has just discovered this crazy new piece of tech called ‘The Internet’. Obviously we won’t, we’ll just call it the ‘One’ like any normal functioning human being.
IS IT REALLY A SMART CAR?
Here’s where we have to start picking apart Smart’s backstory. Smart means the ForTwo, right? That titchy urban two-seater that everyone greeted as the future of city mobility and then not enough people bought to make it viable. It was a joint project with Swatch (the watch company) originally, but then Merc took control using outside partners to assist.
So the first four-seater, the ForFour was a joint venture with Mitsubishi. There were other models: the curious Crossblade and the well-received Roadster, for instance, but Mercedes has never seemed to have its heart fully in the project. Yet nor could it bring itself to abandon Smart despite the fact it’s lost money consistently. The ForTwo and ForFour have soldiered on through various facelifts and reinventions, including going all-electric from 2019.
AND NOW WE HAVE A PROPER REINVENTION?
We do. In June 2020 Smart Europe GmbH was reborn as a 50:50 joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and the ever-expanding Chinese firm Geely. Sales of the ForTwo will continue until around 2024, but the plan is to abandon the radical city strategy and copy everyone else with a surge into the mainstream crossover market.
We know. Just the same as everyone else. Our fault for not buying enough of the funky stuff while we had the chance.
SO WHAT ACTUALLY IS THE #1?
A very carefully targeted car from a very carefully targeted brand. Basically Smart has seen what BMW has done with Mini and copied them. Mini deserted small clever cars immediately in favour of a retro-funkiness that has made it very successful. Mercedes wants Smart to do the same and has worked out the quickest/best way of achieving that is to buy in the bits it needs. Hence the joint venture with Geely (the firm that also owns Lotus and Volvo – so inevitably this will have something in common with the forthcoming Volvo EX30).
SO THE KEY RIVAL IS THE MINI COUNTRYMAN?
Exactly that, although the list of rivals is ridiculously lengthy, ranging from hatchbacks such as the recently improved VW ID.3 to crossovers like the soon-to-be-replaced Hyundai Kona Electric, Toyota bZ4X, Skoda Enyaq, BYD Atto3, Kia Soul EV etc, etc.
Underneath it’s based on a dedicated EV platform supplied by Geely (SEA-2 for all you platform nerds out there), with all versions getting a 62kWh (net) battery for a maximum claimed range of 273 miles. Up top all design inside and out is done by Mercedes, as is the suspension tuning.
WHAT TRIM LEVELS CAN I HAVE?
There are two main trim levels, Pro+ and Premium. The former is the entry version, costing £35,950; the latter adds kit (most of which you probably don’t need: head up display, matrix LED lights, Beats sound system and auto park assist) and costs £3,000 more.
There’s a quirk, though. Both get a 264bhp motor that drives the rear wheels with 253lb ft of torque. However, despite the stats being the same the Premium model gets a different motor and inverter to eke out 273 miles of range. The Pro+ makes do with 260 miles. A smaller battery entry-level iteration has been mooted, but not confirmed. All versions can currently charge at up to 150kW, which means a 10 to 80 per cent top-up in less than 30 minutes. They can also accept 22kW AC charging, which could be handy if you’re able to charge on three-phase at work.
HOW QUICK ARE THEY?
The claim is 0-62mph in 6.7 seconds, and they feel easily that brisk – although being rear-drive only they can trigger the traction control if you get a bit hasty with the throttle out of junctions. There’s an answer to that though: have the 4WD Brabus version.
SORRY, DID YOU SAY BRABUS?
We did. Brabus does have history with Smart of course, but a lot of the time the Bottrop-based tuner has been limited to styling bits and has had to leave the powertrain alone. We’d guess they’ve had precious little to do with it this time round as well, although the power figure is a more suitable 422bhp.
This brings the 0-62mph sprint down to a faintly ridiculous 3.9s. In a family crossover. Bonkers, but not unique. There are also very quick 4WD versions of the Volvo XC40 Recharge, Tesla Model Y, Kia EV6 and the new MG4 XPower. You don’t need them. In every case the less powerful car is the better to drive. Except here. More on that in the Driving tab.
You’ll be able to spot a Brabus by its aero-spec 19-inch wheels, sporty bodykit with extended spoiler, fake vents in front of the bonnet and red accents. However, just as Smart has changed, we’re not to think of Brabus as a sporting version now, but as a luxury flagship.
WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO KNOW?
The interior is where you’ll see most of the Mercedes influence with some recognisable parts bin bits on the centre console. The infotainment setup is all new though, with fancy gaming tech and an artificially intelligent fox that acts as a travel companion. Not as wacky as it sounds though, sadly. It’s got spacious back seats, but a small boot. Click through to the Interior tab for more.
Proportions-wise there’s a certain overlap with the Kia Soul EV, but it’s not as aerodynamic as that sleek, integrated front end might suggest. The drag factor is 0.29Cd. But it’s quiet on the move and majors on comfort and refinement.
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
From £35,950. There’s an inevitable Launch Edition costing £39,450 that’s limited to just 100 cars in the UK, while the Brabus retails at £43,450.
What's the verdict?
“The Geely underpinnings offer decent range and road manners… but it's not distinctive, interesting or different”
It’s yet another competent, inoffensive but slightly limited crossover entering into a very congested market. The styling is rounded and playful (apart from the toupee-like rear roof treatment) and it feels well made and bright inside. The Geely underpinnings offer decent range and road manners and it comes across as class competitive. But not distinctive, interesting or different. It’s a Kia Soul EV wrapped up in a different body. But then look where distinctive and different got Smart last time round…
It’s just a shame that the innovation that used to characterise Smart has gone too. This is a generic crossover built on a borrowed platform. If that doesn’t matter to you, if you can see past the pointlessly tiny frunk and small boot, and the often irritating infotainment and driver awareness systems, then the #1 (yes, we’ve spelled it out) is tempting because it drives cleanly, has good visibility and seems robust. It’s also commendably good value – and if you’re a straight line shove addict, the Brabus version delivers plenty of that.
Mini Countryman
£23,125 – £42,595
Volkswagen ID.3
£29,565 – £40,495
Hyundai Kona Electric
£17,240 – £40,895
Continue reading: Driving
Driving
What is it like to drive?
Forgive us for starting with the Brabus, but it’s worth doing because the 422bhp 4WD car is not only much faster, but has better traction and body control because all four wheels are splitting the load. It’s not much stiffer or sportier than the lesser versions, but drives with more confidence. Especially in the wet.
And yes, it’ll sit down on its rear suspension and fling you towards the horizon at a faintly shocking rate, but does have brakes that are able to overcome the 1,900kg kerbweight (100kg more than the regular #1). Yes, the rear motor is more powerful and if you stamp on the throttle mid corner the tail will kick out slightly before the traction control gets involved, but it all seems to be pulling in the right direction. It’s actually more alarming when you lose traction in the regular, rear-drive car.
I’M JUST GOING TO BE SHUTTLING THE KIDS AROUND.
Then know the Brabus has a 248-mile range, while the Premium manages 273 miles. That car, with 264bhp, a 0-62mph time of 6.7 seconds and a top speed of 112mph, is more than rapid enough.
DOES IT GO AROUND CORNERS?
Better than we anticipated actually. The suspension is fairly soft, but the damping is good, so roll builds consistently and the #1 manages to hide its 1,800kg quite well. It helps that the wheels are pushed out to the corners, which keeps as much weight as possible within the wheelbase.
There’s no steering feel to speak of, but it’s quiet and composed on the move. There’s little noise from tyres or suspension (often a key source of road noise and general background buzz), and on the whole it’s obedient and well mannered at higher speeds.
WHAT ABOUT AT LOW SPEEDS?
Our key bugbear is the regen braking, which works smoothly at high speeds, but is patchy and grabby at low speeds, making it hard to drive smoothly. And don’t even think of engaging the radar cruise/driving assistant. That’s jerky and clueless. The turning circle is reasonable, and because of the low scuttle you can actually see the bonnet which makes it easier to position when you are manoeuvering, and forward visibility is pretty good.
WHAT ABOUT MODES? THERE’S BOUND TO BE MODES.
You’ve got Eco, Comfort and Sport drive modes with a further option of Light, Medium or Heavy steering, with the latter providing the greatest weight and response to your inputs. There’s a choice of either Standard or Strong regenerative braking too, although the difference between the two isn’t much and the feel of the actual brake pedal leaves a lot to be desired. An e-Pedal mode supposedly offers one-pedal driving, but we found it didn’t generate enough regen to stop the car quickly when lifting off the accelerator.
IS IT COMFORTABLE?
It is, partly because of the low background noise levels mentioned above, and partly because of the well cushioned suspension. There are no adaptive dampers, but it’s set up on the soft side and there’s a good amount of tyre sidewall to absorb bumps.
IS IT EFFICIENT?
Smart claims 3.7 mi/kWh for the rangiest Premium trim, which is pretty average as efficiency goes. We got around 3.2 mi/kWh in mixed driving, with the Brabus on recording about 2.8 mi/kWh. As we said earlier, although it looks like it should be clean through the air, it’s actually not particularly aerodynamic. Not least because it wears wide 235-width tyres.
Previous: Overview
Continue reading: Interior
Interior
What is it like on the inside?
Lots to talk about in here, even if at first glance it looks a little bit bare. Almost everything is controlled in the central infotainment screen, which is 12.8-inches in size no matter what trim you go for. It apparently uses chips and processors from the world of gaming (we’re told it’s Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8155 chipset), with the home screen being full of information and confusing graphics.
It’s a responsive screen though and there’s shortcuts to the climate controls along the bottom. Right now Apple CarPlay is integrated, but Android Auto is yet to come. Mods should come easily, as the Smart supports over the air updates.
Lots of rather crucial functions are buried in sub menus of the system too – for instance trying to turn off the overly loud fake engine noise will take you deep into the murky depths, while adjusting your mirrors requires a tap on the screen and then multiple presses of the steering-wheel mounted buttons.
IS THERE A DRIVER DISPLAY?
All #1s get a slim 9.2-inch digital instrument cluster with your key numbers, while Premium and above get an additional 10-inch head-up display. Oh, and we need to talk about the AI fox. It’s supposed to be a kind of virtual travel companion, but at the moment it essentially seems to be able to set the sat nav for you and open a window with a voice command.
Perhaps Smart should have started with a smarter animal like an owl? That’s how this coding thing works, isn’t it? Anyway, most of the time the fox just sits in the corner of your infotainment screen doing keepie-uppies with a beach ball. Strange.
LET’S GET AWAY FROM FOOTIE FOXES. IS IT PRACTICAL?
Sort of. If you’re going to be carrying passengers, it’s a good choice. Head and legroom in the rear seats is impressive (as is the wide opening to get in) and you can slide your feet under the front seats even when they’re in their lowest setting.
Each side of the 60:40 split back bench slides, which obviously cuts legroom, but allows greater boot space. However, there are issues. Maximum volume is a reasonable-sounding 411 litres, but the useable space is poor. The floor is high and the parcel shelf low, which means a big box of cereal is probably only just going to fit standing up. And if you do pull the seats forward, there’s a ditch between them and that raised rear floor.
Yes there’s underfloor storage but that’s where the cables will have to live, as there’s only a tiny 15-litre frunk.
WHAT ABOUT EQUIPMENT? ANYTHING WORTH MENTIONING?
Premium and Brabus trims get a Beats audio system that’s rather high quality, and most of the materials used are pleasing to the touch – particularly the swathes of Alcantara in the Brabus version. Worth noting that Smart has used a mix of real and man-made leather though: no vegan alternatives here, which does seem odd for a supposedly future-proofed EV.
We did like the high centre console, which conceals two cupholders, a big storage bin and a usefully angled induction charging pad. There’s little to complain about in terms of driving position and seat comfort, either.
IS THERE ANYTHING WORTH COMPLAINING ABOUT?
Mainly the driver alert system. You can turn it off in the menu, but it always defaults back to on. There’s a camera on the steering wheel boss which looks at your face, and if it thinks you’re not paying attention, bongs and comes up with an alert that reads “Distractive. Drive carefully”. Smart says it’s sorting out the grammar.
We just wish you could turn down the sensitivity. Looking right for a few seconds while coming out of a junction? You’ll be told off. The greatest irony is that Smart buries so much of the functionality in that centre screen, and yet if you look at it for more than a couple of seconds, it tells you to stop. Once it’s done that a few times, you’ll want to wring its neck. “You put all the controls in the screen”, you’ll want to howl, “and now you’re telling me not to use it?!”
Previous: Driving
Continue reading: Buying
Buying
What should I be paying?
Not so much should, as will. Smart is moving to a haggle-free list price system with its dealers, selling direct to customers, so £35,950 is what you will pay for the base Pro+ version. In common with all #1s that comes with a five star Euro NCAP rating, a three-year unlimited mileage warranty and an eight-year/125,000 mile battery warranty.
An extra £3,000 gets you into the Premium, and whether you should do that or not depends on how much you value matrix LED lights and the uprated Beats sound system. Those are the only two options you’ll really want. The Brabus is good value for the performance it offers, but it’s another £4,500 you could save. Smart will also have its own lease deals, starting at around £450 per month.
Smart wants its buying experience to be modern and it thought about going fully online, so you will be able to buy a #1 from your sofa in as little as 15 minutes. If you do want to dip into the physical retailer model and test drive a car though, you will still be able to at any point during the online buying process. Mercedes will still handle all aftersales for Smart in Europe.
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