Smart Fortwo long-term test review: first report

I also think the cabin is a bright and airy place to be. The almost full-length sunroof helps to create a feeling of space, and because this Fortwo is wider than its predecessors were, this really helps when you have a broad-shouldered passenger. There are some nice design touches and nods to the original car, such as rev counter and clock pods stacked on top of the dashboard that you can move left or right to suit. The Neoprene wetsuit-feel mesh fabric covering the top of the dashboard adds some welcome texture, too.

Driving the Fortwo for the first time reminded me that a multi-storey car park can actually be fun. The one we use for work is a badly laid out, tight affair, with awkwardly placed concrete buffers at the entrance and exit of every up and down ramp, perfect for catching tyres and snicking alloy wheels. The new Fortwo has been bestowed with an even tighter turning circle than its predecessor, now a mind-boggling 6.95 metres. I was actually whooping as I lined up and catapulted the tiny Smart up and up – no need for braking, ever, as long as you keep a watch out for other cars manoeuvring into and out of parking spaces.

Talking about parking… I am going to admit something here. On the first couple of attempts at squeezing the Fortwo into the tiniest space possible, I found it more difficult than it should have been, due to the overly sensitive rear parking sensors. It’s easier if you turn them off (via a switch to the right of the steering column), but annoyingly, you have to repeat the action every day before setting off. I also woefully underestimated how much room the long doors need in order to be able to attempt anything like a dignified exit, especially when wearing a skirt. However, parking at home is much easier now. I live in a narrow street with marked-out parking bays. As long as there is a wide enough boundary to stop me from falling foul of the overzealous traffic wardens, I can park at a right angle to the kerb between two cars. In fact, I sometimes end up next to motorbikes lined up in a similar fashion, something that gives me a bit of a warm glow. Not sure the riders think the same, though. So it’s still early days, but on the parking front at least, the Smart is impressing me all over again.