What is it?
A mid-life refresh usually brings with it chassis tweaks and engine revisions. But the biggest change in the Smart Fortwo’s mid-life ‘facelift’ is a longer options list. So things such as LED daytime running lights, sat-nav and endless new colour and trim combinations are offered. The most notable engine tweaks are found in the most powerful three-cylinder, 1.0-litre unit in the Brabus Xclusive.
Power is up from 97bhp to 101bhp, while emissions fall from 124g/km to 119g/km. But with a base list price of around £16,500 for the cabriolet we tested, those alloys, rear exhaust tips and stiffer springs don’t come cheap.
See test pics of the Smart Fortwo Brabus
What's it like?
What Smart really needed to do is sort the clumsy, performance-sapping gearbox, numb steering and firm, jittery ride. It’s still far too firm to ever be comfortable, especially in town. And the Brabus is worse, making the standard car’s ride feel like that of a Rolls.
The engine, however, is pleasing, pulling away nicely and offering enough power and torque to allow the Fortwo to keep up with traffic. But its semi-automatic gearbox stifles progress.
Despite its obvious flaws, the Smart remains undeniably charming. The cabin feels spacious and new materials raise cabin ambience. Its exterior looks fresh and modern 10 years on, too. The economy is also excellent and running costs are low.
Should I buy one?
Smart has missed a trick in not revising the car to match the Toyota iQ’s dynamic levels, instead going after the Mini/Fiat 500 crowd with its styled-up options list. The iQ is still the microcar to beat, while the entry-level Fortwo diesel is the best Smart.
Mark Tisshaw
Smart Fortwo Brabus Xclusive
Price: £16,500 (est); Top speed: 96mph; 0-62mph: 8.9sec; Economy: 54.3mpg; CO2: 119g/km; Kerbweight: 810kg; Engine: 3cyls, petrol, 999cc; Power: 101bhp at 6000rpm; Torque: 108lb ft at 2500-2600rpm; Gearbox: 5-spd semi-automatic
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Re: Smart Fortwo Brabus
Interesting report regarding bumper repairs. Another friend of mine bought one, and within 2 weeks of owning it, a lorry reversed into it. It has been written off as the repair bill was too expensive....
Re: Smart Fortwo Brabus
You're welcome. Thanks very much :)
Btw, in reply to comments regarding the plastic panels: they indeed are ideally suited to city use, and a low-speed (6mph) crash really is much cheaper to repair than a shunt in an iQ. However, this is not my opinion, but a fact: the IIHS recently tested the bumpers of small cars like the Smart, Honda Jazz, Chevrolet Aveo etc. From the group, the Smart was found to be the best, and one of the most important factors for this was the plastic panels. I quote from their own News Release:
"Smart's design saves on repairs: The Smart's plastic body parts easily can be replaced in sections. This makes repairs relatively affordable in comparison to other vehicles. For example, front and rear bumper covers come in 3 sections each (left, right, and center), so mechanics need to replace only the damaged parts instead of the entire plastic cover. Also keeping costs down is the fact that the bumper cover sections are prepainted. They cost roughly $160 for the center section and $180 each for the left or right fender sections."
In all the 4 tests (front, front corner, rear, rear corner), the Smart racked up a total bill of $3281 (£2113.29 with current exchange rates, or 24% of the UK list price). The Toyota iQ was not tested by IIHS, but it was tested by Thatcham (the tests are similar to each other, but Thatcham does not test the front corner and rear corner areas of the bumpers). The bill for the frontal impact was a relatively massive £2617.61 (already more than the total of the Smart, and over 26% of the purchase price); the rear impact resulted in a repair cost of £1264.54. That brings the total repair cost to a total of £3882.15, or 38.8% of the purchase price for only 2 tests!
Re: Smart Fortwo Brabus
Smart Passion MHD coupe,
£500 deposit, £120 pm over 24 months