Name: New Smart #1 models and Specifications
Brand: Smart

200kw-pure-49kwh-5dr-auto

This entry-level option is no slouch, with an electric motor producing 268bhp. Driving the rear wheels, it can officially do 0-62mph in a zippy 6.7 seconds before reaching a top speed of 112mph.

200kW

This is the most powerful version of the #1 and is available exclusively to the Brabus model. With four-wheel drive, a power output of 422bhp and 430lb ft of torque, it can do 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds, with a top speed of 112mph.

315kW

This higher spec trim adds matrix LED headlights, a head-up display, a heat pump, real leather upholstery and a Beats audio system.

Premium

This adds a sportier look, with red exterior trim highlights, subtle Brabus badging and grippy suede-like material on the steering wheel and seats.

Brabus

Entry-level Pro comes well-equipped with 19in alloy wheels, LED headlights, a panoramic roof, a powered tailgate, heated six-way powered front seats, a faux leather interior and a long list of safety equipment. 

Pure

Hatchback

Owned by Mercedes-Benz and with a reputation for making small, clever cars, Smart offers a striking, upmarket alternative to more conventional rivals.

It currently has a two-car line-up, the smaller of the two being the distinctive Fortwo, which, as its name suggests, is an ultra-short two-seater that uses an unusual rear-engined configuration to deliver the sort of turning circle that even London taxis can only dream of. It's a doddle to park in small spaces, too.

Smart's 'family car' is the Forfour, which is little more than a stretched version of the Fortwo, with a second row of seats and a larger boot. It's more of a natural rival for cars like the Hyundai i10 or Kia Picanto.

On paper, both cars come at a considerable price premium when compared with rivals, something it says is justified by its badge appeal and the technology in the cars.&nbsp;However, sales have been slow and there are often keen Target Price deals to be found.

SMART

HASHTAG 1

315kW Brabus 66kWh 5dr Auto

315kw-brabus-66kwh-5dr-auto

200kW Pro 49kWh 5dr Auto

200kw-pro-49kwh-5dr-auto

200kW Premium 66kWh 5dr Auto

200kw-premium-66kwh-5dr-auto

200kW Pure 49kWh 5dr auto

This entry-level trim is still well equipped, with 19in alloy wheels, faux-leather upholstery, adaptive cruise control, a fixed panoramic roof, rear privacy glass, a powered tailgate, two-zone climate control and ambient lighting.

Pro +

200kW Pro + 66kWh 5dr Auto

200kw-pro-66kwh-5dr-auto

Smart #1

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

The Smart #1 isn't as cheap as a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/jeep/avenger/hatchback/review/n25706">Jeep Avenger Electric</a> or <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mg-motor-uk/zs/hatchback/review/n20171">MG ZS EV</a> but it does undercut some key rivals, including the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/byd/atto-3/hatchback/review/n25563">BYD Atto 3</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/ev3/estate/review/n27102">Kia EV3</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/kona/hatchback/review/n18164">Hyundai Kona Electric</a>. It's predicted to hang on to its value fairly well too, faring much better than an Avenger or ZS EV, although expect slightly faster depreciation than with an EV3 or Kona Electric.

There are two main trims for the regular #1 – called Pro+ and Premium.&nbsp;Entry-level Pro+ is really well equipped, with dual-zone climate control, heated seats, <a href="cruise control">adaptive cruise control</a>, a sunroof and keyless entry.

However, we reckon our preferred Premium trim is worth paying extra for because it adds an <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/electric-car-heat-pump/n27141">EV heat pump</a> (for more efficient warming of the interior), matrix LED headlights and a head-up display.

The Brabus version gets some sporty styling touches, including bonnet vents, red brake calipers and seatbelts, and an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel.

The #1 was awarded the full five-star rating by safety experts at <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n19724">Euro NCAP</a> when they tested it in 2022, and it comes packed with safety kit.&nbsp;

A 150kW<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/fastest-charging-electric-cars/n26105"> maximum charging speed</a> means the #1 can get a 10-80% top-up in as little as 27 minutes. You'd be waiting just over half an hour for the same charge in an EV3 and about 45 minutes in an Atto 3 or Kona Electric.

Every #1 comes with a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty, while the battery has its own eight years, 125,000 miles warranty. To help minimise running costs, a service package covers the initial three years or 30,000 miles and includes wear-and-tear items such as brake pads and windscreen wipers (but not tyres).

“Some brands save their best safety equipment for the range-topping trim. Not Smart. All models get automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, and front and rear cross-traffic alert. I think that's impressive.” – <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/will-nightingale/n1020">Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor</a>

<hr />
For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter <a href="https://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">here</a>

The entry-level Smart #1 has a 268bhp electric motor driving its rear wheels and is quicker than direct rivals. In our tests it sprinted from 0-60mph in just 5.8 seconds.

For context, the similarly priced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/byd/atto-3/hatchback/review/n25563">BYD Atto 3</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/kona/hatchback/review/n18164">Hyundai Kona Electric</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/ev3/estate/review/n27102">Kia EV3</a> Long Range managed the sprint in about&nbsp;7.5 seconds, while the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/jeep/avenger/hatchback/review/n25706">Jeep Avenger Electric</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/alfa-romeo/junior/hatchback/review/n26949">Alfa Romeo Junior</a> took around 8.5.

The performance-focused #1 Brabus adds a second electric motor driving the front wheels. That gives it <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/4x4s-for-off-roading/n26188">four-wheel drive</a> and a big jump in power to 422bhp. The 0-62mph time drops dramatically to 3.9 seconds, so it's as fast as an <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/rs3/hatchback/review/n175">Audi RS3</a>. It feels brutally quick and builds speed so effortlessly it's hilarious.

For similar pace among <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/electric-suvs/n23038">electric SUVs</a>&nbsp;you’ll need to look at the GT version of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/ev6/estate/review/n23462">Kia EV6</a>&nbsp;or the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-y/hatchback/review/n23624">Tesla Model Y</a> Performance – and both&nbsp;are much more expensive.

Whichever version you go for, the #1 gets a 62kWh (usable capacity) battery. That gives the Pro+ model an official range of 260 miles, while the Premium – which has a slightly more efficient motor – can officially manage 273 miles. That’s respectable, but nowhere near as impressive as the EV3 Long Range, which&nbsp;can manage up to 375 miles (depending on trim level).

In our summer<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/range-test-how-far-can-electric-cars-really-go/n24836"> real range test</a>, a #1 Premium travelled 245 miles before running out of juice – that’s 30 miles further than the Atto 3 went on the same day. The #1 Brabus, which is heavier, has an official range of 248 miles, but we suspect you’ll see more like 170 to 210 miles in normal driving.

Impressively, the #1 can tow up to 1600kg, the same as our electric <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/awards/tow-car-awards">Tow Car of the Year</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/ev6/estate/review/n23462">Kia EV6</a>.

Around town the #1 exhibits a slightly choppy low-speed ride, but on faster A-roads and motorways it settles down. True, it's never as serenely smooth as an EV3, but comfort is roughly on a par with a Kona Electric and Avenger Electric, and way better than you’ll find in an Atto 3.

The exception is the #1 Brabus, which gets stiffer <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/types-of-suspension-adaptive-suspension-explained/n27085">suspension</a> and grippier tyres to help it deal with all that extra power and improve agility. The upside is fractionally better body control, but the trade-off is a busy low-speed ride that struggles to completely settle down, even at higher speeds.

The lighter and sharper <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/alfa-romeo/junior/hatchback/review/n26949">Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce</a> is a lot more fun on a country road, and&nbsp;sportier petrol-powered SUVs – such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/t-roc/hatchback/review/n20444">VW T-Roc R</a> – handle with far more finesse. Indeed, we'd&nbsp;swerve the Brabus completely and stick with one of the non-performance models.

All #1s have precise steering with a reassuring weighting if you select the heaviest setting on the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-car-infotainment-systems-tested-and-rated/n21269">infotainment touchscreen</a> (the other settings are a bit light for anything other than town driving). You have to push hard through a series of bends to make the #1 lose any of its composure.

Refinement is good. There's a touch more road noise on motorways than in an EV3 or Kona Electric, but wind noise is just as well contained. The occasional suspension thump at low speeds disturbs the peace inside&nbsp;but there’s no electric motor whine.

The braking is the only real weak spot, with the sharp brake pedal causing it to slow quickly with even a light touch.

You can also slow down through<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-regenerative-braking-and-how-does-it-work/n25212"> regenerative braking</a>, with the stronger of the two settings able to bring the car to a halt, allowing for <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-one-pedal-driving-and-how-does-it-work/n27129">one-pedal driving</a>. However, the delayed and inconsistent response takes some getting used to when you lift off the accelerator pedal, making for jerky progress.

“The #1 Brabus is fractionally sharper than the regular version, but because it has so much more power it struggles to retain its body movements when you really start pressing on.” – <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/neil-winn/n1101">Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor</a>

OUR PICK

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

http://example.com

200kw

315kw

The&nbsp;Smart #1&nbsp;represents the start of a radical new era for a company best known for those tiny two-seat city cars you see&nbsp;taking advantage of impossibly small parking spaces.

A few years ago, Smart’s original owner,&nbsp;Mercedes, signed a 50/50 partnership with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/chinese-cars-everything-you-need-to-know/n26813">Chinese car maker</a> Geely to&nbsp;reinvent the brand as an electric car&nbsp;specialist with an entirely new line-up of models.

The Smart #1 – which you're supposed to call the “Smart Hashtag One” – is the first product of the joint venture. As you can probably tell from the photos, it's not another tiny city car. In fact, this small&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/electric-suvs/n23038">electric&nbsp;SUV</a>&nbsp;is a similar size to&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/kona/hatchback/review/n18164">Hyundai Kona Electric</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/ev3/estate/review/n27102">Kia EV3</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/jeep/avenger/hatchback/review/n25706">Jeep Avenger Electric</a><a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/2008/estate/review/n20552">.</a>

<h2 dir="ltr">Smart #1 video review</h2>

<iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1GyzEn25i5Q" width="560"></iframe>

Does the Smart #1 deserve to become as popular as a viral tweet? Or is it as bang on trend as MySpace? That's what we'll tell you in this review.

Read on as we find out&nbsp;how it stacks up against the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/electric-cars/n17000">best electric car</a> rivals in all the important areas. Or, if you're interested in a sleeker, coupé version of the model, see our <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/smart/hashtag-3/estate/review/n26674">Smart #3 review</a>.

By SUV standards, you don't sit far from the road in the Smart #1, but otherwise the driving position is tough to fault. There’s plenty of steering and electric seat adjustment (including adjustable lumbar support) to help you get comfortable, and the seat&nbsp;supports you in all the right places.

Visibility is good, thanks to upright, slender windscreen pillars and a low dashboard. You get a clearer view over your shoulder and out of the back than in a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/ev3/estate/review/n27102">Kia EV3</a> or <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/2008/estate/review/n20552">Peugeot e-2008</a>&nbsp;thanks to larger side windows and a taller rear windscreen.

Impressively, all versions of the #1 come with front and rear parking sensors, and a 360-degree bird's eye view camera to help with parking.

The 9.2in digital driver's display&nbsp;looks quite narrow, but it’s bright, crisp and easy to read with all the information you need. Premium and Brabus versions have a head-up display that projects your speed and other information on to the windscreen in your line of sight.

A big 12.8in <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-car-infotainment-systems-tested-and-rated/n21269">infotainment touchscreen</a> sits in the middle of the dashboard. On the plus side, the screen is very responsive to touch inputs, you can play games on it, and there's a pet mode so you can leave an animal in the car without it getting dangerously hot (<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/tesla">Tesla&nbsp;car models</a> offer the same function).

However, you have to use the touchscreen (or the hit-and-miss voice control) to adjust the air-con. We'd prefer physical controls, like the ones you get in the EV3, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/kona/hatchback/review/n18164">Hyundai Kona Electric</a> and the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/jeep/avenger/hatchback/review/n25706">Jeep Avenger Electric</a>, and it's also a faff that you have to use the screen to adjust the door mirrors. As a result, it can be more distracting to use while you're driving.

A fox avatar on the screen that follows you around from menu to menu could prove annoying&nbsp;but you can avoid it for the most part by using the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194">Android Auto</a> or<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193"> Apple CarPlay</a> smartphone mirroring. A punchier Beats sound system is standard on Premium and Brabus models.

The #1's interior quality impresses. There are plenty of soft-touch materials, and while there's also a lot of hard plastic, it's of a good quality and feels upmarket – like the kind you might find on a high-end Apple product. Meanwhile, ambient lighting in the air vents and around the dashboard brighten up the interior at night.&nbsp;

The entry-level Pro model has artificial leather seats, while the Premium gets genuine leather. The #1 Brabus has grippy faux-suede upholstery. If you’re after the most luxurious interior in the small <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/electric-suvs/n23038">electric SUV</a> class, look no further.

“The infotainment screen's lay-out is not particularly intuitive. For example, turning off the speed-limit warning bong is a&nbsp;multi-step process. Please Smart, just give us a physical button.”&nbsp;– <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/neil-winn/n1101">Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor</a>

The Smart #1 electric SUV is good to drive, quick to charge up and has an impressive interior

There’s lots of head and leg room up front for 6ft adults, and despite the Smart #1's minimalist interior look, there are plenty of storage compartments. In the back you’ll find a surprisingly decent amount of head room (enough for six-footers), and leg room is good too.

It edges the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/byd/atto-3/hatchback/review/n25563">BYD Atto 3</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/kona/hatchback/review/n18164">Hyundai Kona Electric</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/jeep/avenger/hatchback/review/n25706">Jeep Avenger Electric</a> in that respect, but a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/ev3/estate/review/n27102">Kia EV3</a> is more accommodating for three passengers in the back because it has a wider interior. The flat floor (common to most <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/electric-suvs/n23038">electric SUVs</a>) makes life relatively comfy for someone sitting in the middle seat.

The rear seatback splits and folds down in a 60/40 split, rather than the more versatile 40/20/40 layout of the Kona Electric seats. At least there's a ski hatch in the middle so you can poke long items through between two passengers.

Unusually at this price point, the #1 has sliding and reclining rear seats so you can juggle between <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/the-cars-with-the-biggest-boots/n18791">boot space</a> and rear-seat comfort.

Rather less impressive is the boot. We managed to fit in just three <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/the-cars-with-the-biggest-boots/n18791">carry-on suitcases</a> below the load cover – or four with the back seats slid forwards – compared with five in the Avenger Electric and the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/2008/estate/review/n20552">Peugeot e-2008</a>, six in the EV3, Atto 3 and Kona Electric, and seven in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/niro/estate/review/n24582">Kia Niro EV</a>.

That doesn't tell the whole story&nbsp;though. The #1 also has a useful amount of underfloor boot storage (plenty for the charging cables), plus a small front boot, although it's roughly the size of a lunchbox. A powered tailgate is standard.

“If you’ve got your heart set on a #1 but the boot is simply too small for your needs, take a look at its coupé cousin, the #3. It has a longer load bay and is easier to access thanks to a longer and broader opening.” – <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/lawrence-cheung/n23691">Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor</a>

We have yet to sample this model. 

pure

premium

brabus

It looks different to any previous Smart, but the #1 is a brilliant electric car that's nippy, smart inside and can charge more quickly than many rivals. Unless you need a big boot, it's a great buy. We reckon it's worth upgrading to the Premium trim because it adds a heat pump and other useful kit.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Sufficient range between charges to fit in with most people’s lifestyles – and in the real world, not on some far-fetched official test </li> <li>Quick charging times and compatibility with the most ubiquitous types of public charging points </li> <li>Priced to be within the grasp of more than just the privileged few </li> <li>As with any car, ride comfort, practicality and ownership costs can’t be ignored</li></ul>

We define an electric car as one that runs purely on battery power and has no tailpipe to puff out nasty chemicals.

The best of the breed offer sufficient range between charges to fit in with most people’s lifestyles – and in the real world, not on some far-fetched official test cycle.

Electric

This class is all about SUVs that run purely on electricity. No petrol, no diesel and not even any hybrid technology.

Relatively low-cost options include the MG ZS EV, but you can easily spend three times as much on more luxurious alternatives, such as the BMW iX.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

NEW REVIEWS:

Smart #1 review

Full list of options available

Filters

200kW Pure 49kWh 5dr auto

200kW Pro 49kWh 5dr Auto

200kW Pro + 66kWh 5dr Auto

200kW Premium 66kWh 5dr Auto

315kW Brabus 66kWh 5dr Auto

Quick search

Tools & services

Legal bits

Information