I’ve driven the new Smart #1 – it looks cute and drives great but that hashtag can do 1
THIS is the stupidly named Smart #1. Yep, that’s pronounced “Smart hashtag 1”.
Which is about five years too late to be considered trendy.
Luckily, the car itself is bang up to date, because it’s a premium, electric baby SUV.
It’s double the size of the dinky two-seater made famous by Joey Essex . . . and almost double the price.
First up, a bit of housekeeping.
Smart is now co-owned by Mercedes and Chinese giant Geely. Merc is responsible for the styling, with Geely providing the electric gubbins and building the thing.
READ MORE MOTORS REVIEWS
The entry-level Pro+ will cost around £35k and the pricxe for the nutty Brabus #1, with 422hp and 4WD, will start with a four.
Sitting somewhere in between is this rear-wheel-driven Premium spec. It has the longest range at 273 miles, faster charging, head-up display, leather seats and a Beats audio system.
Every model runs on 19in alloys and there are no options to be had, in an effort to make it simpler to buy online. Just 15 minutes is all it takes, so the Smart people say.
The styling will divide opinion.
Key facts: Smart #1
Price: £35,000 est
Battery: 66kWh
Power: 268hp
0-62mph: 6.7 secs
Top speed: 112 mph
Electric range: 260 miles
Emissions: 0g/km
Charging: 30 mins
Out: July 2023
But it’s clean, bejewelled with LEDs, and will stand out positively in its uniquely soft and inoffensive way on the school run.
Inside gets better, though, and more offbeat, with a huge moulded central structure extruding from the dash providing oodles of storage, phone-charging facilities and arm-resting/drink-holding opportunities.
The boot, however, is quite small at 323 litres.
But the rear seats, which give passengers impressive leg and headroom, do slide and there is a removable floor which boosts capacity, a bit.
Most read in The Sun
There is a 15-litre “frunk” too – that’s a front boot if you were wondering.
The funky colour-coded dash is backlit and pimpable in 64 colour variations and it features two screens.
First is a small driver’s one, refreshingly simple and a pleasure to engage with.
The other is a big touchscreen that’ overloaded with widgets, a regrettable “inspiring planet” theme and a fidgeting cartoon fox avatar which takes me back to the Microsoft paperclip – remember that irritating little nuisance?
Ten things YOU should know as a car owner
- When is your MOT due? Find out here
- When is your car tax due? Find out here
- Is it illegal to drive barefoot?
- How many units can you drink and drive?
- What do dashboard warning lights mean?
- Is it illegal to drive without road tax?
- Can you be fined for breaking the highway code?
- How to change the address on your driving licence
- What does MOT stand for?
- Is it illegal to park across someone's driveway?
It’s also not Apple CarPlay or Android Auto-compatible but I’ve been told by Smart’s tech guru that, by the time these cars land on British driveways – from July next year – they will be.
Frankly, they need to be.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Read More on The Sun
Compatibility is key in the EV world and the ability to plug in and play without reading an instruction PDF is expected.
Gripes aside, #1 is swift, roomy and design-led enough to cause a family-friendly buzz. But that hashtag can do 1.
