2018 Smart ForTwo Pure electric
pure 2dr Hatchback (electric DD)
2017 Smart ForTwo Pure electric
Pure 2dr Hatchback (electric DD)
2018 Smart ForTwo Pure electric
pure 2dr Hatchback (electric DD)
2018 Smart ForTwo Pure electric
pure 2dr Hatchback (electric DD)
2018 Smart ForTwo electric Review
Pros
- Smooth transmission
- Efficient Engine
- Suave looks
Cons
- Larger carbon footprint
- Not so good handling
Smart ForTwo is the quintessential compact city car that you can park anywhere at will, in the tightest of spaces. The initial pull from the start line is great.
Overview
Smart ForTwo is the quintessential compact city car that you can park anywhere at will, in the tightest of spaces. The initial pull from the start line is great. Smart has always been front runner in introducing super compact, hatchbacks in US market. In the guise of second generation now, the Daimler now only offers it in all-electric drive. The gasoline powered option has been discontinued altogether.
In the city limits ForTwo is incomparable with anything else with such dimensions, turning circle and that quick nature getting off the line. It has almost created a niche in the market.
Pricing and Features5.5/10
Smart offers three trims for ForTwo Coupe: Pure, Passion and Prime. While Cabriolet with only two: Passion and Prime. Essentially they are same cars to the last bit just a swap of hard top with a fabric liner makes them differ.
The standard Pure version now gets a rear view camera and Bluetooth connectivity as standard. They also add voice recognition in conjunction with Siri and Google now.
|
Trims |
Pure |
Passion |
Prime |
|---|---|---|---|
|
MSRP |
$23,900 |
$25,390 |
$26,740 |
| Features | Lithium ion battery | Choice of colored interior | Fog lamps with cornering function |
| Bluetooth connectivity | Powered and heated windows | Heated seats | |
| Rear view camera | 15” alloy wheels | Black leather upholstery | |
| Voice recognition | Height adjustable driver seat | Rain and light sensors |
Feature List
- All-season tires
- LED day time running lights
- Tire pressure monitoring system
- Lockable service hood
- 3.5” color instrument cluster
- Rear view camera
- Cruise control
- Smart Audio system with Bluetooth
- Voice recognition, Hands-free calling
- Electronic Stability Program with hill start assist
- Anti-lock Braking system
- Crosswind Assist
- Tridion safety cells
- 8 air bags
We Recommend
ForTwo Prime is the one to go for. Additional features in Prime are: Powered and heated windows, heated seats, Rain and light sensors, 15” alloys and a panoramic sunroof. For the core city use these features add up a lot in the usefulness and the style. Smart offers further customization options to make it rightly suit to you.
“Cabriolet” is another option and is essentially the same car model in the ForTwo catalogue. It comes with an electrically actuated pull-down fabric roof which stows itself neatly in the back. The roof bars can be further removed for even roomier open-air feeling. At $28,750 it’s on the little far side money-wise.
Engine and Performance5.2/10
Helping Smart ForTwo to scale city streets is a three-phase synchronous 80hp (60kW) electric motor producing 118lb-ft torque from zero rpm. The initial pull from stand still is phenomenal. The red light GPs till the 20mph are always won over. It only need a single speed transmission to do all this deed.
It loses the spirit to catch up speed after 40mph and 0-60mph comes after a while of 11.4 seconds. This nature of the car limits it to the city and we believe it’s better be confined in it. Highway runs makes the range drop drastically. Smart has limited the maximum speed to 81mph for optimum use of the available range.
The next competitor to ForTwo is Fiat 500e though some 7 grand expensive is far more fun and zippy with 111hp electric motor. And that’s not really the case with Smart ForTwo.
Engine and Transmission Smart ForTwo EV vs. competitors
Smart ForTwo EV does not try hard enough to punch anyone in the competition around. The Fiat and the Chevrolet offers a superior powertrain and battery pack that has far more range.
|
Models |
Smart ForTwo EV |
Fiat 500e |
Chevrolet Bolt EV |
|---|---|---|---|
|
MSRP |
$23,900 |
$31,800 |
$36,620 |
|
Engine |
17.6kWh |
24kWh |
60kWh |
|
Transmission |
Single speed |
Single speed |
Single speed |
|
Horsepower |
80 hp |
111 hp |
200 hp |
|
Torque |
118 lb-ft |
184 lb-ft |
266 lb-ft |
Smart ForTwo offers a very basic electric powertrain package as compared to Chevrolet and Fiat. Where the competition has aptly powered motors and good range battery packs. Smart is pricey for 17.6 kWh powertrain which is good for 57 miles only.
Acceleration
ForTwo has quite a punchy start off the line. Stop and Go in this car is a charm it pulls rather ambitiously till it hits 40mph patch. And that’s where the acceleration curve dips down. It shows up quite imminently in its 0-60mph time.
|
Models |
Smart ForTwo EV |
Fiat 500e |
Chevrolet Bolt EV |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0-60 MPH |
11.4 sec |
8.4 sec |
6.5 sec |
|
Quarter mile |
17.9sec |
17.0 sec |
14.9 sec |
The competitor’s sub-10 second times are not really to be called “impressive” but yes, a leap over. Even the light weight of 2363lbs for an EV, doesn’t help ForTwo. It has some of that laggy nature, Smart hence is an avoidable vehicle to take on highways and expect overtakes from.
Driving Dynamics and Braking
ForTwo is fundamentally just that right compact car that city needs. The length of 106.1 inch and a super impressive turning circle of 22.8ft. In a line, that means you can literally U-turn from the lane you are in to the one that is beside.
The car is a hoot to drive in tight city spaces. The 15” wheels on the extreme corners gives the right kind of expanse of the vehicle. The steering is electrically assisted and could do a lot in terms of the feedback and feel. As far as the ease goes it just matches what this car needs to be. Simple, Light and Ready to move.
|
Model |
Smart ForTwo EV |
Fiat 500e |
Chevrolet Bolt EV |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Brake Front(in) |
11.0 |
11.0 |
N/A |
|
Brake Rear(in) |
8.0 |
9.4 |
N/A |
|
60-0 MPH (ft.) |
110 |
127 |
132 |
Brakes feel very go-kart like, woody and false. There’s not enough momentum carried by the car that’d help with that particularly. Being a lighter car it is expected to brake far before than its competition would. But it doesn’t impress as such.
Fuel Economy9.4/10
The 96 cell lithium-ion battery packs in a compact space. And juices up in 3 hours at 240V fast charge facility which returns around 60-70 miles when driven efficiently. A 120V household charge takes over 16.5-17 hours to charge full. Smart's eMPG is decent.
| Model | Smart ForTwo EV | Fiat 500e | Chevrolet Bolt EV |
|---|---|---|---|
| eMPG (city) | 124 | 121 | 128 |
| eMPG (Highway) | 94 | 103 | 110 |
| eMPG (Combined) | 108 | 112 | 119 |
| Battery Range (Miles) | 58 | 84 | 238 |
Spending a little more on your EV would provide a far more practicality in terms of range and enough firepower to cruise at highway speeds.
Interior6.6/10
There’s surprisingly enough room for two in ForTwo. You literally walk in to the cabin space. Ergonomics are spot-on with good room. Fabric-roof cabriolet version offers even more expansive and infinite feel to the already good space.
As you run your eyes and hands across the switch gear and the center console. The quality of plastics would disappoint the elatedness you felt when you climbed in. Something that delights you is the options and colors Smart offers on seat fabric and the panoramic sunroof on the coupe.
All this is marred by the crashy suspension, makes you feel the smallest of bumps the quick direction changing ability ruins it even further. Overall it’s fun looking inside as it is outside.
|
Model |
Smart ForTwo |
Fiat 500e |
Bolt EV |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Passenger capacity |
2 |
4 |
5 |
|
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.) |
39.7/48.0/41.2 |
38.9/49.4/40.7 |
39.7/55.9/41.6 |
|
Rear (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.) |
N/A |
35.5/46.4/27.6 |
37.9/52.8/36.5 |
If we leave the seating capacity aside. The competition offers a bit better quality of interior plastics and overall feel.
Cargo volume
The absence of second row altogether means there’s a lot of space that’s useable and hence ForTwo happens to have more boot space than Chevrolet Bolt EV before the seats folded down. The little space is taken by the charger brick and the power chord. The left space is decent for the city.
|
Model |
Fiat 500e |
Smart Fortwo EV |
Chevrolet Bolt EV |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Trunk volume (cu.ft) |
28.1 |
22.8 |
16.9 |
Exterior5.2/10
It's a very odd ball of a car. It's pint sized in dimensions which makes it look very chic and cute. It looks beefier than the model before and there are many individualization options. The range of colors is vast. And the body color is in contrast with the Tridion safety cell. Which makes it look very interesting.
Smart could always do with LED powered headlights but make do with a halogen bulb headlights with DRLs. LEDs could be more of a power efficient option than Halogens we think.
| Model | Smart ForTwo EV | Fiat 500e | Chevrolet Bolt EV |
|---|---|---|---|
| curb weight(lbs) | 2363 | 2980 | 3563 |
| Length(in) | 106.1 | 142.4 | 164 |
| Width(in) | N/A | 64.1 | 69.5 |
| Height(in) | 61.2 | 60.1 | 62.8 |
| Ground clearance(in) | N/A | 4.5 | N/A |
| Wheel base(in) | 73.7 | 90.6 | 102.4 |
| Track width(in) F/R | 57.8/56.3 | 55.4/55 | 59.1/59.1 |
The Fiat 500e in comparison doesn't alienate being an EV. It's hard to distinguish with the normal gasoline powered 500. Chevrolet Bolt EV is a full sized smart looking 5-seater hatch back. But as the exclusivity goes Smart wins over our hearts. It looks its part.
Safety9.1/10
Smart has few pro-active safety features. Its frame is based on "Tridion steel safety shell" small energy-absorbing crumple zone at the front of the car lessens impacts, and the engine lives in the trunk of the car instead of the front.
Crosswind Assist helps to keep the small car in-line between the strong gushes of wind pushing it around.
- Anti-Lock Braking System
- 8 Airbags
- Tridion Safety Cell
- Electronic Stability Program
- Hill Start Assist
- Crosswind Assist
Competition6.3/10
Smart ForTwo vs. Fiat 500e
Fiat is far more fun and zippier a car than Smart ForTwo, a tad better range too. And it almost feels like the gasoline powered 500. If you can spend 7 grand more over an EV. 500e is a better option.
Smart ForTwo vs. Chevrolet Bolt EV
Chevrolet is at a little higher spectrum of price. But we anyway included it because it's a great package with impressive 238miles of range and can seat 5 at once.
Final Verdict
Smart ForTwo is the quintessential compact city car that you can park anywhere at will, in the tightest of spaces. The initial pull from the start line is great. The small dimensions helps you to make it maneuver with ease. Its fun and chic looks grabs eyes. Just the range and average performance is one concern. And if you can overlook that part and the city is your jungle. This is the car for you.