Smart #3 (2023 - ) review

The Smart #3 is very well priced, with the basic Pro model starting at £32,950 - significantly undercutting the mechanically identical Volvo EX30. The Pro+, with the bigger battery, starts from £36,905, while the Premium costs £39,950. Even the high-performance Brabus version is quite reasonably priced for something so quick at £45,450. The #3 should prove cheap to run as long as you can charge up at home or at work on a cheap electricity rate. The basic Pro version uses a 49kWh battery that delivers a 202-mile range which should be enough for those who only undertake occasional longer hauls. The Pro+, Premium and Anniversary models all get a 62kWh lithium-ion battery, which gives a maximum range of up to 283 miles, while the more powerful four-wheel-drive Brabus version can manage 258 miles. In general, the efficiency of the #3 is good. We saw an average of 3.5 miles per kWh for the Premium model, and 3.2 miles per kWh for the Brabus - very reasonable for real-world conditions. Of course, at the moment, you don’t pay any VED motor tax for any electric car, which is a helpful saving, but remember that changes come 2025.

The #3 is a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to quality. While it feels well-made overall, and has the backing of both Mercedes-Benz and Chinese giant Geely, we did notice some unpleasant rattles and squeaks in the cabins of our test cars. To be fair, these were pre-production vehicles, and not quite the finished article, but it’s a concern, nevertheless. As for mechanical reliability, the batteries and motors are all shared with Volvo, Polestar and others, so should be fine.

As standard, the #3 comes with plenty of safety technology, including automated anti-collision braking, traction control, stability control, LED headlights, a 360-degree parking camera system and much more. Higher spec versions get full electronic driver assistance in the form of lane-keeping steering, active speed limit monitoring, driver monitoring and adaptive cruise control. The #3 hasn’t been tested yet by Euro NCAP but given that it has both Mercedes and Volvo genes, we’d be very surprised if it doesn’t come back with a full set of five stars.

Smart promises that its new, larger SUV and crossover range will still be 'true' Smarts because they'll be the most spacious and practical cars in their class. For the most part, this holds up for the #3 as it’s very comfortable in the front. There are big bucket seats, a good driving position, plenty of adjustment and a good view out. And it’s really very spacious in the back, too, with ample legroom and headroom even if there are tall passengers in the front seats. The only drawback here is the small boot, which holds just 370 litres, although that does expand to 1,160 litres with the rear seats folded down. You’d think that the sloping roof would make the back of the #3 feel really claustrophobic, but it doesn’t - the standard big panoramic glass roof lets in loads of light, so even though the side glass is quite shallow, it never feels too oppressive back there. One thing, though - the ‘frunk’ storage space in the nose is so tiny, just 15 litres, that it’s effectively pointless. The charging cables, for example, will have to stay in the main boot, further eating into that space.

All versions of the #3, from the lowly Pro upwards, get the same big 12.8-inch screen in the centre of the dashboard. However, the Pro is the only one that doesn’t get a useful slim nine-inch driver’s display behind the wheel. This is a big help, as it means you don’t get distracted by whatever’s on the big screen when you’re just checking the speed and range to recharge. For higher-spec models, there’s also a head-up display projected onto the windscreen. The big central touchscreen is a bit of a liability, though. The graphics look smart enough, and there’s a cute Cheetah avatar for the ‘Hello, Smart’ digital voice assistant. However, the menu layout is cluttered and confusing, with similar functions spread across multiple screens. Worse are the infuriating, distracting and constant parade of warning beeps and voice commands. Worst of all is the driver distraction warning, which beeps if you so much as glance at the big screen trying to find the links to simply turn down the cabin temperature or adjust the wing mirrors. The voice control assistant is no help in this regard, as too often it just ignores your calls for help. Thankfully, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, but those will only alleviate some of the problems.

Power is one thing that even the basic model of the #3 doesn’t lack. Whether you’re going for the 49kWh Pro version, with its cheaper LFP battery, or the bigger-battery 62kWh Pro+, Premium, or 25th Anniversary models, you’ll get the same 268 horsepower rear-mounted electric motor. This has plenty of go. In fact, it has so much that even the basic #3 will accelerate from 0-62mph in 5.8 seconds - faster than many hot hatchbacks. Performance is rarely less than very brisk, with only extended hard acceleration tiring both the motor and battery, although both recover their vim once you give them a moment to cool down again. Mind you, there’s more. Much more, if you go for the two-motor, four-wheel-drive Brabus version, which is packing 422 horsepower and an insane 0-62mph time of just 3.7 seconds. Do you really need a family five-door that can out-accelerate some Ferraris? Probably not, but it can be entertaining. The only problem is that the Brabus is only fun to drive when you have it in the specific Brabus driving mode. Then the steering weights up properly, and the whole car feels tauter and a little more agile. The problem is weight, and no matter how powerful the motors are, that weight makes twisty roads a chore, as it constantly tries to pull the #3 away from the corner you’re aiming at. The standard #3 has steering that’s very numb and free from feel, so it’s not much fun at all to drive, although it is competent at least. The ride quality is also quite firm, possibly too much so for broken British back roads, and the large turning circle makes navigating tight corners and small roundabouts more difficult than it really ought to be.