Smart #3 electric test: five doors, five seats, family or “edgy”, it's Smart reinvented

4.40 m long, the Smart #3 is dynamic and pleasant, playful, even diabolical in its Brabus version. Smart – Tibo – The Good Click

The batteries in the floor impose high belt lines on the electrics. #3 does well, with this receding arch which makes it a false coupe and energizes it. Free Midday

When strolling on the narrow and winding roads around the Sainte-Victoire mountain, the big Smart proves agile and stunning when restarted, especially in the Brabus version (428 hp). Free Midday

The crossover line ensures great rear handling for older adults. The red stripe from one light to the next marks the family link with the Mercedes EQ range. Free Midday

As production of the historic Fortwo ends, #3 arrives on the French market. The first compact from the now Sino-German manufacturer, designed as a mass-market model. A successful revolution, tested on the roads of Provence.

A Smart ? "Yes, it’s the smart little two-seater car, imagined by the creator of watches Swatch and you can park across it, facing the sidewalk. A city car." Well, that was before, or at least almost. The little Fortwo, which embodied the brand in an almost complete confusion of model and name, will disappear from production lines during the second half of 2024, after 1.5 million ;assembled copies. And the 4.40 m of the new #3 is classified in the category of compact, broad shoulders. "OK, but it’s made in France, in Lorraine, no ?" Well no, that too was before .

It surprised, conversely, by its size (4.27 m) unusual for the manufacturer, and  by its shape of a small SUV, round, quite high& ;nbsp;and illustrated the product direction now given to Smart. No more niche market, a sparkling style with a positioning"very clearly premium, underlines Cyril Brachard. The cars are extremely equipped, there are no options."

Since July and its arrival on the French market, 1,620 have been sold. Not numerous enough, yet, to be noticed in traffic, nor well-known enough to "establish Smart's credibility in doing something other than two-seaters. It will take time", knows its direction. "On the other hand, credible, the new manufacturer Smart l" rsquo;is with what he presents there", his "big sister".

Design by Mercedes Benz

At the front, the connection between the two models is unambiguous. A flat, long hood, a triangular look, a translucent strip connecting the optics. We find the same one at the rear, red, running from one light to the other. Both sign the obvious cousinship with the electric EQ models from Mercedes, coming from the same style offices and in which we also find this smooth design.

Flat hood, stretched lights, clean lines mark the relationship with the #1 released in 2023. Free Midday

On the outside, the #3 is more of a crossover than an SUV. The design is refined, the passenger compartment nestled under an arch which stretches from the windshield to the line of the shield and gives the car a coupe-like appearance. We also have the feeling of driving a sedan and the driving position, legs extended, is no stranger to this, as is the support of the seats, which is remarkable. Mercedes is also in charge of the interior, very neat, with its stitched leathers under a huge glass roof, a certain manufacturing quality.

Smart takes care of the details, with a design from the Mercedes Benz style center. Free Midday

Dr. Jekill and Mr. Hyde

Since Wednesday, the French press has been taking turns at the wheel, around the Sainte-Victoire mountain. And while traveling from Vaucluse to Var, via the Bouches-du-Rhône and the Alpes de Haute-Provence, we accompanied Dr. Jekill and Mr. Hyde.

Sometimes, as with everything electric, we are struck by the silence and the feeling that the most important piece of equipment might well be the sound system. Supplied by Beats, it holds up well. ; a bit of classic in the big curves of the Apt road, it's relaxing. Romi's electro-pop goes well when it comes to car dances in the gorges of the Luberon, a good edgy rock near Vauvenargues and its local turnstiles, and too bad if that annoys Pablo Picasso, buried there.

The interior, very elegant, leather with stitching, large infotainment screen and control of car parameters, Apple and Google connectivity included. Smart France

Drive "without" brake

In short, riveted to the ground, efficient, even brutal if desired, this 1.8 ton propulsion well supervised by the required assistance does not bring – at a competitive price compared to the competition – only pleasure, enriched by driving "one pedal".

After a few dozen kilometers of learning, mastery of braking with energy recovery in "strong" – by taking your foot off the accelerator, the car slows down, potentially to a complete stop – leads to smooth driving. Knowing that with electric, no vehicle in front of you is really an obstacle…hellip;

Four finishes, the first three are propulsions:

Pro: 200kw, 272hp, 49kw battery, 325hp ;km range WTLP, 37 315 €.

Pro +: 200kw, 272hp, 66kw battery, 435hp ;nbsp;km range WTLP, 42 315 €.

Premium: 200kw, 272hp, 66kw battery, 455hp ;km range WTLP, 45 315 €.

Brabus: 315kw, 428hp, 66kw battery, 415hp ;km range WTLP, all-wheel drive, 49 815 €.

No ecological bonus, the car is produced outside the European Union.

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