Tested: The #1 electric smart

The little ones are growing up. The new Smart #1 has become a large, electric SUV. What? Does that make it more than just a great city car? A car test will tell you!

The new Smart #1 can no longer be compared to the old small city car. The alien was created at Mercedes, but technology and production are in the hands of the Chinese Geely – yes, these guys also have Volvo in their portfolio. When we open the car, the door handles slide out of the body. Inside we see some Mercedes features, such as the steering wheel, the gear controls near the steering wheel and the air vents. There is no longer a traditional start button, it’s just ‘enter and go’.

Big screen

In the interior, the central main screen catches the eye on which you can use all kinds of applications. On the one hand, this ensures a clean and light interior, on the other hand, ergonomics are lost a little. The side mirror adjustment controls are also hidden in the on-screen menu and the state-of-the-art lighting on the dashboard reflects so well on the side windows at night that you can’t see anything in the mirrors. If you want, you can unlock the car with your smartphone and give temporary permission to someone else’s device if you were to lend the car.

Inside we see some Mercedes features. There is no longer a standard start button.

Driving behavior

Smart #1 runs more than decent. Moisture is accompanied. Because the car is through the rear axle, the steering has no parasitic effects and communicates well with the driver. In terms of driving, this compact SUV is quite generous with 272 horsepower, allowing it to run from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 4 seconds. What is the need for so much power in this type of car completely defeats us. Less power would make it safer, more balanced, more economical and cheaper. Smart is based on the SEA platform, which was developed by Geely. It feels solid and will soon also be used for Volvo’s compact design. It has a large and powerful lithium-ion battery. With a capacity of 66 kWh, it can travel nearly 400 kilometers in practice. Smart offers multiple charging options with three-phase AC charging up to 22 kW and a DC fast charger allowing you to charge the battery at a flow rate of up to 150 kW.