Smart Fortwo Hatchback 2004 - Present

The Smart Fortwo was launched in 2004 to fill a hole in the market for extremely small city cars. They offered something a little different from what was readily on the market as they only have two seats which means that they are fine for taller people to scoot around town, providing they were happy to only share the moment with one other person. Upgraded in many areas for 2007 they remain a favourite for the supermini driver and offer a more versatile vehicle.

Sitting in the smart Fortwo is a surprisingly roomy experience. The Fortwo is quite tall for such a little car and the result is a great amount of headroom and good visibility. The controls are nicely laid out and the finish is good with quality materials used throughout. This is no doubt one of the benefits of being owned by Mercedes. Smart have retired the other models in the range owing to the overwhelming interest in this the flagship model.

The first generation of Smart cars functioned best in their natural environment, the urban landscape, it's what they were made for and as long as you didn't want to use them for anything else you were unlikely to be disappointed. The boot offers enough space for a little more than a weeks shop for two or a suitcase so you'd need to double up for weekends away. They're easy to park and nippy little performers around town but on the motorway most of the early models felt out of their depth. The 698cc engine may have been turbocharged but it was not enough to offer any great level of confidence on the motorway. The Brabus tuned version just about gave enough power but with a top speed of 94 mph it was still a nervous ride. 2007 has seen the engine boosted to a 1 litre model supplied by Mitsubishi which offers more power and torque, although they still feel a little exposed on the motorway. In truth they are little fun to drive anywhere too far from an urban setting.

The initial launch of the Smart car offered a slightly disappointing ride. The height of the car meant a high centre of gravity and this combined with a short wheelbase gave way to uncertain steering and body roll when cornering. The 2007 model has seen a significant evolution in the chassis and as a result the handling is much more assured. The body roll has been virtually eliminated as a result and the car can be thrown from corner to corner with little fear of reprisals. The car responds to changes in road surface in much more mature fashion than the early models now too. Where once it would seem to throw it's toys out of the pram, now it is more sanguine about the obstacles that are thrown up by the British roads.

The Smart car has always turned heads as it drives and was always a blast to drive around town. The 2007 model shows a car that has grown into itself and is at ease with what it wants to be. Smart have placed a lot of responsibility on the longer wheel base of the 2007 model and I think it's got just enough guile to take it.

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