2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 15:44
The Smart Forfour offers enough space for four people. The colorful design is not to everyone's taste.
Stefan Grundhoff
Gone are the days when the long-legged two-seaters from the Smart brand only brought a weary smile to many. The brand's new flagship is the Forfour with a length of 3.75 meters. The name says it all - in contrast to the previous smart models, the Forfour is intended for up to four people and has four doors.
Unusual design
Trendy lifestyle runabouts show all critics in the highly competitive market. Being different is in. The chances for the success of the biggest Smart to date are good. The outfit is unusual, chic and a bit wacky. In particular, the lively four-eyed face with the slightly opened mouth of the radiator creates a lot of sympathy at first glance. The enlarged steel safety cell is striking and stands out from the vehicle in terms of color. Also striking is the long wheelbase with a length of 2.50 meters. This ensures a good ride and the necessary space in the interior - front and rear. The four wheel arches are easily exposed.
Diesel variant follows
Initially, the Smart Forfour will be offered with three petrol engines. A diesel variant will follow in autumn. The top model is powered by a 1.5 liter four-cylinder unit. 80 KW / 109 PS - that's enough for a top speed of 190 km / h. The four-seater from DaimlerChrysler manages the 0-100 km / h sprint in 9.8 seconds. The Euro 4 gas standard is mandatory, as is complete safety equipment. The average consumption should be just under six liters of super per 100 kilometers.
Sufficient motorization
The top engine is completely sufficient for the big Smart. No wonder: In contrast to the competition, even the top model Forfour 1.5 weighs significantly less than 1100 kilos. The motor is easy to turn and has a very pleasant sound. The electronic power steering is smooth and extremely precise. The brakes grip hard and ensure that if you are ambitious, you get back down to earth safely. If necessary, ESP will help. The chassis is emphatically taut; Bumps are swallowed confidently by the stiff body (thanks to the Tridon safety cell) and the good dampers. On bumpy road surfaces, however, the front-wheel drive car is a bit stubborn and hard.
Interior design is a matter of taste
As with the other models, the interior is a bit too colorful and child-friendly. The large plastic surfaces are a matter of taste; however, the plastic image is striking. The pitman arms are overloaded with functions - there would definitely have been room for additional controls. What is missing are electric windows. The overly soft seats, the insufficient adjustment of the steering wheel and the overly tight trunk are annoying. The rear bench seat can be folded down or moved, or converted into a large lying area. So there are no space problems.
Complete equipment not exactly cheap
Entry into the adult smart class costs 12,990 euros. The sparsely equipped basic model with three cylinders and a displacement of 1.1 liters is available for this. The top model Smart Forfour 1.5, which is in the list at 15,140 euros, is much more interesting. With appropriate equipment details such as air conditioning, CD sound system, aluminum rims or seat heating, the purchase price can go up to almost 20,000 euros.
