Smart EQ ForFour (2018-2021) review

Smart went electric-only in 2020, when its full line-up was refreshed and gained Mercedes’ EQ branding. At the time of its launch, the EQ ForFour had rivals like the Volkswagen e-up! and SEAT Mii to beat, and while it could certainly match them for stylish looks and a fun urban driving experience, its electric powertrain wasn't updated as part of the 2020 refresh, so range and charging times remained behind the curve.

Inside, there are higher-quality finishes than in those VW Group rivals, as well as cup-holders and smartphone storage. The infotainment system sadly didn't benefit from any upgrades: it dates back to Smart's collaboration with Renault and feels decidedly behind the times, with Android Auto but – initially at least – no Apple CarPlay.

Wide-opening doors make getting into the front or back of the Smart EQ ForFour easy, but once you're in there space is at a premium; there's only so much that packaging cleverness can get around the fact this car is only 3.5 metres long. Boot space is fairly limited, too, at just 185 litres.

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Running the same 80bhp electric motor and rear-drive setup as the outgoing EQ ForFour, the revised model feels almost identical to drive. Its 12.7-second 0-62mph time is unimpressive, but it feels far more sprightly when you're accelerating to 30 or 40mph, which makes for an enjoyable driving experience on congested urban roads. A very small turning circle makes tight manoeuvring and tricky parking spaces a doddle, while the electric motor runs pretty quietly most of the time.

The only problem is all this fun driving doesn't last very long before you have to stop and charge. Official testing returns a figure of 81 miles, but it's likely to be less than that in the real world if you mix in cold weather, motorway driving, a full load of passengers and luggage, or heavy use of the heater or air-conditioning. Next to the potential 160-mile range of the VW Group trio, or the nearly 250 miles managed by the (admittedly more expensive) Renault ZOE, that seems pretty poor.

Charging won't be very fast, either: the ForFour's on-board charger limits you to 22kW, even if you're drawing power from a 50kW or 100kW public charging point. At least the relatively small battery means you'll be topped up in less than three hours from a home wallbox, or under an hour from a public charger. This car works best when charged slowly overnight at home and taken on short commuting, shopping or social trips in the day.

Charging it overnight makes even more sense when you consider how little it'll cost on a domestic electricity tariff. It also costs nothing in road tax and is free from the London Congestion Charge until 2025 owing to its zero tailpipe emissions.

Reliability should be good, despite the fact Smart didn’t feature in the 2020 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey. Parent company Mercedes finished close to bottom, but the most common complaints were with regards to running costs – which is clearly not going to be an issue with the EQ ForFour.

Buyers had a choice of three trim levels when ordering an EQ ForFour. There's little reason to look beyond the entry-level 'passion advanced' spec, as it has pretty much all the essential kit, including cruise control, climate control and parking sensors. The more expensive 'pulse premium' and 'prime exclusive' give you features like larger alloys, a reversing camera, LED lights and rain-sensing wipers, but none of it feels strictly necessary, so they're not worth the extra.