insideKENT Magazine Issue 36 - March 2015 | Page 111

Now on its third incarnation, and 15 years since
the first models were rolled out, the Smart car
has enjoyed sales of around 100,000 units in the
UK, and worldwide popularity.
The latest models come in both ForTwo (twoseater) and ForFour (four-seater) variations,
allowing the Smart to contend with the current
array of urban runarounds available. And with
the extensive engineering experience of a
motoring giant such as Mercedes-Benz behind
it, the result is impressive to say the least. A lot
of work has gone into building on what has
already gone before – a stronger performance,
improved gearbox, better steering, extra interior
room and increased safety – whilst retaining the
bits that people loved about the previous models.
My initial reaction to this snazzy little motor was
very much the aforementioned 'Ooh!' factor,
aided in no small part by its attractive exterior.
The vehicle presented to me on the forecourt

had a spectacular two-tone paint job – white
panel work with a Lava Orange Tridion safety
Cell (just how cool does that sound?) –
complimented perfectly by stylish 16-inch black
alloys.
When you climb into the Smart, the cutting-edge
two-tone design continues across the dashboard,
seats and doors, giving the car a stylish, futuristic
feel. In addition, a fantastic central touch sensitive
LCD display allows you to plan your journeys
with the in-house sat-nav (one of the most intuitive
I've ever had the pleasure of trying) or rock out
with the fantastic quality sound system. The
panels and dials are all very easy to read and
use, and I particularly liked the way the rev counter
juts out above the dashboard, contained within
a trendy little bubble.
A turn of the key, and the rear-placed engine
(situated just behind your head) starts throbbing
reassuringly, promising some driving fun. And
the Smart more than delivers.

111

First things first: the outrageously amazing turning
circle. The old adage 'turning on a sixpence' has
never been more accurate; I have never driven
a car like it! The ForTwo practically turns on the
spot, and combined with on-board sensors and
cameras, it's fair to say it makes for an enjoyable
and easy parking experience.
The highly responsive steering soon becomes
intuitive and driving the Smart proves a breeze,
despite me taking some rather narrow and
winding country lanes from the showroom to
Leeds Castle. The visibility is amazing, the
handling great, the braking sharp, and the
gearbox, smooth and responsive (this car had a
very fine manual gearbox, but for those who
prefer, a Twin Clutch Automatic transmission will
also be coming out in May 2015).