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Heat\u00a0the words \u2018Smart car\u2019 and you\u2019re probably going to picture a tiny two-seater that\u2019s perfectly suited to the city. But now the brand is expanding its horizons, which means expanding its cars. Step forward the #1, a new compact SUV that offers space for five and a much broader appeal as a result. Some things don\u2019t change, though; the brand still pitches itself as one for the young and style-conscious.<\/p>\n
As you\u2019d expect for an entirely new car in 2023, Smart has gone all-electric with its newcomer, which puts it up against some pretty strong competition, among which is the Renault Megane E-Tech, but there\u2019s genuine substance there, too. So does the Smart have the panache and ability to compete with one of the most desirable family EVs around?<\/p>\n
| \u00a0<\/td>\n | Smart #1 Premium<\/strong><\/td>\n| Renault Megane E-Tech Techno<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Price:<\/td>\n | \u00a338,950<\/td>\n | \u00a339,495<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Powertrain:<\/td>\n | 1x e-motor, 62kWh battery, rear-wheel drive, 268bhp<\/td>\n | 1x e-motor, 60kWh battery, front-wheel drive, 217bhp<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | 0-62mph:<\/td>\n | 6.7 seconds<\/td>\n | 7.5 seconds<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Test efficiency:<\/td>\n | 3.8mi\/kWh<\/td>\n | 3.7mi\/kWh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Test range:<\/td>\n | 273 miles<\/td>\n | 280 miles<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n |
Smart #1<\/h2>\nA fresh\u00a0start for Smart presents an opportunity to transform both the brand\u2019s image and the electric family car segment. Initial prices are keen; at \u00a338,905, even this high-spec Premium trim undercuts many rivals.<\/p>\n Tech highlights\u00a0<\/h2>\nThe\u00a0charming Smart ForTwo wasn\u2019t for everyone, but there was no doubting its ingenious design. For the #1, Smart says this clever use of space remains, with the all-electric newcomer adopting a compact SUV body, with all the components laid out similarly to many EVs that have come before it.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Geely-derived SEA platform mounts its single electric motor on the rear axle, for rear-wheel drive. With 268bhp and 343Nm, there\u2019s an impressive amount of muscle on tap.\u00a0<\/p>\n Energy is supplied by a 62kWh battery, and rapid 150kW charging gives a 10-80 per cent top-up in less than 30 minutes. An official kerbweight of 1,788kg means the #1 sits towards the heavier end of the segment, though.\u00a0<\/p>\n Safety:<\/strong> The #1 gained a five-star rating in its 2022 Euro NCAP safety assessments, with a 96 per cent score in the Adult Occupant category its greatest highlight. It also bagged an 88 per cent score in the Safety Assist category, but here we found that much of the clever driver assistance tech leaves a little to be desired in its execution on the road.\u00a0<\/p>\n The lane-keep assist system is intrusive in everyday driving. While there\u2019s no doubting the tech works, its implementation means that it can sometimes be annoying when it cuts in; overtake a cyclist or a stationary bus, for example, and the system will tug the wheel, sending you back into their path. However, it\u2019s not quite as irritating as the over-active attention warning function, which also seems hit and miss.\u00a0<\/p>\n Unfortunately, the Smart falls a little flat when it comes to the way it drives. It isn\u2019t fundamentally flawed \u2013 in fact it has plenty of potential \u2013 but some areas need work.<\/p>\n Around town:<\/strong>\u00a0 Typical of other EVs, the Smart uses motor regeneration to slow the car while recovering energy. However, there\u2019s a delay between lifting off the accelerator pedal and the regen engaging, so it\u2019s hard to drive smoothly.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s most obvious in the top \u2018one-pedal\u2019 setting, where the most aggressive regeneration slows the car noticeably after a brief pause when lifting off the accelerator. The ride is fidgety around town, although this isn\u2019t unusual for hefty EVs fitted with large wheels.<\/p>\n The cabin is undoubtedly the #1\u2019s strongest suit, both in terms of aesthetic appeal and practicality. The dashboard design makes use of textured materials, 64-colour ambient lighting and, in this Premium trim, white plastic, to give a fresh, modern and minimalist environment.\u00a0<\/p>\n Influence from co-parent brand Mercedes is obvious, as the Smart\u2019s cubby lids operate with the quality typical of the German marque, while the physical buttons on the steering wheel all have a pleasingly tactile feel. Given the compact SUV body style, you sit quite high, and when combined with a large amount of glass all round it means that visibility is great.\u00a0<\/p>\n Despite using modest materials, Smart has cleverly created an upmarket ambience, but the Beats sound system doesn\u2019t really live up to the high-end ambitions. For an uprated speaker set-up, it\u2019s underwhelming.<\/p>\n As standard, the #1 gets a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty and an eight-year\/125,000-mile cover package for the high-voltage battery. If you keep up the manufacturer\u2019s service schedule with an approved service centre, breakdown cover will cover you for up to eight years or 100,000 miles.\u00a0<\/p>\n Thanks to a two per cent Benefit-in-Kind tax banding, the Smart is very cheap to run for company car users. Higher-rate taxpayers will face deductions of only \u00a3311 each year. Such low costs also apply to the Megane, though.<\/p>\n Storage:<\/strong> The high centre console has three separate lidded bins. The front pocket holds a smartphone, while the middle lid reveals a pair of cupholders. The largest space is at the back, where there\u2019s a long, deep area for storing items out of sight. Keeping charging cables separate from luggage is useful if you have a packed boot, and the #1 has extra space under the bonnet for that.<\/p>\n Considering that the #1\u2019s footprint is similar to a VW Golf\u2019s, the room it offers for both occupants and their luggage is very impressive.<\/p>\n Rear Space: <\/strong>In terms of knee, head and elbow room, there\u2019s much more here than in the Renault. The floor is flat, so there\u2019s plenty of foot space even with three passengers. The one small downside is that the backrests are quite firm.<\/p>\n Boot: <\/strong>At 411 litres, the #1\u2019s boot is a reasonable size on paper, but it\u2019s the neat, square shape of the load area and its wide opening that makes it more useful than that number implies.\u00a0<\/p>\n Fold the back seats flat, and the volume grows to 976 litres \u2013 although that figure measures only to the window line, rather than the roof, so it\u2019s still fairly generous. There\u2019s also a decent amount of extra storage under the false boot floor.<\/p>\n Which configuration we\u2019d choose<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Our\u00a0test Megane is a mid-range version, but Techno trim is still very generously equipped. At \u00a339,495, it\u2019s more expensive than the Smart to buy outright, but as we\u2019ll cover later, Renault\u2019s consistently competitive finance deals mean it\u2019s more affordable to purchase through other means.<\/p>\n Renault and Smart have some history: a joint venture between the two firms created not only the outgoing ForTwo and ForFour models, but also the third-generation Twingo.\u00a0<\/p>\n While Smart\u2019s rear-motor layout is the same as its previous city car models, the Megane\u2019s CMF-EV platform (which is shared with the Nissan Ariya) uses a front-motor, front-wheel drive layout. At 217bhp and 300Nm, it\u2019s not quite as potent as its rival\u2019s set-up, but it also has much less weight to lug around; the Renault\u2019s 1,685kg kerbweight is 103kg less than the #1\u2019s. Considering the 60kWh battery is only marginally smaller than the Smart\u2019s unit, that\u2019s a significant difference in mass. However, the Smart is rated to tow a 1,600kg trailer, which is much higher than the 900kg rating of the Renault.<\/p>\n At 4,200mm long, the Megane is fairly compact; in fact, it\u2019s 159mm shorter than the fourth-generation combustion powered M\u00e9gane, and only very slightly wider. It has grown 60mm taller than its predecessor, but it\u2019s still closer to a hatchback body style than the full SUV that Smart has created.<\/p>\n Safety:<\/strong> As with the Smart, the Megane E-Tech was assessed by Euro NCAP in 2022, and it also earned a five-star rating. Its category scores were slightly lower than the Smart\u2019s, however, although we found its safety-assist systems to be less intrusive during our test.<\/p>\n Across\u00a0the board, the Renault feels much more polished to drive than its rival. It\u2019s one of the sportier models to drive in its segment.<\/p>\n Around town:<\/strong>\u00a0 It\u2019s clear that the Megane is much easier to drive smoothly than the Smart.<\/p>\n The brakes are better calibrated, with a more pleasant transition between motor regen and mechanical deceleration. Paddles behind the wheel allow the driver to adjust the rate at which the car slows down on the fly.\u00a0<\/p>\n The combination of 20-inch alloy wheels and reasonably firm suspension means that the Megane can feel fidgety over small bumps, though, so it\u2019s no better than the #1 in this respect.<\/p>\n A & B-roads:<\/strong> The Renault\u2019s chassis has been tuned to deliver a much firmer response than the Smart\u2019s. While it\u2019s by no means perfect, it feels like a significantly more coherent driving experience as a whole. With less mass to move around, the Megane feels more agile.\u00a0<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re having fun or making an evasive manoeuvre, its stable, slightly nose-heavy balance is far more reassuring than its rival\u2019s. The steering is much lighter, but it\u2019s precise, and adds to the impression of agility.<\/p>\n The Megane can\u2019t quite keep pace with the Smart in a straight line, but its 7.5-second 0-62mph time is plenty for a family hatchback. Get too keen with the throttle when pulling out of a junction and it\u2019s possible to spin up the front tyres.\u00a0<\/p>\n Motorway:<\/strong> That bumpy ride in town goes away at speed, and the Megane makes for an accomplished long-distance cruiser. Road and wind noise are acceptable, and despite light steering weight, it doesn\u2019t feel flighty.<\/p>\n Renault's interior design has taken a big step forward in a very short period of time, with most of its cars ranking towards the top of their respective segments for cabin quality. The Megane E-Tech maintains that trend.\u00a0<\/p>\n While the large 12.3-inch driver\u2019s display and curving nine-inch touchscreen look a little generic in their layout, the rest of the design is uncluttered and neatly arranged. The expanse of fabric across the dash feels more expensive than some squishy plastics, while the slightly squared-off steering wheel feels great to hold. The drive selector is mounted high on the steering column, so it\u2019s hard to accidentally confuse it with the wiper stalk.<\/p>\n The driving position is much lower than the perched set-up in the Smart. While it feels sportier, it only highlights one of the few minus points of the Megane\u2019s cabin: poor visibility.<\/p>\n That slim glasshouse looks dramatic from the outside, but it means that the view out isn\u2019t great \u2013 particularly over the shoulder and directly behind, where a large blind spot is created by the small rear screen and large C-pillars.<\/p>\n Smart didn\u2019t feature in our 2023 Driver Power satisfaction survey for manufacturers, but it would be difficult for it to perform worse than Renault. Of the 32 brands surveyed, the French maker finished 29th ahead of only MG, Fiat and Audi. There were no disastrous scores in any particular category, but even fewer outstanding marks.<\/p>\n Storage:<\/strong> The feeling of quality is highlighted by small details throughout the Megane\u2019s cabin. The door bins, for example, are fully carpeted, so items won\u2019t rattle around while you\u2019re driving.\u00a0<\/p>\n There\u2019s loads of space in the deep centre console, too, although there\u2019s only one large cupholder. The smartphone charging pad is high up and angled backward, so while there\u2019s a tab that\u2019s designed to hold a device in place, it doesn\u2019t feel very secure.<\/p>\n In isolation the Megane E-Tech feels like a reasonably spacious hatchback, but Smart\u2019s SUV has it beaten here.<\/p>\n Rear\u00a0Space: <\/strong>Legroom is the Renault\u2019s clearest disadvantage, offering roughly 80mm less than the Smart. There\u2019s less to separate them in terms of headroom, but the #1 still has a small advantage. A high floor relative to the seat squab means the Renault\u2019s bench isn\u2019t great for under-thigh support, and there isn\u2019t much foot space under the front seats, either.<\/p>\n Boot: <\/strong>A 440-litre volume sounds great, but the Megane\u2019s boot is awkwardly shaped. The main problem is a load lip that\u2019s higher than in many SUVs, so you have to haul items up before dropping them into the low floor on the other side. Fold the back seats, and the volume grows to 1,364 litres, but there\u2019s a big step in the load floor.<\/p>\n Which configuration we\u2019d choose<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Which car comes out on top?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Renault\u00a0has strong EV form with the Zoe, but the Megane offers even greater versatility in a much more desirable package. In terms of interior design and infotainment tech, few rivals come close.\u00a0<\/p>\n Yet Renault has backed that up with a car that offers strong performance and keen handling, as well as the brand\u2019s always-competitive finance deals. It beats the Smart here, but with a little more rear-seat space and a slightly longer real-world range, the Megane would be a formidable test for any rival.<\/p>\n Based\u00a0on the specs, it\u2019s hard to see how the Smart #1 couldn\u2019t walk this contest. It has loads of power, decent efficiency and a spacious cabin, all at a tempting price.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, the disappointments linger behind the wheel. The suspension feels crude \u2013 especially when considering the power it has to handle \u2013 and the safety systems are irritating. With tweaks to the drive, infotainment and finance figures, the Smart could take on the class leaders. As it is, it\u2019s an also-ran.<\/p>\n The Megane E-Tech\u00a0wins our twin test, but what else is out there?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n What the Auto Express test team would do\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Sean Carson, associate editor:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cThe future of Renault\u2019s hot models will be under the Alpine banner. We\u2019ve had no confirmation that a fast Megane is on the horizon, but we think this platform would be a solid base from which to build a sharp-handling, exciting electric hot hatch.\u201d<\/p>\n John Mcllroy, deputy editor:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cRenault's\u00a0finance deals have been a big selling point for a long time, and they helped the Megane first across the line here. If you\u2019re happy to go for a shorter PCP \u2013 and are able to stump up a big five-figure deposit \u2013 then there\u2019s zero per cent finance on a two-year deal.\u201d<\/p>\n Dawn Grant, picture editor:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cThere's\u00a0definitely a great car somewhere inside the #1, but we\u2019re not convinced that it\u2019s shown itself just yet. We hope that some updates can address its flaws (none of them seems impossible to fix), because we\u2019re convinced that there\u2019s a lot of potential bursting to get out.\u201d<\/p>\n Steve Fowler, editor-in-chief:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cA complete change of tactics from Smart is a risky move \u2013 we haven\u2019t seen many ForTwos or ForFours in the UK in recent years, but they have been very popular in many other European countries. At least its previous range offered something unique within a very busy market.\u201d<\/p>\n Dean Gibson, senior test editor<\/strong>:\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cWe\u2019ve criticised Smart\u2019s lane-assist tech here, but it\u2019s far from the only maker to offer an over-intrusive system. Many of these systems can be pretty unpleasant to live with every day, and some are more complicated than others to switch off.\u201d<\/p>\n Which would you buy? Let us know in the comments section below\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n |
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