   2014 Smart ForTwo Electric Drive seating & cargo. Click image to enlarge |
To fill that silence, this tester came with the touchscreen navigation and radio, $900 extra. You tap the eject icon and the screen tilts up to reveal the CD/DVD player and SM/MMC card inlet. Instead of the über-kül Mercedes-Benz COMAND infotainment system, the Smartcar comes with a ‘highline radio’.
That the radio’s instruction booklet is almost half as thick as the operator’s manual says a good deal about the Smart’s target customer.
The right size for the city — yes, for two.
Real estate is thoughtfully allocated in the Smart. Like space-conscious city planners, the designers built up instead of out. It’s 155 cm tall — the aforementioned Cadillac ELR is 142 cm — with just over a metre of headroom! Such dimensions are unique in a two-seater. So you’re barely bending over to get in and, seated, you have a good view of the road. With the mirrors carefully angled, that view easily extends to 360 degrees. Between the height and commanding view, you’ll feel less vulnerable in traffic than you may think.
Even with the passenger seat up, it carried enough groceries for two for the week. Yet it’s only 269 cm long. That’s 175.5 cm less than the Nissan Leaf (which seats three more passengers). So parking it is a hilarious thrill. On one occasion, I managed to squeeze a legal street-parking spot out of a few meagre feet that some douchebag had left the suckers of the world rather than have to crank his steering wheel 20 degrees upon exiting. Any other car would’ve earned a parking ticket.
There are caches for keys, sunglasses, change and so on flanking the steering column, within the doors, overhead and in front of the shifter. The signature Mercedes-Benz first aid kit (Smart-branded of course) is velcroed behind the driver’s seat. The operator’s manual, radio and warranty booklets are housed in a plastic container velcroed behind the passenger’s — within easy reach for the driver. That way, the tiny lockable glove compartment remains empty. So?
Lately the frat-boy pastime of car tipping has become popular in this city. When they tip yours and break in, they’ll be able to steal the brochures — advertising for Smart-Benz — but your wallet and smartphone will still be locked tightly away.
   2014 Smart ForTwo Electric Drive. Click image to enlarge |
The seats are limited in their direction, but I found them very comfortable, especially for the 20-minute bursts that the Smart was designed for.
Gearheads come kicking and screaming but may stay for the torque.
The unrelenting anti-coolness of this vehicle — the kids call it nerd-chic — is laudable. Head-on, it even looks a bit like a pocket protector. So skeptical gearheads probably won’t be swayed by the terminology. For instance, instead of popping the hood, you “unlatch the service flap” which is tethered by a nylon strap. Ooh!
Now it’s time to add wiper fluid, tough guy!
Yes, it drives weirdly. The oblong steering wheel makes it easier to find home steering position but the oversized plastic grip makes it feel more like you’re driving a Big Wheel than a car. It’s tall, especially for that ultra-short wheelbase. Still it handles better in corners than I expected. Yet despite the tightness of the suspension, you never feel close to the road. There are better toys for boys — but the immediacy of the torque delivery that will temper any speed freak’s disdain.
Also on the plus side, the petite 8.75 m turning circle multiplies its urban agility. You’ll be delighted with how easy it is to maneuver — a hard push on the accelerator with a quick twist of the Big steering Wheel and you’re almost as elusive as a bicycle.
The price may be less of a stumbling block with government rebates.
Maybe you won’t be visiting a gas station ever again but, with an opening gambit of $26,990, the Smart is still hardly competitive. Not that it’s uniquely expensive. The four-seater Mitsubishi i-MiEV opens at $32,999 and the five-seater Ford Focus Electric, $36,199. We won’t even bother quoting Tesla.
But all that is changing surprisingly fast. As the recent AJAC Eco-Run demonstrated, electric cars are fast becoming an everyday reality — for the city. Furthermore, your provincial government may be offering rebates. Ontario offers up to $8,500: green incentives so to speak.
Pricing: 2014 Smart ForTwo Electric Drive
Base Price: $26,990
Options: Smart Touchscreen Navi/Radio – $900; 3-spoke steering wheel with shift paddles – $250
Freight & PDI: $1,700
A/C Tax: $100
Price as tested: $29,940
This free CAA tool approximates your annual fuel consumption: http://caa.ca/car_costs/
Competitors
Ford Focus BEV
Mitsubishi i-MiEV
Nissan Leaf
Scion iQ
Toyota Prius C
Crash Test Results:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
