TWO'S COMPANY (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 58

Traditionally, the smart fortwo has attracted a distinct, loyal band of urban-based buyers who really wouldn't consider anything else. This third generation version though, had wider appeal, classier, cleverer and more effective than ever in its town-targeted remit thanks to Mercedes engineering and shared development with Renault. Arguably, it was the car this model should always have been.

Modelsword count: 9

Models Covered : (2dr city car 1.0 petrol, EV])

Historyword count: 320

Size matters - especially in the city where the smallest form of comfortable personal mobility is epitomised here, by smart's third generation fortwo. Back in 1998, a different kind of little car was introduced to an unsuspecting world, a model redefining what a city runabout could be. What became known as the 'smart fortwo' quickly established itself as an icon for trendy townies before the marque somewhat lost its way by trying to also sell larger models that brand buyers didn't want. A second generation 'W451' fortwo model, launched in 2007, helped get things back on track, but it was this third generation 'C453' version, launched in this country early in 2015, that at last properly developed that clever original concept. Here, you get the tiny body length, rear-engine layout and tight turning circle that have always defined this car. But do without the jerky transmission, tiny cargo area and unsettled ride that traditionally put people off it. There's even a lengthened forfour version if you don't like the traditional two-seater layout. Previous financial woes meant that smart parent company Daimler needed to involve its Mercedes brand more closely in a MK3 model development programme that also needed a financial partner - Renault. Both of these things forced the smart designers to adopt a welcome, more realistic approach in creating this car and the end product was all the better for it. Under the skin lie the underpinnings of a little Renault Twingo, but enough of smart's brand equity was built upon these for that not to matter very much. A Cabrio version arrived to join the fixed-top 'Coupe' in 2016 and sportier-looking Brabus versions of both (with the 0.9 engine) arrived at the same time. The 'Electric Drive' EQ version was launched in 2017. Combustion-powered fortwo models were offered until 2019, after which an all-electric model (by now badged 'EQ') took over until the end of sales in 2023.

What You Getword count: 408

A little disappointingly, due to modern safety legislation, this third generation fortwo lost the pert, funky 'one-box' shape that so defined its predecessors. Or, to put it another way, the 'one-and-a-half-box' styling acquired by this MK3 model meant that it gained a properly defined bonnet and, as a result, it looks somehow more conventional. This being the case, it's remarkable that this MK3 model remains every bit as short as its predecessors, just 2.69m in length. Otherwise, the profile of this car continues to be characterised by the colour contrast between the body panels and the emphasised outlines of a tridion safety cell that can be finished in black, white or silver. As before, there was the choice of fixed-top and cabrio body styles. The twin-section tailgate used with both variants wasn't new, but it was something that owner feedback insisted upon, so the design was carried over from the previous model, complete with its user-friendly upper opening glass section. Smart drivers loved the fact that even in the tightest parking spaces, they could still easily load their cars. As before, the bottom section flattens into a neat picnic perch, strong enough to sit on and incorporating a useful lidded compartment. And it reveals an amazingly tardis-like cargo bay, boot space to the window line increased by 40-litres to create a total 260-litre total capacity greater than all of this car's most direct (and much larger) citycar rivals. At the wheel, the spacial surprises continue and you'll quickly find yourself wondering how on earth something so diminutively small outside can feel so large and airy within. In this MK3 fortwo, you feel that you're in a proper car, rather than some kind of cramped urban mobility pod. Unlike older fortwos, burly folk need no longer be on intimate terms and even slender owners will appreciate the extra elbow room. The dashboard's a two-piece affair, with the upper part trimmed in a lovely mesh-effect fabric coating that looks great, though we wouldn't want to have to try and get melted chocolate out of it. This can be colour-co-ordinated alongside the central seat facings and the middle panels in the doors, with black, blue or orange themes. Further funky touches include the four spherical air vents with their friendly clickety mechanisms. And an unusually-configured air conditioning unit, on which the desired temperature can be set on a central scale you select from with the aid of a sliding magnifying glass.

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