25/08/2024 Smart #3 is an electric car packed with premium features and technology that is aimed squarely at buyers contemplating a more pricey EV. The second Smart model to arrive in Ireland #3 is a mid-size C-segment car, with coupe crossover pretensions, that can seat five people. We’ve put the Brabus version through its paces. Petrolheads already know the Brabus name, and to those unfamiliar with it, Brabus is a German performance tuning firm that usually breathes fire into more humble Mercedes-Benz vehicles since it was formation in 1977. If you see Brabus badgeing on a car it is a surefire guarantee that a car is capable of high performance.
The €56,500 Brabus Smart #3 has a dual-motor, all-wheel drive powertrain that delivers 428hp and 543nm of torque – that is outrageous power in a family hatchback. The sprint from 0 to 100km/h takes just 3.7 seconds, yes you read correctly – 3.7 seconds! Top speed is limited to 180 km/h. The majority of the range is rear wheel drive and come fitted with a 62kWh (net 66kWh gross) NCM battery. An entry version (Pro) features a 49kWh LFP battery with a 325km maximum range. The five-door has a 22kW onboard AC charger – very handy at public slow charges to get the maximum power from them. The DC or fast charging capability can harness speeds of up to 150kW. Smart quotes a maximum driving range for a full battery of 415 km, and of course that is an ideal driving conditions. The Premium model has the longest range at 455km. bar the entry model, all can tow up to 1,600kgs.
On the road despite all this power, Smart #3 feels fairly conventional and apart from feeling a little lumpy on poorer surfaces and speed bumps the ride is on the firm side of normal. The car doesn’t go out of its way to encourage you to use all its power all the time. Smart #3 is happy to tootle along. It can be quite easily driven at low speed and in urban areas unlike a petrol-powered car with similar output – that would be snarling and tugging at the lead.
Smart #3’s exterior is curvy, friendly and head-turning to a degree. The Brabus model gets a few subtle sporty embellishments and enhancements that in truth could be more pronounced. I like a Brabus that has kids (of all ages) turning to stare at its brutishness! Brabus itself states its modifications to cars deliver the “1 second wow effect’ – mmm I’m not sure Smart #3 has it. The car is 4,400mm long (+130mm over #1) and has a relatively long 2,785mm wheelbase next to the competition. The boot holds 370 litres. Fold the seats down and there is 1,160 litres of cargo space. There is also a tiny 15 litre ‘frunk’ under the bonnet for the AC cable or oddments. The Smart #3 is aerodynamic with a cd of just 2.7.
Inside, the cabin is fresh and bright with a huge panoramic roof that is standard across the entire range. The ambience is reflective of the €56,500 price tag. There is a great Beats sound system, big digital displays and even ventilated front seats among the list of toys as standard. Connectivity is good, what is frustrating is the interface with the touch screen – it is idiosyncratic at best! The logic we’d expect to use when accessing secondary controls etc is missing – instead, you have to learn its way of doing things. There is a cheetah avatar in the #3 (the #1 has a fox). While this will be no real issue for owners, it was frustrating for us at times – and we know our way around car controls. Higher grades (Premium and up) get a heat pump as standard.
Smart is trying to re-establish itself as a brand in Ireland, a market where it only sold a few cars. Smart’s current model lineup of the #1 and the #3 bear no similarity to what has gone before. The firm has reinvented itself and sales will grow slowly relative to the influx of Chinese brands in particular. The standard Smart #3 does a perfectly good job, and the Brabus version is just showing off. That said who doesn’t like to show off a little?
Smart in Ireland is throwing the kitchen sink at its cars to make them irresistible value for money in the premium sector. There are cheaper electric cars with plenty of extras included in their price out there, so it seems Smart is in a credibility/desirability race to get market share. The Smart #3 Brabus is an impressive machine with greater practicality than its smaller sibling, outrageous performance and plenty of connectivity and ADAS systems to keep the car current and relevant for the coming years. Smart #3 pricing starts from €38,714. There are five grades in the range: Pro, Pro+(€43,821) and Premium(€51,105), 25th anniversary and Brabus. Michael Sheridan
