smart forfour cars

About the Smart ForFour

As the name suggests, this is a Smart car for four people – and it’s more spacious than you might think.   

The ForFour has been on sale since 2004 and has since had some huge spec upgrades.  

Since 2007, you've been able to buy an all-electric ForFour, which made perfect sense for this small city car, and as of 2020, every model the company sells is fully electric.  

Used ForFour models can be found with either a petrol engine or an electric motor, meaning there are plenty of choices depending on your needs.  

The sort of person this car would appeal to is a city-dweller who needs the occasional space for three other passengers and a decent-sized boot. 

Is the Smart ForFour reliable?

Not only does the ForFour share many of its components with the Renault Twingo, the brand is owned by both Mercedes-Benz and Geely, so there's no reason why the ForFour wouldn’t offer great reliability.   

It's scored highly among trusted consumer surveys for its fuel economy and electric vehicle range, and in terms of safety, the ForFour scores highly. When it was tested by Euro NCAP in 2014, it scored five stars for its crash testing due to its cleverly built body, which is excellent at absorbing impacts.   

It also has some great safety features onboard including a forward-collision warning system, lane-keep assist and crosswind assistance.

What are the Smart ForFour’s features?

Aside from its size, the ForFour is the perfect car for getting around a city thanks to its incredibly tight turning circle, which is even competitive against a London taxi.   

Inside, the ForFour features a very quirky design with a rev counter that hints at Smart cars of old. There’s also a digital display in front of the driver showing the speedometer and mileage.  

To the left of the steering wheel is the touchscreen infotainment system, which sits above the climate controls and gear shifter.   

There are three different equipment packages when it comes to the ForFour. The first is the Comfort Package, which includes a height-adjustable steering wheel plus heated and electrically adjustable door mirrors.   

The next step up is the Premium Equipment Line, which includes rear parking sensors, a seven-inch screen with built-in sat nav, Bluetooth and USB connectivity plus MP3 adapters.   

Topping the range is the Premium Plus package, which offers all the above plus ambient interior lighting, automatic wipers and lights, a rear-view camera and daytime running LED lights.   

Boot space is good too – the 185-litre capacity means there’s enough room for a food shop. 

What's the Smart ForFour like to drive?

There are two petrol engines and an electric motor on offer. The slower 1.0-litre 70hp petrol engine can be mated to either a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox. The same goes for the slightly more powerful 0.9-litre 90hp variant.   

The electric motor is powered by a 17kWh battery that produces 80hp. This is the better option if you will be mostly driving your ForFour around town as it produces zero tailpipe emissions.  

Smart claims this all-electric model will go around 55 miles on one charge.