Smart #1 Premium long-term test: software updates improve tech niggles

Verdict

The Smart #1 divides opinion but the company listens to feedback, and software updates have improved technical niggles. It’s a relaxed cruiser and is showing only a slight drop in efficiency despite the falling temperatures.

• Mileage: 6,912
• Efficiency: 3.9 miles/kWh

All modern cars have to pack in plenty of driver-assistance and safety features to secure the highest possible Euro NCAP rating, and how much they interfere or annoy varies widely across brands. One you rarely want to turn off, though, is the speed-limit alert – but we have found a recent software update on our Smart #1  has made the system too efficient for its own (or rather our) good!   

While my husband and I were driving along the A3, the binging alert kept going off. Initially we weren’t really sure what we were being warned about, because we were travelling well within the relevant speed limit.

However, we soon came to realise that the system was actually picking up road signs for lower speed limits on side roads. Even so, with an eye on safety, we decided that enduring the annoying noises was still preferable to turning the system completely off.

I was alerted to some of the changes included in the update by a helpful reader – and fellow owner of a Smart #1 – who E-mailed me to let me know that you can set a preferred list of driver-assistance and control options through your driver profile.

He even provided me with instructions on how to do it, which was much appreciated, because I’m not very good at diving deep into the sub-menus to find the less obvious adjustments you can make.

I’m still not a fan of everything being controlled via the large touchscreen, but I’m getting better at navigating my way through the system. The fox avatar sometimes brings a smile to my face, too. For example, when you use the heating, it appears sitting on a chair. It’s pointless, maybe, but somehow uplifting.

Which is good news, because I’m having to use the heating more than I want now that colder weather is here. As a seasoned EV driver, my first instinct is to use the heated steering wheel and seats to save charge, but sadly the heating on the driver’s seat doesn’t work in our Smart (although it’s doing its job on the passenger seat and steering wheel). Hopefully, fixing the driver’s seat is a minor repair, and the standard heat pump should help battery life as temperatures drop further.

Another piece of tech that hasn’t entirely convinced me is the wireless phone-charging pad that comes as standard on our Premium-spec model. It does work, but if the phone moves slightly, it stops charging. Rather than worry about having to continually adjust the phone’s position, I’ve got round the problem by plugging a cable into one of the USB ports in the rear – it’s always good to have options.

Otherwise, life with the Smart is perfectly pleasant. We’ve driven it all over the place and it seems at home on motorways and A-roads, where the ride is smooth and noise levels are low, leading to a relaxing experience.

The car is set up for comfort rather than sharp handling, and at times it feels a little bit like being on a roller coaster over the bumpy, twisting roads in the New Forest. But back on the 20mph-limited roads of London, it’s easy to manoeuvre and quick away from the lights.

Smart #1 Premium long-term test: fleetwatch

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A firm push of the button means the Smart #1's panoramic sunroof can be opened in one go

In my first report, I wrote about the roof-mounted button that operates the panoramic sunroof in my Smart, saying you needed to keep your finger pressed on it to open or close the full-length cover.

But thanks to two of our readers who both own #1s, I stand corrected. They went to the trouble of E-mailing in to let me know that with a firmer press it actually does open with one touch. I’m now using the sunroof a lot more, thanks to their help.

Smart #1 Premium long-term test: first report

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 Life with the first car from the reborn Smart brand has been a mixed experience so far

• Mileage: 6,282
• Efficiency: 4.0 miles/kWh

It’s been a while since I’ve run a fully electric car and I still have no way of charging at home, so with the arrival of the Smart #1, I’m back to relying on the public charging network. However, I have a lot less fear than before, thanks to the increased number of chargepoints near where I live. 

To be honest, when I heard I would be running the Smart, I had very little idea what to expect. The #1 is a fresh start for the brand, and while its new all-electric range of cars still has some input from Mercedes, the platform and mechanics are provided by the Chinese company Geely. It’s the same platform that’s used by the Volvo EX30.

This leaves Mercedes to provide all the bits you can see, and Smart certainly hasn’t played safe. The car has some real Marmite elements both inside and out that divide opinion – or at least they do in my house. I haven’t made my mind up about the exterior; from some angles it looks good, but I’m not convinced about the front view. Maybe it will grow on me, but my husband likes it more. 

The interior is where Smart has been really brave, though, with a huge centre console that takes up a lot of space. My husband and I both disliked it immediately, although I’m starting to warm to it because it creates three very practical storage areas, all with sliding covers. Up front, the smallest cubby includes wireless phone charging in our Premium-spec car, while the middle one has two cup-holders, and the large storage space behind can work as a mini cooler – handy for keeping snacks chilled. Beneath the console is the perfect slot for my handbag – much better than having
it on the seat or front passenger footwell.  

Overall, the feel of the hi-tech interior is one of quality, and because it’s colour coded with the exterior, it makes a nice change from too much black plastic. There’s a 9.2-inch digital cluster behind the steering wheel, and a head-up display is included on our car’s spec, while the dash is dominated by a 12.8-inch central touchscreen. The clarity is good, and although I’ve found it fiddly to navigate so far, hopefully that will improve as I get used to it. But I’m really not keen on the lack of physical buttons.  

The amount of glass means visibility is good and adds to the airy feel, but while the panoramic sunroof does actually have a physical button, it’s not one-touch, so you have to keep your finger on it to use it.

The car is packed with safety technology that helped earn a five-star Euro NCAP rating. The list of kit includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist and a cross-traffic alert. True, some of it is rather intrusive, but I haven’t found it too frustrating in everyday driving. 

One issue we had with the handover from Smart was how long it took for the car to notice that the key wasn’t present. The firm’s rep was two stops along the London Underground with the key, and I’d driven in the opposite direction, before I got a warning that the key couldn’t be detected. I got back to the drop-off point and got the key, but security-wise it was alarming.