Smart ForFour vs Renault Twingo and SEAT Mii - pictures

The new Smart ForFour shares its underpinnings with the Renault Twingo, but are they good enough to see off the SEAT Mii by Mango? 

Smart cars have always been at home in the city, and the new ForFour is no different. Dinky dimensions and high-set driving position make it a pleasure to weave around town.

Smart's trademark Tridion safety cell comes in black, but it can be painted white or silver for £200. Metallic paint costs just £295 thanks to easy-to-produce plastic panels.

The ForFour's interior is full of style, with an attractive white finish on the centre console, air vents and door trim both front and rear.

Legroom in the back of the Smart is tight, but headroom is good, even with the panormic sunroof. 

The Smart ForFour's boot lags behind the Twingo's at 185 litres. With the back seats folded, there's a flat load space due to the high-set boot floor that sits above the rear-mounted engine. Decent heat insulation stops it from getting

The ForFour shares a lot of parts with the Twingo, but the Smart has a more upmarket feel that goes some way in justifying its higher price.

Ball air vents on top of the dash contribute to the funky interior.

The optional touchscreen tidies up the centre console, but it's not the easiest system to operate and it can be confusing. It's based on the Renault's R-Link software and repackaged with Smart's graphics.

The panoramic sunroof helps create a light interior, but the sunblinds feel flimsy and cheap.

The ride in the Smart is pretty firm, but speed bumps don't unsettle it too much. Push hard in the corners and the car understeers, but the ESP will cut in aggressively if the car starts to get out of line. 

On the motorway, the Smart's nose feels light and a little wayward and less sure-footed than the SEAT Mii.

The narrow dimensions and tall driving position make the ForFour easy to thread through small gaps.

"There are plenty of personalisation options on the ForFour, but it's frustrating that you have to upgrade to the pricey Premium or Premium Plus packages if there's specific kit you want" - Dean Gibson, Deputy road test editor

Smart has launched the ForFour with the Edition 1 special edition, while the SEAT Mii by Mango is a special edition in name, but there's no limit on production numbers as yet. 

"Drive the Mii straight after the ForFour or Twingo, and the first thing to strike you is how much more grown up it is. While the other two feel flimsy and a bit wayward, especially at speed, the SEAT is stable and easily shrugs off bu

The SEAT boasts a very comfortable ride, with the suspension ironing out most bumps and imperfections. It's as refined around town as it is on the motorway, too. 

The Mii's cabin is full of high-quality plastics, while the simple layout is part of the charm.

The Mii might be shorter than its rivals here, but it's packaged well and easily fits four adults in comfort. There are only two seatbelts in the rear, though, so it's a strict four-seater.

The boot weighs in at 251 litres, while folding the rear seats expands this to 951 litres. 

To get the best out of the engine, you need to work it hard, but its lively, off-beat warble as the revs rise provides a real sense of character.

A Garmin sat nav comes as standard on the Mii by Mango, with its own dock sitting on top of the dashboard. 

There's plenty of room inside, while this model gets leather and Alcantara seat trim to add a classy touch.

The Mii by Mango adds dark grey alloys, tinted windows and is offered in metallic black, or the flesh-coloured Nude solid paint of our test car.

Smart ForFour vs rivals

Renault Twingo

Renault Twingo

Renault Twingo

Renault Twingo

Renault Twingo

Renault Twingo

Renault Twingo

Renault Twingo

Renault Twingo

Renault Twingo

Renault Twingo

Smart ForFour vs rivals