Smart #1 Pro+ review: A Smart car for a new generation

What would a car designed for Gen Z be like? It's a bit hard to imagine, but perhaps the Smart #1 might offer a bit of a clue.

It starts with the name, which is officially pronounced 'Hashtag One'. In full, this car is called the Smart #1 Pro+, which makes it sound like the latest smartphone model that you can pick up from the fancy store on Orchard Road.

Quirky name aside, what appeal does the Smart #1 hold for car buyers, Gen Z or otherwise?

Who is Smart?

Smart is a very interesting brand, to say the least. Its origins began in the 1990s, when Swatch (yes, the watch maker) wanted to develop a small and stylish car for city dwellers.

Having had no experience with car manufacturing though, Swatch wanted to partner with an existing carmaker for its city car project.

It eventually settled with Mercedes-Benz, and the result was a car called the Micro Compact Car (MCC) Smart, a tiny two-seater that was only 2.5 metres long. It was so small that you could effectively park two Smarts into one standard-sized parking lot.

Almost immediately after the car's launch though, the two partners started to disagree on the project's direction. Within two years, Mercedes-Benz bought out Swatch's stake in the venture, and the now-renamed Smart car company was now fully under Mercedes-Benz's control.

That's how it remained until 2019, when Chinese carmaker Geely offered to buy a 50 per cent stake in Smart. With Mercedes-Benz looking to revitalise the Smart brand with new models, and capitalise on the fast-growing Chinese car market, it agreed to the deal.

Therefore, today's Smart is now a half German, half Chinese brand that has shifted its focus to developing stylish electric vehicles (EVs) for a new generation of buyers.

So is the #1 the first car from the 'new' Smart?

Yes it is. The name suggests so as well, although given that it is 'Hashtag One' and not 'Number One', it's also probably more of an indication that the #1 will be Smart's smallest car in its lineup. The subsequent launches of the bigger #3 and #5 models further underline this naming strategy (as well as the brand's aversion to even numbers).

In any case, the #1 takes the form of a crossover SUV, a body style that's very much in vogue with the car buyers of today. It measures slightly under 4.3 metres long, which is obviously bigger than the original Smart car.

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But it also means the #1 competes with a whole host of other compact SUVs ranging from the BYD Atto 3 to the Mini Countryman, and even a couple of siblings that share the same platform as the #1, namely the Volvo EX30 and Zeekr X.

It looks interesting, yet familiar

You can see some of the Mercedes-Benz DNA in the #1, mainly through the long and thin taillamps that's reminiscent of cars like the Mercedes-Benz EQA. However, the Smart does boast its own unique style too, and it's clear that the car is designed to stand out from the crowd.

The soft curves give it a cutesy look that's decidedly non-aggressive, and will likely evoke a smile from those who come across it. And you can choose to have your #1 in all sorts of funky colours, such as the Future Green Metallic shade with a black roof on the test car you see here, or a black and yellow combination that makes it look like an old-school Yellow Top taxi.

The interior has the same sort of familiar Mercedes-Benz vibe too, with the thick centre console that runs down the middle, and the large 12.8-inch screen that sits atop of it. The gear selector that's located behind the steering wheel is another Mercedes-Benz hallmark too.

But there's also enough quirkiness to give the #1 some character of its own. The cartoonish graphics on the infotainment system, which also extends to the driver's instrument display, is certainly something you don't normally see on other cars.

There's also an AI-powered animated fox (which you can swap for a leopard if you prefer) that's supposed to act as your voice-activated assistant, but it feels a bit gimmicky and childish to be honest.

Perhaps it's yet another attempt by Smart to appeal to the younger crowd, along with the name, but our resident Gen Z colleague Kim commented that it looks like what you'll find on a Chinese smartphone, like a Huawei or Xiaomi. Guess there's no escaping the Smart's Chinese genes after all.

Is it smart?

Clever wordplay aside, the Smart is probably as smart as any other modern new car today. It comes with the usual driver assistance features that are now commonplace in many cars, such as adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, and so on.

One of its 'smart' features though seems to take its job a little bit too seriously. The Driver Monitoring System (DMS) features a sensor mounted on the steering column that scans the driver's face to detect signs of fatigue or distraction. Should it decide that you're too tired to drive, it sounds off a loud alert, and switches the air con to the maximum setting to try and wake you up.

However, the system tends to be somewhat overzealous in its duties, activating itself far too frequently such that you end up being blasted with cold air rather often. You can turn it off, of course, but it does tend to get a little annoying after a while.

How does it drive?

On paper, the Smart #1 Pro+ looks to have some rather impressive chops. Underneath its unassuming looks is an electric drivetrain that produces 268hp and 343Nm of torque, figures which are comparable to more than a few sports cars out there.

But despite the plentiful power, the #1 doesn't feel particularly fast or quick. 0-100km/h comes up in 6.7 seconds, which is decent, but certainly could be better given the amount of power available on tap.

A lot of it comes down to its power delivery, which feels rather relaxed and casual. The accelerator pedal seemingly takes an age to respond to your input, and the result is that while the #1 gets up to speed fairly briskly, it gets there without any semblance of excitement.

Another oddity is that the car's regenerative braking feels rather inconsistent, resulting in a driving experience that's less than smooth. You end up constantly moderating your throttle and braking on your own anyway, so it would be ideal if there's an option to switch the regen braking completely off.

It's not all bad news though. The #1's small footprint means that it is fairly nimble around the corners, while the car particularly excels in its comfort and refinement, offering a very smooth and quiet ride that makes the Smart a sanctuary of sorts in the hustle and bustle of city life.

Should I buy one if I am a Gen Z?

Well, if you have a spare $215,000 sitting in your bank account, then maybe you can consider it, as that's how much the Smart #1 Pro+ costs in Singapore, inclusive of COE (as of Oct 2024).

It really a 'love it or hate it' kind of car though. Some may like the car's unique sense of style inside and out, while others may find the #1's silliness a bit overbearing.

But still, at least it tries to do things a bit differently, and if you're the kind of person who likes to stand out from the crowd, then you'll definitely achieve that with the #1. Just remember to say its name correctly though.

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benjamin.chia@asiaone.com

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