Test: Smart fortwo (52 kW) Passion
Content
Even after discussing the introduction to this article, only a few hackneyed cliches associated with small dimensions came to my mind. If this is not some new technological gadget, people associate a little with something bad. For us, Lionel Messi and Danny DeVito are not good enough examples of how to take advantage of the small size? What about Smart? We may not have a typical metropolis in which the advantages of this type of car come to the fore, but even here, after a few days of using such a car, you will quickly receive a meaningful answer to such a common question: what will it be? do a car for me? Let's go back a little bit.
The story of Smart was invented by the leaders of the Swatch watch group, and Daimler took a bite out of that idea. After some of the car's stability issues at birth, Smart entered the market with great fanfare with high-profile campaigns and showrooms lined with towers made up of accumulated Smarts. Never before has such a small machine been greeted with such surprise as the alleged UFO sightings in American Nevada. But since Smart was originally planned as a slightly different premium brand and unfortunately kept a high price tag as well, it didn't make it to customers very often.
And only later, when Daimler changed the concept and lowered prices, European cities began to fill up with it. To continue the success story, they needed a partner who knew how to make small city cars for the general public. So they teamed up with Renault, which provided most of the components for the new Smart. The main requirement was one: it should remain the same size (or small, as you prefer). They managed it to the nearest millimeter, only to get an extra 10 centimeters wide.
The first observation of the leggy writer of these lines: in the old Smart he sat better. Thicker and more comfortable seats leave less room for longitudinal seat movement. It is also positioned higher than before and the steering wheel cannot be adjusted in any direction. The combination of dark plastic and brightly colored fabric on the dashboard is versatile and interesting, and also a little harder to maintain as dust seeps into the fabric. The overall feel of the interior suggests that the new Smart is getting bigger and bigger, that it is, as we like to say, "more like a car." It feels good to touch the steering wheel as it is thick, nice to the touch, and has task buttons.
Speaking of which: among the many buttons, we missed the button for switching between stations on the radio. And if you go further: the radio catches radio stations a little worse and at the same time often loses them. The driver's seat is a bit damaged by bad steering wheel levers, which we know from some older Renault models. There is no feel when shifting, the turn signals like to jam and turn off late, and the wipers don't have a one-time wipe function. Inside there will be enough space for small items. As usual, we'd rather throw everything into one of the three drink holders. Don't be stingy and take your phone to a special stand, which can be found in the list of accessories. In front of the passenger is a box of decent size, a small one is hidden at the left knee.
There are comfortable nets for storing the seats, but we also missed the doors, because the previous Smart had them and they were great. The new Smart classically shines next to the steering wheel, in the old one we inserted the ignition key in the middle next to the gearbox. We are sorry they also overlooked this sympathetic decision. The other solution didn't make much sense to us: the 12V outlet is right in the back between the seats, and if you have a navigation device attached and mounted on the windshield, its cable will run all the way through the cab. out of the car. Fortunately, there is a USB port on the radio, and the telephone cable will have less interference.
Remember which cancer the previous Smart suffered from? Cukomatik. This is what we jokingly said to the robotic gearbox, which made sure our entire body (and our head at the same time) was shaking when shifting gears. Well, now the new Smart can be equipped with a classic manual transmission. The lever is easily recognizable on any Renault model, but that doesn't mean it spoils the transmission experience. Shifting is precise and the gears are designed so that the first two are slightly shorter and top speed can be reached in fourth gear, while the fifth only serves to maintain speed at lower engine speeds.
Since we started the story from the wrong side, let's also mention the culprit of the movement of the car as a whole. It is a three-cylinder in-line engine with a displacement of 999 cubic centimeters and a power of 52 kilowatts. There's also a more powerful 66-kilowatt forced-charge engine, but this one from the test model should fully satisfy all the needs for decent urban traffic. Although the route also took us to the Coast, Smart easily competed with the traffic on the highway, and even on the Vrhnika slope easily withstood the speed of 120 kilometers per hour, set for cruise control. With its predecessor, something like that was simply not possible, and each highway escape was a unique adventure.
Filling station visits will also be less frequent now as the range is much longer due to the larger fuel tank. Smart salespeople face a difficult task. It is difficult to explain to someone the meaning of such a design if he does not experience the magic of overcoming city traps on such a machine. It just pulls you in and you start looking for different holes to dig in between, as a kid you can enjoy small spaces between parked cars or just turn the car in a semicircle just 6,95 meters wide - 6,95 meters! During the entire testing period with Smart, I was very pleased to surprise my passengers by making a circle within a radius of seven meters. Although Smart cultivates the ideology of its predecessor, this is a completely different car in a new guise. It's more useful, more complex and advanced, and no longer deserves teasing toys. At under ten grand, it's also moving away from the concept of a premium baby, which isn't bad if that strategy brings good sales results.
text: Sasha Kapetanovich
Fortwo (52 kW) Passion (2015)
Basic data
| Sales: | Autocommerce doo |
|---|---|
| Base model price: | 9.990 € |
| Test model cost: | 14.130 € |
| Power: | 52kW (71 KM) |
| Acceleration (0-100 km / h): | 14,4 with |
| Maximum speed: | 151 km / h |
| Mixed flow ECE: | 4,1l / 100km |
| Oil change every | 20.000 km |
| Systematic review | 20.000 km |
Cost (up to 100.000 km or five years)
| Regular services, works, materials: | 1.254 € |
|---|---|
| Fuel: | 8.633 € |
| Tires (1) | 572 € |
| Loss of value (within 5 years): | 3.496 € |
| Compulsory insurance: | 1.860 € |
| CASCO INSURANCE (+ B, K), AO, AO + | 3.864 ( |
| Calculate the cost of auto insurance | |
| Buy up | € 19.679 0,20 (km cost: XNUMX €) |
Technical information
| engine: | 3-cylinder - 4-stroke - in-line - petrol - transverse rear mounted - bore and stroke 72,2 × 81,3 mm - displacement 999 cm3 - compression ratio 10,5:1 - maximum power 52 kW (71 hp) s.) at 6.000 rpm - average piston speed at maximum power 16,3 m / s - specific power 52,1 kW / l (70,8 hp / l) - maximum torque 91 Nm at 2.850 rpm / min - 2 camshafts in the head (chain) - 4 valves per cylinder. |
|---|---|
| Energy transfer: | the engine drives the rear wheels - 5-speed manual transmission - gear ratio I. 3,73; II. 2,05; III. 1,39; IV. 1,03; H. 0,89 - differential 3,56 - front wheels 5 J × 15 - tires 165/65 R 15, rear 5,5 J x 15 - tires 185/55 R15, rolling range 1,76 m. |
| Capacity: | 151 km/h top speed - 0-100 km/h acceleration in 14,4 s - fuel consumption (ECE) 4,9/3,7/4,1 l/100 km, CO2 emissions 93 g/km. |
| Transportation and suspension: | combi - 3 doors, 2 seats - self-supporting body - front single suspension, spring legs, three-spoke wishbones, stabilizer - rear towards DeDion, coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers, stabilizer - front disc brakes (forced cooling), rear drum, ABS, mechanical parking brake on the rear wheels (lever between seats) - rack and pinion steering wheel, electric power steering, 3,4 turns between extreme points. |
| Mass: | empty vehicle 880 kg - Permissible gross weight 1.150 kg - Permissible trailer weight with brakes: n/a, no brakes: n/a - Permissible roof load: n/a. |
| External dimensions: | length 2.695 mm – width 1.663 mm, with mirrors 1.888 1.555 mm – height 1.873 mm – wheelbase 1.469 mm – track front 1.430 mm – rear 6,95 mm – ground clearance XNUMX m. |
| Inner dimensions: | longitudinal 890–1.080 1.310 mm – width 940 mm – head height 510 mm – seat length 260 mm – trunk 350–370 l – handlebar diameter 28 mm – fuel tank XNUMX l. |
| Box: | 5 seats: 1 aircraft suitcase (36 L), 1 backpack (20 L). |
| Standard equipment: | airbags for driver and front passenger - side airbags - knee airbags - ABS - ESP - steering - automatic air conditioning - power windows - mirrors electrically adjustable and heated - radio with CD player and MP3 player - multifunction steering wheel – central remote control locking – height-adjustable driver's seat – on-board computer – cruise control. |
Our measurements
| T = 8 ° C / p = 1.018 mbar / rel. vl. = 59% / Tires: Continental ContiWinterContact TS800 front 165/65 / R 15 T, rear 185/60 / R 15 T / odometer status: 4.889 km | |
| Acceleration 0-100km: | 15,6s |
|---|---|
| 402m from the city: | 20,2 years ( 113 km / h) |
| Flexibility 50-90km / h: | 21,1s (IV.) |
| Flexibility 80-120km / h: | 30,3s (V.) |
| Maximum speed: | 151km / h (V.) |
| test consumption: | 6,6 l / 100km |
| Fuel consumption according to the standard scheme: | 5,7 l / 100km |
| Braking distance at 100 km / h: | 42,7m |
| AM table: | 40m |
| Noise at 50 km / h in 3rd gear | 61dB |
| Noise at 50 km / h in 4rd gear | 59dB |
| Noise at 50 km / h in 5rd gear | 57dB |
| Noise at 90 km / h in 3rd gear | 64dB |
| Noise at 90 km / h in 4rd gear | 61dB |
| Noise at 90 km / h in 5rd gear | 60dB |
| Noise at 130 km / h in 3rd gear | 67dB |
| Noise at 130 km / h in 4rd gear | 63dB |
| Noise at 130 km / h in 5rd gear | 61dB |
| Idling noise: | 41dB |
Overall rating (296/420)
The use of such a machine requires compromises, but it is much more useful than one would expect from such a toddler. Compared to its predecessor, it has grown in all respects, but not by an inch.
Exterior (14/15)
A slightly more restrained form is solved by its pretty small size.
Interior (71/140)
The more comfortable seats take up little space inside, and the materials and workmanship add extra points.
Engine, transmission (52
/ 40)Great engine and now a great gearbox too.
Driving performance (51
/ 95)Excellent in natural conditions, that is, in the city, but loses a few points due to poor road handling.
Performance (26/35)
Do not be surprised when such a Smart on the track flies by you.
Security (34/45)
Four stars on NCAP tests confirm that size isn't everything when it comes to safety.
Economy (48/50)
Under ten thousand for a basic Smart is an interesting price, and they also hold up well in the used car market.
We praise and reproach
interior (welfare, materials, workmanship)
turntable
engine and transmission
ideology and applicability
the steering wheel is not adjustable in any direction
steering levers
installation of a 12 volt outlet
interfering airbag light at night (above the rearview mirror)
daytime running lights front only, no dimmed switch
