BEST SMALL ELECTRIC SUV
SMART #1
Premium
WE LIKE
Stylish, high-quality interior Plenty of space for four adults Competitive range Pokey performance Generously equipped Smooth ride
Some reviewers have criticised the #1 for being the antithesis of everything the Smart brand had come to represent. However, while we agree with that assessment, we see it as great news.
You see, until recently, Smart specialised in tiny cars that were unlike anything else on the road. The trouble was that they were impractical and uncomfortable. By contrast, as a small electric SUV, the #1 sits in one of the most competitive sectors of the new car market, and yet it still manages to better all of its rivals.
Inside, it gives four occupants loads of room in which to stretch out – more than they get in the closely related Volvo EX30. And while this has been achieved by making the boot small, Smart provides a sliding rear bench that allows you to trade some of that passenger space for a larger luggage capacity when needed.
The interior is very classy, too, mixing softtouch materials with the sort of good-quality harder plastics you might find on a product from Apple. In this category, only the rangetopping version of the EX30 feels plusher, while most other rivals are far more utilitarian.