IT really isn’t startling that there aren’t more Smarts gracing South Africa’s roads. There are several reasons… One, the local buying fraternity hasn’t yet had a change of heart toward these miniature wonders, in a society that places much value and status on larger automobiles such as SUVs and grand saloons. Two, these cars are fi tted with an horrendous “manu-matic” transmission bedevilled by “shift-jerk”. Three, many would be willing to look past the aforementioned issues, but the stiff asking price required for a base ForTwo puts them off.
Enter the ForTwo mhd, a “mild hybrid”. They’re probably asking a small fortune for it, we hear you say. Well, no and yes. At R149 000, the mhd in Coupé Pure specifi cation is the cheapest offering from Smart, but it isn’t really a hybrid in the classical sense of the word, which would require the use of two types of motive power. Instead, the mhd moniker indicates the inclusion of an electric stop/start function.
The design is everything you would expect from quirky microcar- ism. Our test unit was fi nished in black – which some preferred over the traditional style of body panels painted in a retina-searing hue, with the famed Tridion safety cell “exoskeleton” fi nished in silver or some other contrasting colour.
Tug the plastic door handle located high up in the vehicle’s ever-rising shoulder line and slide onto the basic chairs, which the whole test team thought comfortable, fi rm and supportive. Limited adjustment is needed to get settled behind the wheel. That is, if you’re of average height, because taller testers complained about not achieving that “just right” position – falling foul of the lack of seat cushion height and rake/ reach steering adjustments.
The soft-touch fabric facia is simple and uncluttered, with an innovative shelf along the bottom – ideal for keys and other small oddments. Instrumentation consists of an analogue speedometer atop a digital display that, amongst other vital things, indicates the selected gear, gives trip computer readouts, and includes an odometer and fuel gauge.
The unique control layout was generally described as quirky, but original, with the ventilation controls taking pride of place at centre facia. Below them sits the simple and easy to use radio/MP3 audio system. The miniature fl oor console houses the on/off “eco” switch for the stop/start system.
Despite the Smart’s compact dimensions, the cabin is surprisingly more than spacious enough for two occupants, with plenty of legroom. Located just behind the seats is a nifty elasticised storage net.
Open the glass top section of the horizontally-split tailgate to reveal enough space to stow your weekly shopping or two sports bags. Unhook the parcel shelf and lower the canvas divider and behold – just enough room for one more bag. Loading and unloading is easy with a boot entry height of 685 mm.
Twist the key (on the floor console) and you’re greeted by a slight whine as the starter spins and a gruff bwooorgghgh as the 1,0-litre three-cylinder unit – located above the rear axle – fires into life.
Move the lever over left and – nothing happens. That’s because, unlike traditional automatics, the Smart’s manu-matic – microprocessor- controlled (no clutch pedal) manual gearbox – system requires throttle input before the car starts crawling. Significant throttle input actually.
But keep up with traffic it does. The quoted peak fi gures of 52 kW at 5 800 r/min and 92 N.m of torque at 4 500 might not sound like much, but in a car weighingin at little over 800 kg the reality is something else. A 17-seconds 0-100 km/h sprint isn’t going to win a serious traffic light grand prix, sure, but how often do you get to 100 in city traffic?
On the subject of traffi c, that’s where the Smart mhd really comes into its own. With “eco” active in stop/start situations, you’re bound to achieve the most miserly consumption fi gures this side of a proper hybrid. The ECU automatically shuts down the engine if the driver is braking and vehicle speed is lower than 8 km/h. Less than a fraction of a second after the driver lifts their foot off the brake pedal, the engine re-starts – albeit not in the most refined fashion, with noise and slight vibration as it fires up again. This is very useful, particularly in bumper-to-bumper conditions, where it is claimed as much as 20 per cent less fuel overall is consumed.
The Smart makes good on that promise too – CAR’s fuel index of 5,16 litres/100 km is significantly less than the 5,88 figure of the turbocharged Passion Cabriolet tested in June 2008. Despite its tiny fuel tank, with more stop-start situations and less freeway driving, a full tank range in the region of 600 km is plausible.
As with previous Smart models we’ve tested, the clutch-free automated transmission comes under fire for lagging in the middle before the actual cog-swap seems to happen. The action seems to have been improved for use in the mhd, as it is a tad quicker, but it’s still not quite enough.
It’s also advisable not to leave the transmission to its own devices (especially in first gear) as the manu-matic allows the 999 cm³ engine to spin way too high, creating plenty of sound and fury, before automatically shifting up.
The Smart mhd holds the road well thanks to 155/60 and 175/55 R15 rubber front and rear, and a (relative to the vehicle’s length) wide track. At speed, it isn’t easily unsettled – even experiencing harsh crosswinds does little to dent driver confidence. Steering is direct and wieldy thanks to the very short wheelbase. And the ride is never too harsh, even on bumpier roads. The cabin does get a bit noisy due to wind buffeting and tyre roar at freeway speeds, though.
Test Summary
The Smart concept remains brilliant, but somehow still falls short of the glory stretch here due to self-inflicted and utterly unavoidable niggles – which can’t be overlooked, certainly in this market. To suit South African buyers the car needs a friendlier transmission and a more refined stop/start system. And something needs to be done about the steep asking price of R149 000.
Despite all this, the Smart ForTwo mhd remains an unbeatable solution for the specific problems of traffic-jam motoring, limited parking, low emissions and minimal fuel consumption.
