DIMINUTIVE DROP-TOP (some text hidden)

By Car & Driving

The smart fortwo cabrio has a cult following and is now offered only in all-electric EQ form. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 70

The third generation smart fortwo has answered many of the criticisms of the first two models. While many would still prefer a four seater (there's the forfour model for that), you could argue an open-topped version of the fortwo makes more sense. These days, all smarts, including this one, are only offered in full-electric EQ form. Open-topped motoring works rather well with the concept of Zero Emissions, don't you think?

Backgroundword count: 188

Since 1998, smart has offered what has become known as the fortwo, a two-seat city car originally developed with a rear-mounted engine. Famous for being able to park nose on to a curb legally, this model has something of a cult following. While the first generation was pretty awful to drive and the second still blighted by a clunky semi-auto gearbox, the third generation car offers a much more enjoyable driving experience. Since early 2020, this car has only been available in battery-powered EQ form; you could have an electric smart fortwo cabrio prior to that but this one has been improved by the addition of a standard on-board charger for quicker battery replenishment. Aside for the lure of cutting-edge electrification, the appeal of this car remains much as it always was. While a two-seat supermini is not really an option for many, an open car with room for only a pair of people is more acceptable. With a clever three position roof that can be opened at any speed and a reasonably low starting price (for an electrified cabrio), could this be the smart's time to shine?

Driving Experienceword count: 283

Thanks to significant strengthening of the shell for the cabrio body style, handling is hardly any different from that of the hard-topped version of this car. That means lots of understeer and electronic intervention should you push too hard. At least the turning circle is tighter than ever at just 6.95m curb to curb. Around town, this smart's EQ's driving characteristics are as agile and lively as ever. And on the open road? Well how does the thought of 0-60 in 4.8 seconds grab you? Okay, it's 60km/h but, thanks to 160Nm of torque in something this light, it's still respectably quick. 0-62mph takes 11.5s on the way to 81mph flat out. It's certainly brisk enough to be able to sidestep the brake pedal and catapult the little fortwo off the line. That it does so without anything in the way of engine noise is even more impressive, the merest whirr of the uprated 60kW (82hp) electric motor accompanying a scarcely perceptible whine from the one-speed transmission. It's all very serene and makes city driving rather stress free. On the highway, you can theoretically reach a 81mph maximum, but this does rather chew the battery's range which, when driven a bit more sedately, can be eked out to up to 100 miles. An indicator on the dashboard lets you know how efficiently you're driving. Needless to say, you'll be tempted to gun it everywhere. It's too much fun not to. With all of the batteries mounted in the sandwich floor, the fortwo electric drive has an admirably low centre of gravity and probably corners better than its petrol sibling. The lithium-ion battery's underfloor position is both thermally stable and good for crash protection.

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