Skip advert
Advertisement

Smart Forfour Brabus

Now I've got used to the Smart's ways, I'm really enjoying driving it. It will never be as good to drive as, say, Henry's Golf, but the more miles I cover in the Forfour, the more I appreciate it.

Now I've got used to the Smart's ways, I'm really enjoying driving it. It will never be as good to drive as, say, Henry's Golf, which is just such a fantastic all-rounder, but the more miles I cover in the Forfour, the more I appreciate it. As long as those miles are on country lanes, that is. It holds the road well on its 17in Brabus Monoblock VI alloy wheels, making winding roads great fun. Motorway driving, however, is noisy, making talking to passengers nearly impossible without shouting at them. And Radio 2 has to be turned up very loud for me to be able to hear Terry Wogan's dulcet tones! The gearbox is quite notchy, but works well in partnership with the 1468cc turbocharged engine. The Smart will sit quite happily at motorway speeds, although it is off-putting watching the bars on the petrol gauge disappear quite so quickly. The Forfour's quirky interior has lots of appeal, but it does have its faults too. Why does it need two clocks, for example? I only need one to tell me I'm running late - two just stress me! And who was the smart alec designer who thought it would be clever to put a 'secret compartment' in the driver's footwell, and then hide the owner's manual in there? I hope dealers point this out to buyers, and that owners don't struggle to find it in an emergency. Overall, though, I think the Forfour is a great little car. It won't appeal to everyone, but it definitely has my vote.

Running Costs

Date acquiredSeptember 2005
Total mileage6378
Mileage this month733
MPG this month30.0mpg
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Puncture-proof airless tyres are on the horizon, but they won’t work on performance cars
Airless tyres
News

Puncture-proof airless tyres are on the horizon, but they won’t work on performance cars

Airless tyre technology developed by the likes of Goodyear, Michelin and Bridgestone could see use in autonomous vehicles and public transport in the …
28 Nov 2025
How a sub-200bhp runabout exposes the problem with today’s performance cars
695C Turismo
Opinion

How a sub-200bhp runabout exposes the problem with today’s performance cars

A shortage of long-term test cars flags up a wider problem, says Meaden
27 Nov 2025
BMW Z4 M40i Handschalter Fast Fleet test – living with Munich's manual drop-top
evo Fast Fleet BMW Z4 Handschalter
Long term tests

BMW Z4 M40i Handschalter Fast Fleet test – living with Munich's manual drop-top

Is top-down motoring in winter a folly? Not if you time it right…
27 Nov 2025