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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
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