Smart FORFOUR 1.5-LITRE CDI
The
Smart forfour cdi Diesel Has Real World Ability To Go With Its Unorthodox Styling. Steve Walker Reports
Sooner or later, the rapid expansion of smart is going to have to stop. You cant imagine the nations sales reps queuing up to get behind the wheel of a dinky, two-tone family saloon and by the same token, transferring smarts cutesy styling themes onto a full-size offroader would probably leave buyers in that sector bemused at best. The smart look definitely works best on little cars. Buyers of smaller, cheaper vehicles tend to be younger and more open to original, challenging design - something which smart products have in spades.
The forfour cdi is arguably the most grown-up of the current smart products and even it goes about things with a youthful glint in its eye.
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smart fortwo (nee City Coupe) wasnt to everyones taste when it first arrived and it remains an eccentric choice - adopted by trendy urbanites who want a fashion statement they can fit into a tight parking space. The forfour has a similar love/hate relationship with its public. For some its a breath of fresh air in a sector populated by models that either ape bland MPV styling or attempt to tack on some offroad ruggedness with jacked-up ride heights and plastic body cladding. For others it just looks odd but then, they can buy the
Mitsubishi Colt basically the same car minus the more extreme Smart-isms.
The cdi diesel models in the forfour line-up are crucial. Even considering the fashion-conscious, happy-go-lucky profile attributed to average Smart buyers, they will still value the economy, cleanliness and performance of a good no-nonsense diesel engine. The powerplant itself is a 3-cylinder 1.5-litre affair that uses common-rail injection technology as most of the best diesels do nowadays.
Its available in two forms, the first developing 68bhp and the second a more pokey 95bhp. smart are keen to emphasise the forfours lightweight design and the fact that, tipping the scales at less than 1,000kg, the car has a power to weight ratio thats on a par with its roadster and coupe stablemates. This is good news for buyers valuing low fuel consumption and sprightly performance off the line, even if the actual performance figures arent what you would call red hot. The 68bhp engine powers the forfour up to 62mph in 13.
9s, which is fairly average for an oil-burning supermini. The 95bhp version does considerably better by posing a 10.5-second time for the sprint. The torque-packed diesel engines both feel strong at lower speeds, the lesser unit turning in 160Nm at just 1,600rpm and the more powerful option managing an impressive 210Nm at 1,800rpm.
When you take into account the fact that average fuel consumption is an identically exceptional 61.4mpg for both of the powerplants, it becomes clear how well suited the forfour is to the urban runabout role.
"The forfour is a great little car for a number of reasons but the most important one is that it looks so different from the other superminis out there"
The forfours diesel contingent is offered with a choice of 5-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission. Anyone who has driven an automatic Smart Roadster or fortwo citycar will probably be minded to stick with the manual transmission here but despite a pronounced lack of smoothness, the auto box does boost the forfours average fuel efficiency to 64.2mpg. In truth, if you keep the automatic gearbox in automatic mode, its not too bad but try to intervene in the shifting process with the steering wheel mounted paddle flippers and it all takes a distinctly jerky turn.
The manual gearbox is perfectly agreeable to use with a smooth action and lightweight feel, it will probably be the more popular choice. As youd expect, there are disc brakes all round, ABS with brakeforce distribution and ESP stability control, which is reassuring to know. There are twin front airbags, side airbags and seatbelt pretensioners as well, so the forfour certainly isnt lacking in the safety department. A CD player is included as is central locking, an immobiliser and a height adjustable steering wheel.
The single passion trim level also includes alloy wheels, a panoramic glass roof, air-conditioning to help combat the resulting greenhouse effect, and front fog lights as well as various other cosmetic enhancements. The vast range of options is such that the forfour can be personalised to a great extent with various colour schemes and appendages adding to the cars individualist appeal. You know youre in the smart as soon as you sit down into the forfours driving
seat and thats not because youve just walked in to the smart showroom and asked a smart salesperson if you can have a look at the latest smart supermini. Its because so many of the styling themes are carried over from the fortwo.
The plastics used are of impressive quality and the seating is firm but supportive. The circular instruments are a nice touch but the electric window controls between the seats could have been more conveniently located. Outside, the car is similarly distinctive. The two-tone design forms the impression of a framework into which door and bonnet panels are set adding to the chunky, modular appearance.
Its certainly unlike any other supermini on the road but the detailing does get a little fussy in places, especially around the front end, and fans of simple, clean lines on cars may find themselves nonplussed by the forfour despite its fashionable billing. You pay from £11,370 for the entry-level 68bhp 1.5-litre cdi passion model and that looks like reasonable money for a stylish, common-rail diesel supermini. The top of the diesel range is the £12,370 95bhp model, also in passion trim and thats also the top price point in the wider forfour range because you can also acquire a 109bhp 1.
5-litre petrol model for the same amount. With its outstanding fuel economy and zesty mid-range performance, the oil-burner will be the pick of the range for all but the most hardened of diesel doubters. Overall, the forfour is a great little car for a number of reasons but the most important one is that it looks so different from the other superminis out there and that right there is Smarts winning formula.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Smart Forfour 1.5-litre cdi range
PRICES: £11,370- £12,370 on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 7
PERFORMANCE: [cdi 95bhp] 0-62mph 10.5s / Max Speed 112mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [cdi 95bhp] (urban) 47.9mpg / (extra urban) 72.4mpg / (combined) 61.4mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags, ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 3752/1684/1450mm
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