Used Smart #1 2023-present review

Electric SUVs are pretty commonplace these days, but the Smart #1 does a very good job of being different. Not only does it have a very Gen Z name (which is pronounced “Smart Hashtag One”), but it’s also a very distinctive car to look at, with a modern design that frequently draws the attention of passers by.

Smart is renowned for not doing things by the book, as noted in its past by the Smart Fortwo city car, which was a revolutionary model when it was launched in 1998 because of its tiny dimensions, rear-mounted engine and “safety cell” structure.

The #1 is a very different car to the Fortwo, though. It’s much larger and fits five people, plus it was the first car to be developed under a 50/50 joint venture between Mercedes and Chinese car giant Geely (Mercedes was Smart’s original owner before this).

While it’s quite different to Smarts of old, we’ve been quite enthusiastic about the #1 as a new car and we’ve given it a few What Car? Awards to commemorate its talents. But is it as good of a buy used as it is new?

Engines: One thing you won’t be lacking in the #1 is power, because even the entry-level version gets a 268bhp electric motor that moves this electric SUV from 0-62mph in just 6.7sec. In our tests, we managed the same sprint in just 5.8sec, so it’s no slouch. It’s much faster than most of its rivals, including the Hyundai Kona Electric and Jeep Avenger Electric.

For a slightly mad boost in power, there’s also a Brabus version. It gets two electric motors (and four-wheel drive) that produce 422bhp, which cuts the 0-62mph sprint down to a mind-boggling 3.9sec. It’s impressive and it will shock some performance cars at the traffic lights, but it does reach a point where it’s almost too quick for a car like this.

There are two battery options in the #1. The entry-level Pro gets a 49kWh (total capacity) battery that gives an official range of 193 miles, while the Pro+, Premium and Brabus versions get a larger 66kWh battery.

The range of these versions differs slightly. The Pro+ and Premium can travel 260 miles and 273 miles respectively, while the Brabus can manage 248 miles. Those figures are similar to most of its rivals, including the Avenger Electric and Kona Electric.

Ride and handling: The #1’s suspension is quite firm, which undoubtedly gives it a sporty feel. This means the #1 has a slightly choppy low-speed ride, but on faster A-roads and motorways, it’s generally more comfortable. While it’s not as supple as a Kia EV3, it is roughly on par with a Kona Electric and Avenger Electric for comfort.

The #1 handles corners surprisingly well and feels agile, helped by the precise and well-weighted steering. You can also adjust the weighting on the touchscreen.

The Brabus version is firmer than the regular car, which means it’s unsettled at both low and high speeds. While it’s slightly more agile, it’s not exactly fun to drive.

Interior and practicality: It’s super easy to get comfortable behind the wheel of the #1. There’s plenty of steering and electric seat adjustment (including adjustable lumbar support) to help you find the right driving position, plus forward visibility is excellent, thanks to a large windscreen and thin pillars. Rear visibility is less good, but all versions come with front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera to help with this.

For the driver, there’s a 9.2in digital driver’s display (and a head-up display on range-topping versions). It’s quite a narrow screen, but it’s bright, clear and crisp.

All versions come with a large 12.8in infotainment touchscreen that sits in the middle of the dashboard. While the screen is bright and responsive, the layout is fiddly and unintuitive. The menu icons for your sat-nav, climate and media functions are all quite small, which makes them difficult to tap on the move, plus there’s quite a lot of info on show on the home screen. The systems in the EV3 and Kona Electric are more intuitive overall.

More positively, interior quality is excellent. There’s plenty of soft-touch plastic on the dashboard and doors, and all of the buttons and switches feel solid and well-damped. The hard plastics have a nice grain to them too, which can’t be said for many of its rivals, including the Avenger Electric.

You won’t have much trouble with space in both the front and back of the #1. It’s been designed with this in mind, because there’s plenty of head and leg room available. It’s a bit tight with three people sitting in the back seats, though.

Unfortunately, the boot has taken a bit of a hit to accommodate the spacious passenger area. It’s quite small at just 273 litres, which is less than the Kona and Avenger by quite some margin. We only managed to fit three carry-on suitcases in there.

Trims and equipment: There are three main trims for the regular #1: Pro, Pro+ and Premium. Entry-level Pro is really well equipped, with dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, adaptive cruise control, a sunroof and keyless entry. Pro+ comes with the same amount of kit, but it gives you a bigger battery for a longer range.

Premium trim adds some useful extra kit, including matrix LED headlights and a head-up display. It also gives you an EV heat pump (for more efficient warming of the interior) that helps boost the car’s efficiency and range.

The Brabus version gets some sporty styling touches, including bonnet vents, red brake calipers and seatbelts, and an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel. Other than that, it comes with a similar amount of kit to Premium trim.

If you're interested in finding a used Smart #1, or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

Prices for a used Smart #1 start from £22,000 for a 2024 model in either Pro or Pro+ trim. Premium cars are not much more expensive, starting from £24,000, while Brabus cars cost upwards of £26,000.

To keep up-to-date with used #1 prices, use our free valuation tool to make sure you are getting the best deal.

Check the value of a used Smart #1 with What Car? Valuations

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Efficiency

The Pro version of the #1 has a maximum charging speed of 130kW and the rest of the range 150kW. Despite this, all versions can do a 10-80% top-up in around 30 minutes with a suitably powerful charger. That’s similar to a Kia EV3, but quicker than the 45 minutes it takes to top-up a BYD Atto 3.

Insurance and servicing

The #1 Pro sits in insurance group 30, while the Pro+ and Premium versions sit in 31 and 32. That’s pretty normal for an electric SUV of this type, and it should cost around £850 per year to insure.

Unsurprisingly, the Brabus will cost more because of its performance. It sits in group 38, so it should cost around £970 to insure.

In terms of servicing, the #1 is due its first service after two years or 20,000 miles, whichever comes first. All new #1s come with an Integrated Service package too, which includes the cost of servicing for wear and tear items (such as brake pads and windscreen wipers) for up to three years or 30,000 miles. The package also includes free roadside assistance, and this can be extended for up to eight years or 100,000 miles if the car is regularly serviced at an authorised Smart dealership.

Safety

The #1 was awarded a full five-star safety rating when it was tested by Euro NCAP in 2022. It comes with a full suite of safety kit too, with features such as blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert offered as standard. Just be wary that some of the systems, such as the driver monitoring system, are very sensitive.

Warranty

Every new #1 comes with a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty, while the battery has its own eight-year, 125,000-mile warranty.

Reliability

The Smart #1 is too new to feature in the What Car? Reliability Survey, and Smart didn’t appear in the brand rankings. However, we ran a #1 on our long-term fleet for four months.

For most of that time, it was trouble-free, but a blown fuse left it without radio, phone, parking sensor sounds, or even indicator noise. Repairs took a month, but the car was faultless afterward. Smart told us only one other #1 had experienced this issue at the time.

Find out more about the Smart #1’s reliability on our dedicated page.

Engine

We reckon the #1 Premium is the best version to go for. It provides more than enough oomph for most needs, plus it has the longest range in the line-up.

Specification

Choosing the Premium version means you get a bit more kit than the Pro+ version, including matrix LED headlights and a head-up display. The heat pump is a useful addition too, especially for boosting efficiency in colder months.

Our favourite Smart #1: Premium

The Hyundai Kona Electric is a good alternative to the Smart #1. It’s good to drive and spacious, plus it has a bigger boot and a slightly more user-friendly interior with more physical controls. If you go for the bigger battery version, it has a longer range too.

The Jeep Avenger Electric has plenty of visual appeal with its Tonka toy looks. It’s also comfortable to drive and well equipped, but it can’t travel quite as far as the #1 between charges. On the plus side, there are more of them available on the used market.

The Volvo EX30 is a close relative of the #1 and the two cars share the same underpinnings. It offers a similarly minimalist design both inside and out, plus it offers punchy performance and a Long Range version. It is more expensive than the #1 when buying used, though, and the infotainment system can be frustrating.

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