Smart EQ Forfour (2019 – 2022) Review

Smart has transformed itself from a maker of small city cars with petrol engines to one that solely offers electric vehicles. Following the introduction of the Smart EQ Fortwo, it was inevitable that this larger model would follow the same route and take on the same electric powertrain. But is it a better buy than the Renault Zoe or stylish Fiat 500 Electric? Our full Smart EQ Forfour review reveals all.

One of the smallest four-seater models on the market, the Smart EQ Forfour is barely 100cm longer than the ForTwo, which means it is ideally suited to those looking for a city car that takes up as little road space as possible.

It also continues the Smart approach to exterior design, with the familiar upright body, bold grille and headlight arrangement, and two-tone body colour on many models, giving an eye-catching appearance.

The Smart EQ Forfour also follows the same layout as on previous Smarts, with the majority of the powertrain housed at the rear to leave as much cabin space as possible.

In this guise, there is an 82PS single electric motor driving the rear wheels, while a 17kWh battery provides up to 81 miles of range according to WLTP testing.

This is considerably less than key rivals such as the Renault Zoe and Volkswagen e-Up. It also offers a maximum charging rate of 22kW, but because of the relatively small battery this means it can go from 10% to 80% charge in 40 minutes.

Inside, the Smart EQ ForFour offers seating for four – as its name suggests – which is impressive for a car of this size. Those in the front get the best treatment, with plenty of space, and the wide-opening doors mean access is decent, even for those with limited mobility.

There is less room in the rear, though, with smaller doors meaning tighter access, while headroom and legroom are more restricted. However, children will have few issues and adults of average height or below will find there is enough space.

The boot capacity is more of an issue, with just 185 litres available, less than the Volkswagen e-Up and Renault Zoe. The rear seats can be folded flat to give up to 975 litres of space, but this, of course, makes the car a two-seater.

In terms of the drive, the Smart EQ Forfour is much happier in the city than on the open road. The combination of a small footprint and tight turning circle, combined with the low-speed zippiness of the electric powertrain, makes it a fun car to pilot through urban environments. In this respect, it delivers what you would want from a small EV.

Less impressive is the ride quality, which at urban speeds seems to pick up road imperfections quite easily and takes something away from its appeal in cities.

At higher speeds, the ride settles down somewhat, but here the powertrain is less capable and reaching the top speed of 81mph is a drawn-out affair.

The Smart EQ Forfour is a decent small EV in the right conditions, but even within the confines of the city it is not perfect. Very limited range and indifferent higher speed performance mean it struggles out of town, making it a car that suits a pretty small audience.

Although small cars like this are designed to excel in the urban jungle, the reality is that many drivers will need to use their vehicles outside of the city.

So they have to be able to deal with higher speeds and twistier roads, too.

The Smart EQ Forfour comes into its own when tackling busy streets, thanks to its compact proportions and quick steering.

Being not much bigger than the Smart Fortwo means it’s easy to negotiate small gaps, parking is a breeze and the quick, low-speed acceleration and near-silent running take some of the stress out of city driving.

Less impressive is the ride quality, which is not up to the standard of key rivals.

It feels as if the suspension is too firm, causing it to pick up a lot of the imperfections in the road and transfer them through to the cabin.

In stop-start traffic, this is less of an issue, but with plenty of lumps and bumps on a typical urban street, a cross-town trip is less comfortable than ideal.

Head out of town, and the good news is that the suspension settles down a little more, but this throws up other issues.

The quick and light steering that works so well in the city translates into a lack of feel at higher speeds on twisty roads. And although the Smart EQ Forfour steers accurately enough, it is less engaging than rivals like the Renault Zoe or Volkswagen e-Up.

The Smart EQ Forfour is available wth just one powertrain option, an 82PS single electric motor driving the rear wheels. The battery pack is 17.6kWh, which is less than its key rivals, and contributes to the official range of 81 miles.

For the majority of buyers, this will mean the car is only really viable in the city, unless you have a short commute with workplace charging.

Although the power output is modest, the Smart EQ Forfour does have a peak torque of 160Nm, and this helps it feel lively at lower speeds.

As is typical of smaller EVs, performance is strong from 0-30mph, but the acceleration begins to taper off beyond this point.

A 0-62mph time of 12.7 seconds is adequate, but slower than the Renault Zoe. The Smart EQ Forfour can cope with motorway journeys, but acceleration is leisurely at higher speeds.

Like many EVs, the Smart EQ ForTwo is pretty quiet, at lower speeds at least, with a smooth and silent electric motor that helps to take the strain out of urban journeys.

However, wind noise quickly begins to intrude at higher speeds and becomes the dominant sound, compromising refinement.

A fast charger of 50kW or more is not available, with the 22kW maximum less than that available with the Renault Zoe.

The Smart EQ Forfour has not been safety tested by Euro NCAP, but the regular Smart Forfour model was tested in 2014, when it scored four stars overall.

Given that the testing regime has become more stringent in recent years, it is likely that it would score below this if tested today.

All versions were fitted with ESP, Active Brake Assist and Crosswind Assist as standard.

No towing capacities are provided for the Smart EQ Forfour

The Smart EQ Forfour is just as compact as the previous petrol-powered Smart Forfour in terms of its exterior dimensions, but even in this class, buyers still expect to be able to carry four adults in reasonable comfort.

Those in the front seats enjoy the most space, as even with the panoramic roof fitted, headroom is adequate for those over six feet.

Legroom and elbow room are more than sufficient too, while getting in and out is also easy, thanks to big door apertures.

One drawback is that the steering wheel has no reach adjustment, so getting a good driving position might be a challenge for some.

In the rear it’s not quite as impressive. The rear doors are some way smaller than the fronts, and the sweep of the door around the wheelarch means that getting in is more difficult.

Legroom is also relatively limited – children will be fine, but adults of above average height may find it too cramped. Headroom is also considerably reduced in the rear. Boot space is just 185 litres, but this can be increased to 975 litres with the rear seats folded.

Smart may be a sub-brand of Mercedes, but anyone expecting the levels of quality normally associated with the German firm may be a little disappointed.

The Smart EQ Forfour feels sturdily built and ready to deal with family life, but the actual quality of the materials is mixed. Key touch points such as the steering wheel and gearlever are covered with soft materials, but there are also plenty of harder plastics that are less welcoming.

The interior design is also beginning to feel quite dated, and although it is still quite distinctive with its circular theme, newer rivals feel fresher.

Even so, given that this is competing with city cars, it at least feels a bit different and is a decent place to be.

Another result of the Smart EQ Forfour’s ageing interior design is that the infotainment system has not been updated either, so it continues with a rather basic arrangement that is largely carried over from the earlier versions of the Smart Forfour.

It comes with an eight-inch touchscreen which is centrally mounted and also offers a few hard keys for important functions.

DAB and Bluetooth are included, as are Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is important, because it is not available with in-built navigation on any version.

The same system was previously used in smaller Renaults, and while it was fine at the time, it now feels dated and sluggish.

The eight-inch screen is fractionally smaller than some of its rivals, and although it has a substantial bezel around the outside, which makes it easier to operate on the move, the display is not the sharpest and it can be slow to respond to inputs.

However, when linked to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, you can access a broader range of functions and apps compared to the native system, and the simplified icons makes it easier to operate.

The Smart EQ Forfour was on sale for a limited time. It was first introduced in 2019 before going off sale in 2022, so it is unlikely you will find a new car or pre-registered model on the market.

In terms of used prices, the most recent examples are likely to have low mileage, and so represent good value compared to the final new price of over £23,000.

There are plenty of examples available for around £13,000 with under 10,000 miles, which is a sizeable saving. The cheapest models are now on offer for less than £8,000, but expect these to be earlier, pre-facelift versions with higher mileages.

Thanks to its electric powertrain, the Smart EQ Forfour should prove to be cheap to run.

The modestly-sized battery and 22kW charging speed means a 10%-80% charge will take approximately 40 minutes, while home charging from a wallbox will take three hours from 0% to 100%.

This makes for cheap charging, especially if you can use a discounted evening rate.

Insurance should also be cheap, too, with even the highest rated version falling into group 11, while servicing costs will be less than an equivalent petrol city car.

The Smart EQ Forfour Premium includes cruise control with limiter, leather steering wheel and gearlever, LED daytime running lights, panoramic roof, 16-inch alloy wheels, climate control, electric front windows, heated front and rear seats and the Smart Connect Media System

The Smart EQ Forfour Exclusive adds front foglamps with cornering function, LED headlights, rain and light sensors, ambient lighting, velour floor mats and leather seats.