2016 Smart Fortwo Cabrio 71 Prime
It's the roofless version of Smart's
unique two-seat city car, which, like its solid-roofed Coupé stablemate, is
still built in Hambach, France, rather than in Slovenia together with the
Forfour and that car's chassis-sharing cousin, the Renault Twingo. Importantly,
the Coupé's iconic length, width and height are retained, but the Cabrio is
£ 2140 more expensive across the range.
The Cabrio is offered with the same
engine choices as the Coupé: a 70 bhp naturally aspirated 1.0-litre
three-cylinder unit or an 89 bhp turbocharged 0.9-litre triple. A six-speed
dual-clutch automatic gearbox is available as an option, but there's also a
£ 995 cheaper five-speed manual.
As with the standard Fortwo, there are
three trim levels to choose between: entry-level Passion and higher-spec Prime
and Proxy versions that both command the same £ 695 price hike. The former
focuses more on the luxury, the latter on 'performance'.
Smart says there are more than 100 body
colour and roof combinations, although the fabric roof is only offered in black
as standard or red or blue for £ 115. Here we drive the 70 bhp Prime with Smart's
six-speed automatic gearbox.
There's lots of space for two adults
inside and the driver sits relatively high, providing good forward vision, but
steering wheel and driver's seat height adjustment are both optional even on
this range-topping Prime model. Despite its compact dimensions, the
over-the-shoulder view is largely obscured by the Fortwo's rear pillars and
roof, too.
Boot space is claimed to be 340 litres
with the roof up and 260 litres with it down, but the space is hindered by its
awkward shape. The cabin is largely solidly constructed and our car sported an
attractive array of glossy plastics set against a fabric dash, although it was
difficult to ignore some of the cheap-feeling Renault switchgear dotted about
the cabin.
This car was also fitted with Smart's
optional 7.0in Media system (£ 795 as part of a Premium pack), but our
experience would suggest sticking with the standard smartphone cradle. The
optional system is essentially the same as the Twingo's and suffers from poor
responsiveness and a lethargic sat-nav. Most smartphones running Google Maps
would do a better job.
In any case, Bluetooth, aux in and USB
connections, a multi-function steering wheel, climate control, 15in alloy
wheels, electric windows and LED daytime running lights are all standard, so
there's little reason to spend much more.
Every Fortwo Cabrio is claimed to achieve
more than 60 mpg and emit less than 100 g/km of CO2, while Prime trim gives you a
good level of kit for not too much money over the entry-level Passion. With
this engine, we'd stick with the five-speed manual gearbox, as the automatic
isn't as well suited. If auto gearshifting is your preferred choice, we'd
recommend you look at the more powerful 90 hp engine, as our experience suggests
this configuration works better.
