Drive with us: Test driving the all-electric Smart EQ ForFour

Join us as we take a closer look at the Smart EQ ForFour — small car, big legacy

When you think of a Smart car, you think small city car. Tiny, distinctive and instantly recognisable from a mile away.

Smart has been making iconic city cars since 1998, born from a joint venture between Swatch and Mercedes-Benz. Originally conceived as the "Swatchmobile" — a fashionable urban runabout unlike anything else on the road — it became one of the most distinctive cars in motoring history.

The ForFour was the four-seat version of the iconic ForTwo.

More practical, same Smart DNA. And when Smart went fully electric in 2020, the EQ ForFour was part of that first all-electric lineup.

It's since been discontinued.

Smart have completely reinvented themselves, and the current lineup of the #1, #3 and #5 couldn't be more different from the tiny city cars the brand was built on. Full-size electric SUVs for a world where SUVs reign supreme — and genuinely great lease options at that.

But the EQ ForFour? That era of Smart? It'll never be forgotten.

What we drove:

Model: Smart EQ ForFour Pulse Premium

Fuel type: Electric

Battery: 17.6kWh

Power: 60kW (82PS)

0-62mph: 12.7 seconds

Top speed: 81mph

Range: 71.4-80.7 miles (WLTP Comb)

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Colour: Black body panels with black tridion safety cell

Or watch our video review over on YouTube:

Small but mighty

There's no mistaking a Smart.

And the EQ ForFour was no exception.

The bold blue EQ emblem replaced the traditional Smart badge, signalling the all-electric intent from the off. LED headlights and a big, speckled grille gave it a modern, distinctive look that managed to feel both quirky and purposeful at the same time.

Our EQ ForFour came with black body panels and a matching black tridion safety cell; sleek, cohesive and unmistakably Smart.

The 16-inch black high-sheen alloys on the Pulse Premium added a punchy finishing touch for a car of this size, and the panoramic sunroof stretching from front to back gave it a visual drama you wouldn't necessarily expect.

Look closely and you'll spot the rear windows — they didn’t open up and down like a conventional car, but on a hinge. It's the kind of quirky detail that sums up the Smart philosophy perfectly.

Different for the sake of being different? Maybe. But it worked.

It wasn’t the most refined-looking car in its class, and the short, stubby proportions weren’t to everyone's taste. But it was bursting with character.

And in a world of increasingly anonymous city cars, that counted for a lot.

Compact but considered

Step inside and it had a simple, clean layout. Nothing unnecessary, which was entirely necessary in a car this small.

The semicircular driver's display kept things straightforward, with MPH running around the outside and a digital readout toggling between speed, efficiency and mileage. Over to the right sat a smaller circular display (reminiscent of a MINI) showing all the charging information you could need at a glance.

The central 7-inch touchscreen handled the infotainment, with tactile buttons for on/off, home and volume sitting beneath it.

It was one of the weaker points of the cabin if we're honest; laggy and a little clunky to use. Thankfully, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto came as standard, which saved the day considerably.

The panoramic sunroof was a real highlight, flooding the cabin with light from front to back.

Two separate manual sunblinds gave you control over how much of that light you let in, and the overall effect made the interior feel considerably more spacious than the exterior dimensions might suggest.

We had the optional Winter Pack, which brought heated seats for both front and rear passengers alongside a heated steering wheel.

The front seats were sporty and comfortable, though the rear did lack a little under-knee support. The door bins had a clever curved design with netting that stopped items toppling out, and a couple of cup holders and a sliding storage compartment rounded things off nicely.

But around the back, space was quite limited.

But let’s face it. It was a small electric car, and batteries eat into space. So, at 185 litres, it wasn’t bad.

Not everything was polished, and some of the plastics lower down felt a little cheap, but for a city car, the cabin punched well above its weight.

Born for the city

Starting the Smart EQ ForFour was an experience in itself.

No engine roar, no vibration; just a small click and a green 'Ready' on the driver's display.

Off we go then.

As you pulled away, a low hum from the electric motor was the only indication that something was happening under the bonnet. Pick up speed and even that seemed to disappear into the background. It was near-silent, effortless, and immediately charming.

It got from 0-62mph in 12.7-seconds, but don’t let that fool you.

The instant torque delivery meant the ForFour felt incredibly lively, getting to around 40mph in less than five seconds. Because of this, it thrived in the city; it felt urgent, nippy and genuinely fun.

Like driving a much more premium go-kart.

The tiny turning circle and narrow body made navigating tight city streets an absolute doddle. Crowded car parks, narrow lanes, busy junctions — the ForFour handled all of it with a puppy-like enthusiasm that was impossible not to enjoy.

The single-speed automatic transmission was smooth and effortless throughout, and the summer tyres fitted as standard added to the comfortable, sporty feel around town.

Take it out of the city though, and things became noticeably less impressive.

The ride felt bumpy on faster roads, motorway driving was far less comfortable, and the range dropped more noticeably on steep hills and at higher speeds.

ECO mode helped preserve the miles in urban driving, but the ForFour was never designed for long distances, and it never pretended to be.

For city driving though? It was brilliant.

City car, city range

The Smart EQ ForFour had a claimed range of between 71.4 and 80.7 miles (WLTP Comb).

And for a city car, that was perfectly adequate.

We set off with just under a full charge and 77 miles showing on the display, and in city driving the range held up well. ECO mode helped preserve the miles nicely, and the ForFour felt entirely at home pottering around town without making a dent in the battery.

Venture onto the motorway or tackle a particularly steep hill though — like the one near Carparison HQ — and the range dropped more noticeably. A reminder, if one was even needed, that this was a city car through and through.

When it came to charging, the 22kW on-board charger meant a 10-80% top-up took less than 40 minutes on a compatible fast charger. At home via a 7kW wallbox, a full charge took around four hours.

The range was undoubtedly the biggest limitation of the ForFour.

At roughly half that of rivals like the Skoda Citigo-e iV, it wasn't a car for longer journeys. But for a daily city commute?

It did exactly what it needed to do.

What's good, and what's not

Like everything, the Smart EQ ForFour is not without its flaws:

The good bits:

• Instantly recognisable and bursting with character — unlike anything else on the road
• Tiny turning circle made city driving and tight parking an absolute doddle
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard
• Clean, simple cabin layout, nothing unnecessary
• Cross Wind Assist: A reassuring safety feature for such a small car

The not-so-good bits:

• Range of 71.4-80.7 miles (WLTP Comb) — roughly half that of rivals like the SKODA Citigo-e iV
• Infotainment system was laggy and clunky
• Boot space was minimal
• Rear headroom and legroom tight for anyone over 6ft
• Now discontinued — no direct replacement in Smart's current lineup

What's the verdict?

The Smart EQ ForFour was a genuinely charming little car.

It wasn't the most practical, the most powerful or the longest-ranging EV on the market — but it was fun, characterful and perfectly suited to the city driving it was designed for.

In a world of increasingly anonymous city cars, it stood apart.

And that counted for a lot.

Top 5 reasons to consider the Smart EQ ForFour:

1. Instant torque and go-kart energy made city driving genuinely fun
2. Near-silent, effortless driving experience
3. Tiny turning circle made tight urban streets a doddle
4. Heated seats front and rear with the Winter Pack — a rare luxury at this price point
5. Unmistakably Smart — bursting with character and personality

Would we recommend leasing a Smart EQ ForFour?

The EQ ForFour has since been discontinued, and you won't find one on a new lease deal today. But the Smart story is far from over.

The brand has completely reinvented itself with a new lineup of full-size electric SUVs — the #1, #3 and #5.

They couldn't be more different from the tiny city cars Smart were built on, but they're impressive in their own right.

The #1 and #3 are compact electric SUVs with strong performance, spacious cabins and up to 273 miles of range (WLTP Comb), while the #5 takes on the Tesla Model Y with a huge 100kWh battery and up to 630 litres of boot space.

From city car to full-size SUV in just a few years.

Quite the transformation.