Costs, though, have improved.
Like the Mini, the Smart has a high list price but the RV experts have set impressive predicted residual values. There has also been a massive improvement in SMR costs – Smart execs claim they are 67% better, which is partly due to the new engine that requires a service every 12,500 miles, up from 6000 in the old car.
All this adds up to give an astonishingly low 17.7p per mile running cost for the Fortwo 71PS Passion, while the entry-level 61PS Pure will cost just 15.9ppm.
Smart insists the car has no direct rivals and they’re probably right, if by direct they mean two-seat city cars. In reality, though, the Smart goes up against the Ford Ka, Toyota Aygo, Peugeot 107, Citroen C1 and soon the Fiat 500. The Smart is far cooler and the costs are now on a par, but the practical side of running a fleet means these four- and five-seat rivals still have the edge.
