Bigger than micro, smaller than small
Not many of our valued readers have heard about Smart Fortwo and Smart Forfour or come across these two siblings from the stable of Daimler, apparently because there is no volume to necessitate its market presence in the local market or it may as well be that, no outlet has found the economic relevance for hr brand to run be on the Nigerian road at this point.
But elsewhere, the Smart Fortwo and Smart Forfour are known quantity. It is the expensive novelty you often see on urban streetscape, especially in Europe. It survives because of Daimler hardliner stance after 16 years, the automaker has yet to boast of a Smart profit and records about 100,000 global sales per year.
When people think of Smart, they inevitably think of the diminutive Fortwo two-seater that has roamed European cities for 16 years but is a relatively rare sighting in the U.S. What they don’t think of is a four-door. The brand has been trying to change that for years, and in fact, the new Forfour represents the fourth attempt at establishing a larger Smart. The first-generation Forfour, a redesigned Mitsubishi Colt, was killed off after just two years of disappointing sales in Europe.
Comparatively, it shares its skeleton, its five-speed stick and six-speed dual-clutch gearboxes and its two three-cylinder engines with the Renault Twingo and it is even built by Renault in Slovenia.
For all its research, Smart has no genuine idea how many of these will sell. It could produce a sales boom, giving Fortwo owners with kids somewhere more practical to go. It could just as easily be a bust, because that is what happened the last time the brand made a Forfour.
But unlike the previous (and very cynical) Forfour, this one has some brand-typical stuff in it, like rear-drive, the same pair of three-hole engines sitting in the back, same suspension, and same gearboxes as the new Fortwo.
At 137.4 inches, the Forfour is 31.5 inches longer overall than the Fortwo. That allows room for four passengers and cargo space that turns cavernous when the rear seats are folded.
The soft, rounded dashboard is identical to the Fortwo’s, and so is the list of options and telematics systems: It includes an uplevel infotainment center, an eight-speaker JBL sound system, and navigation. The crosswind assist system is standard; a collision-warning system and a lane-keeping assistant are optional.
Despite its Renault bones, the Forfour is very obviously a sibling of the new, third-generation Fortwo, which is launching simultaneously. It is a rear-engined car with a strut front and deDion rear axle. Initial powertrain choices include a naturally aspirated, 70-hp three-cylinder and an 89-horse, 0.9-liter turbocharged triple.
They are mated to a five-speed manual or a six-speed dual-clutch automatic. With its longer wheelbase, we expect the Forfour to be considerably more stable and comfortable than the Fortwo.
Even with the much larger interior, the Forfour remains a very small car: Its length and width nearly match those of the two-door Fiat 500. It’s also in the odd position of being considerably longer (31.5 inches) than the old Fortwo, at 137.6 inches yet able to turn a tighter circle. That tight, roughly 28-foot turning circle is just one city trick the Forfour has to offer. Others include rear doors that open at 85 degrees and a quirky folding action on the rear seats that give it a surprisingly useful luggage area.
As for the Forfour’s additional accommodations, it is easy to get in and out of the back seats, and adults can sit at the back for short trips with no significant complaints.
However, there is one demerit; and that is that, the rear cargo room is slightly compromised versus the Fortwo’s, as you lose 2.6 cubic feet of space with the rear seats in their locked and upright positions. This is wishing you a happy weekend and welcome to the last month of the year.
MIKE OCHONMA