Smart #1

The Smart brand, returning with an all-new fully-electric B-segment SUV, Smart #1, launched officially in Malaysia.

It’s built on Geely’s Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) EV platform, designed by Mercedes-Benz’s in-house design division, and locally-distributed by Proton’s new subsidiary, Proton New Technology (PRO-NET).

Fully-imported (CBU - China), three variants are available (Pro - MYR 189,000, Premium - MYR 219,000, Brabus - MYR 249,000). 

Prices (OTR, w/o insurance) include an eight-year/200,000 KM high-voltage battery warranty, an eight-year/150,000 KM high-voltage component warranty, a four-year, unlimited mileage vehicle warranty, a two-year, unlimited mileage spare parts warranty, and 24/7 roadside service assistance.

Dual-tone exterior colours. Pro (Eclipse Black Roof - Digital White, Laser Red, Cyber Silver, Quantum Blue, Future Green). 

Premium (Eclipse Black Roof - Digital White, Laser Red, Cyber Silver, Quantum Blue, Future Green, Lumen Yellow/Atom Grey Matte Roof - Atom Grey Matte (MYR 5,000)). 

Brabus (Eclipse Black Roof - Digital White, Cyber Silver, Laser Red/Radiant Red Roof - Meta Black, Cyber Silver, Atom Grey Matte/Atom Grey Matte Roof - Atom Grey Matte (MYR 5,000)).

The Smart #1 sees a modern cockpit, built with soft- and hard-touch panels in three interior schemes. ‘After Dark’ (Pro), ‘Dark Matter’ (Premium), and ‘Brabus’ (Brabus). 

Highlighted by a 64-colour (simple - Pro/extended - Premium, Brabus) ambient light system, the dash is commanded by a centre-standing infotainment unit.

Seamlessly-merged with the T-shaped dash is a high-rising centre console. Deleted of buttons and gear levers, it has a built-in cooling chiller.

Overall, it is well designed, very driver- and passenger-oriented. Every accessibility is within reach and user-friendly. 

Installed is a 9.2-Inch fully-digital instrument cluster, accompanied by a 10-Inch fully-coloured Head-Up Display (HUD) (Premium, Brabus).

Interior of the five-seater sees all-black leatherette (Pro), leather (Premium), and Ultrasuede with red accents (Brabus) upholsteries.

Fitted up front are electronic-powered seats (10-way, memory), with driver courtesy function (auto adjust - ingress/egress), passenger touchscreen adjustment (seat position), ventilation (Premium, Brabus), centre armrest with chiller, and Brabus logo headrests (Brabus).

The rear gets a bench seat, featuring a 60:40 split-fold-slide configuration, seatback adjustment, and centre armrests.

Complementing the environment is a panoramic moonroof (interior)/panoramic Halo roof (exterior) with electric sunblind.

Borderline bulbous, it offers plenty of head, shoulder and leg rooms, thus front and rear occupants get ample space.

Accessing its powered-tailgate (with kick-sensor - Premium, Brabus), opens up to 323-Litres (seats up) and 986-Litres (seats folded) of load capacity.

Thanks to the rear bench’s slide function (130 MM adjust), the seated-up volume increases to 411-Litres. Also provided is a front trunk (frunk – 15-Litres). 

Weighing in at 1,780 KG (Pro), 1,800 KG (Premium) and 1,900 KG (Brabus), the Smart #1 stands at 4,270 MM (Pro, Premium) and 4,300 MM (Brabus) long, 1,822 MM wide, 1,636 MM tall, and with a wheelbase spanning 2,750 MM.

A hatchback-like silhouette, it has an overall rounded exterior, parading smoothly- and cleanly-sculpted surfaces. 

The front-end sees a seamlessly-merged bonnet (unvented - Pro, Premium/vented - Brabus) and bumper (standard grille - Pro/illuminated standard grille - Premium/illuminated Brabus grille - Brabus).

Accentuating the layout are black trimmings (grille surround, front/rear lip, side skirts, fenders) with red accents (Brabus).

Borderline bulbous, the rear-end compliments the horizontally-symmetrical waistline, while parading roundly-muscular quarter panels.

Featured is a roof-edge spoiler (short - Pro, Premium/elongated - Brabus), and illuminated ‘Smart’ emblem on the C-pillars.

Accentuating the layout are black trimmings (grille surround, front/rear lip, side skirts, fenders) with red accents (Brabus).

Linked and futuristic, variant Pro gets CyberSparks LED headlamps with LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL). Features are automatic On/Off and high beam, manual levelling, and Follow-Me-Home function.

Variant Premium and Brabus get CyberSparks and Matrix LED headlamps with LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL). Features are automatic On/Off, levelling and LED sequential turn signals, Follow-Me-Home/Welcome light functions, and adaptive high beam.

The tail lamps are in a full-width and slim light bar design, akin to Merc’s EQ SUVs. Fitted are LED units with LED sequential turn signals.

Electronically-powered (fold, adjust), the side mirrors have LED sequential turn signals (Premium, Brabus), blind spot-indicators, automatic dimming, reverse-dipping and heating functions, and courtesy lights (Premium, Brabus).

Completing the look is a set of 19-Inch alloy rims in ‘Amp’ (Pro), ‘Rotor’ (Premium) and ‘Dynamo’ (Brabus) designs, wrapped in 235/45 R19 tyres.

Installed is a 12.8-Inch centre-floating LCD touchscreen, supporting 4G/WiFi/Hotspot connectivity, Bluetooth, navigation, voice command (Smart Companion), and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (wireless). 

Entertainment is channelled through a standard five-speaker setup (Pro), and a 13-speaker (640 W) Beats by Dre High-end sound system with two sound modes, Classic and Beats. (Premium, Brabus). 

Juicing-up the e-motors are 49 KWH Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) (Pro) and 66 KWH Lithium-Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) (Premium, Brabus) batteries. 

Total driving range (WLTP) is 315 KM (Pro), 440 KM (Premium), and 400 KM (Brabus).

Variant Pro comes with a 7.5 KW AC charger, enabling a 10% to 80% State of Charge (SoC) in six hours.

Variants Premium and Brabus adopt a 22 KW AC charger, enabling a 10% to 80% SoC in three hours.

Standard (Pro, Premium, Brabus) is a 150 KW DC charger, enabling a 10% to 80% SoC in 22 minutes (Pro) and 29 minutes (Premium, Brabus).

Also included is a 3.3 KW Vehicle-To-Load (V2L) function. 

Variants Pro and Premium incorporate a Macpherson strut (front) and Multilink (rear) suspension setup, cruising on the Comfort setting.

Variant Brabus features a Macpherson strut (front) and Multilink (rear) suspension setup, running on the Sport setting.

The e-SUV delivers a high-power density, high efficiency and high-power reliability. Ultimately, it has superior roadholding, great handling stability and agility at high speeds.

The build is very well-equipped, offering a high level of NVH comfort (Noise, Vibration, Harshness). 

Overall, the cabin is able to suppress unwanted noises well and make them barely noticeable, in most of the day-to-day driving environment.

The all-new Smart #1 exudes an all-around sophisticated and sporty outlook. Its smooth and seamless silhouette is simply electrifying.

Stepping inside is like stepping into the future, with its high-tech cockpit design and the overall premium-crafted cabin.

All in all, the build quality is excellent, and with its enticing price range, Smart’s all-new e-SUV is a bargain, especially with all the bells and whistles it has.