Fortwo offers mind-blowing range of options

Personal mobility comes in all shapes and sizes, and the Smart range is proof that two seats are sometimes better than four. Always quirky and sometimes misunderstood, the Smart brand has been around for some time. And although the smallest marque within the mighty Mercedes group has in the past boasted roadsters, coupés and four-doors, in keeping with the need to stay lean, the recently improved Fortwo range is the sole flag waver for the brand.

As its name suggests, it's a car for two people. It's been the model's USP since launch. Helping it achieve its diminutive footprint is an engine at the back and a compact rear-wheel drive system.

Above the engine is a modest but surprisingly accommodating load shelf, while there's enough room behind the two front seats to stuff a small soft bag, maps or other such slim items. The car's glovebox will swallow a bit more than a mobile phone, while oddment space dotted around the cabin should prove enough for the ‘singleton plus one' lifestyle a Smart appears to attract.

For those people already familiar with the Fortwo, none of this will be a surprise. The car offers a slightly different approach to urban motoring and, despite the presence of some cheaper and more accommodating alternatives in the market, nothing matches the Smart in looks, street cred or its road footprint.

And just like BMW's Mini, when it comes to updating something as distinctive as a Smart there's only so much you can do before you destroy one of its key attributes — looks. Which is why you might struggle to spot the changes to this latest generation Fortwo. No matter, in reality the visual changes are modest.

Most obvious is the inclusion of daylight running lights. Then, depending on which of the growing options you choose from, new wheels, different exterior colours and minor trim enhancements offer greater potential for personalisation.

It's a similar story inside the Fortwo, as Smart has subtly improved the car's cabin. With its improved instrumentation and switchgear, the urban runabout looks and feels more grown up, more refined. And just like with the exterior, options exist to personalise the cabin. In true Mini style, there's a wide choice of colours and trim to choose from, if the standard layout doesn't quite grab you.

No doubt you can spot the underlying theme here: Smart is keen to emulate the success of certain rivals and offer buyers the ability to customise their cars. From a Brabus bodykit to a range of different wheels, adventurous exterior colours and coordinating interior trim, it's all possible. And while cherry-picking the odd item is naturally encouraged, building up an upgrade to your taste is also possible through the Brabus tailor-made scheme.

So anything really is possible as, in true luxury car fashion, Brabus (a famous tuning company in its own right and closely related to Mercedes) will match custom colours inside and out, add bespoke upholstery stitching and so on.

Don't worry, even if you're not that adventurous, there are always the updated audio and sat-nav units to discover. With a fully featured system iPod or iPhone-compatible plus a higher-end unit offering touch screen sat-nav functionality, the Fortwo's makers are keen to point out that if you wish to downsize to a small car, compromise doesn't have to follow.

It's fair to say that the various cosmetic enhancements form the bulk of the Fortwo's improvements, but recently Smart has also been cleaning up its act in the engine department. Detailed changes have resulted in lower emissions, while tweaks to the Fortwo's auto gearbox have resulted in smoother and more predictable gearshift behaviour.

Most engines are now under the magic 100g/km CO2. The 61 and 71 horsepower petrol motors emit a creditable 97g/km while the flagship Brabus-tuned engine produces 119g/km CO2, which isn't bad considering a power hike to 102bhp.

Verdict

There's no question that recent years have seen a raft of measured improvements to boost the car's appeal. Within the confines of its small footprint, the Smart has steadily matured to become an increasingly competent proposition.

The added personalisation options put the new Fortwo ahead of similar fashion-led rivals, while the modest engine improvements do much to enhance its already respectable green credentials and running costs.

Making the ownership experience fun has always been Smart's aim. This latest Fortwo builds on that idea and offers a mind-blowing range of options to make it exclusively yours.

A+ student

For the most mental micromini experience around, head for the Brabus Smart with new 16in front and 17in rear rim designs and a Brabus twin-pipe rear muffler. Its tiny 1.0-litre engine makes a respectable 102bhp and 147Nm of torque, for a 0-100kph sprint time of 8.9 seconds. Scary!

Specs and rating

Model Fortwo Coupé

Engine 1.0-litre

Transmission Five-speed auto, RWD

Max power 71bhp @ NA

Max torque 92Nm @ NA

Top speed 145kph

0-100kph 13.7sec

Price Dh50,200 (UK base price)

Plus Personalisation options, efficiency

Minus Slow, expensive