Smart ForFour review

The ForFour drives not unlike that Twingo: smartly enough and without obvious flaw, but perhaps lacking some of the vim you might expect from a rear-engined, rear-wheel drive car. Smart has clearly worked hard to engineer out any surprises from the ForFour’s reactions: tip into a corner too fast and you get plenty of understeer, followed by – if you keep jamming the throttle – a heavy smothering under the Smart’s electronic safety blanket (and no, you can’t switch the ESP off). A little frustrating if you enjoy your driving, as the chassis seems strong and the turbo engine is a cheery little thing.

More heartening are the ForFour’s excellent turning circle and its refinement, which is a world away from the Peugeot 108s and Fiat 500s of this world. On the motorway, the ForFour feels composed and grown-up: Smart says it employs a not-insignificant 30 per cent more sound-deadening than the Twingo.