Smart 1 Bravo.
The roof and the red mirrors are intended to signal to the traffic police a vehicle that is worth looking out for/the Walla! system, Yatir Davidovitz
Price:
NIS 230,000
Competitors:
Volvo EX30, Zikr X, Tesla Model Y, Abarth 500e
We liked:
performance, interior design, value for money
We liked less:
comfort in the city, multimedia screen,
score range:
8/10
Somewhere in Herzliya at a distance of about a kilometer There are three cars in a straight line.
One in the Mercedes showroom, the second in the Volvo showroom and the third in the Zicker showroom.
On the face of it, it's hard to think of luxury cars more different than the Smart #1, the EX30 and the Zikr X, but in reality all three sit on a platform that comes from their owner, the Chinese Geely.
In a world where platforms take over every good part, in a world where mechanics are slowly being replaced by digitalization, the charm of this or that car is fading.
In their place, generic products are offered that offer the consumer a different experience mainly in design and marketing.
And this is exactly where Smart tries to stand out.
True, it is no longer a playful city car (for more, read the test on the standard Smart 1) but it is looking for its uniqueness.
This uniqueness comes from the Bravo improvement workshop, which for many years has been taking Mercedes vehicles and turning them into performance machines.
Unlike its platform sisters, the Smart can boast a name that attracts attention but also raises the bar of expectations.
Volvo or Zikr speed does not indicate exceptional dynamic capabilities.
The Bravo workshop, on the other hand, definitely does.
If you were looking for a real advantage in Mercedes' partial ownership of Smart as opposed to the Chinese Geely's full ownership of the other two brands that benefit from the same platform, here are the shock absorbers and suspensions, but not only them.
Let's sort it out.
Combat design but not excessive/Walla system!, Yatir Davidovitch
Design:
The exterior design feels more combative than the usual smart but moderately.
The bow has a large ventilation grille and two more vents on the front hood, because there is another engine in the back.
Gills on the sides of the bumper and a red line framing the bottom of the vehicle complete an eye-catching look.
On the sides, the evidence of Bravo's involvement comes as large rims, red calipers and the same red line that continues along the length of the vehicle.
A small symbol that says Brabus gives a sufficient explanation for all the red that is scattered on the vehicle.
You will also find the same symbol at the back, but here there are no more unusual sports signs except for a modest spoiler.
The test vehicle also came with a red roof and mirrors in a matching color, in this case it is only a matter of choosing the body colors for the specific vehicle and not something that comes from the workshop in Germany.
At the end of the day if you want to sum up the design, the changes are not radical enough to make the Smart 1 look like a wolf.
They are enough for you to understand that it is not a lamb.
Maybe wolfhound would be an appropriate description.
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A well-designed and high-quality driver's environment, but the reactions of the multimedia system are too slow/Yitir Davidovitch
The passenger cabin:
when you get inside, the strong smart sharpens messages.
Red belts, sportier seats with a large B on the headrest, aluminum pedals, a shortened steering wheel with red stitching and a large Bravo lettering.
Everything here conveys that this is not another ordinary urban jeep, but something that is waiting for the checkered flag.
And beyond the upgrades, the cabin itself feels much more Mercedes than Geely.
The aluminum (or aluminum-colored plastic), the high console between the seats, the air conditioning vents and the round speakers are all very reminiscent of cars from the Stuttgart-based manufacturer.
For dessert, the quality of the assembly is at the level expected from Mercedes, the quality of the materials is slightly less.
True, not everything here is Europe.
The screens are reminiscent of Chinese vehicles with a combination of a large central screen that hangs on the dashboard and a narrow digital dashboard that displays travel data in a simple way.
Human engineering is interesting.
The graphics are very beautiful and there is the fox that stands on the right and makes pot noises most of the time.
The access to Android and Apple is excellent and projects the phone on the screen in full.
Even switching from the phone projection mode back to the main screen is easily done using a row of peek-a-boo buttons from the top of the screen.
On the other hand, the system is not really strong in terms of performance, so the responses to commands are slow and sometimes frustrating.
In addition, the amount of sub-screens and menus required to perform fairly basic operations is high even compared to what is common in new cars.
Fortunately there are some touch buttons that lead to important functions with relative ease and still the Smart does not offer particularly smart human engineering.
The equipment is very rich.
We won't go into all the details, but heated seats and steering wheel, automatic parking and a huge panoramic roof are small examples in a very long list.
There is room for two adults comfortably, and also an outlet for an air conditioner/Wala! system, Yatir Davidovich
Spaciousness:
the thick hints of a sporty experience cannot affect the sitting position.
She is tall and Japanese.
The expectation of a sporting experience is fading (as of now).
The front space is excellent and it is easy to bring the steering wheel to an ideal position.
The successful spacing continues at the back as well.
Two adults will be able to sit comfortably here with enough head and leg room, at least if they are not abnormally tall people.
An air conditioning port and a pair of USB-C ports will allow a relaxed life for the population sitting in the back.
The trunk is less impressive, with 311 liters the bulbous vehicle does not offer much more space than an average Super Mini.
A shelf offers a lot of space under it, but the loading threshold is also high.
Equipment:
12.8-inch multimedia screen, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay pairing, 9.2-inch digital dashboard, overhead display for the driver, 19-inch rims, electric driver's seat, metallic pedals, engine sound simulation, leather and Alcantara upholstery, panoramic roof, wireless charging for mobile, electric tailgate, front and rear parking sensors, 360 degree camera, smart key, climate control with rear doors
A volume of 311 liters, less than some Super Mini cars/Walla system!, Yatir Davidovich
Engine and Performance:
So How Does This Car Drive?
Is there a justification for the explosive name?
A strong press on the pedal and the powerful Smart easily overtakes a long truck.
Fast, but not a hysterical pace.
It turns out that this is how she drives in "Eco" mode.
Switching to "Bravos" mode changes the colors in the passenger cabin, the display and the sound.
Press the electric pedal and the car spreads the view on the mirrors.
The first time you do this, it is likely that you will laugh out of surprise.
It will happen for the fiftieth time as well.
The lovable Jeep sprints to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. Understand, these are numbers of Audi RS3 or Mercedes AMG A45 that cost more than twice. The space jump forward that the car produces can be surprising and will certainly not suit new drivers. Smart Brabus offers performance of A supercar, no less, at the price of an executive car. It will knock down almost any car on the street in a deceleration to 100 km/h, except for the two platform sisters.
One of the successful components of the experience provided by the little Brabus is the sound.
As the rpm climbs, a combined noise from mechanical thunder and electrical growl gets louder and louder. The sound manages to do something that few engines, electric and especially non-electric, manage to do - encourage you to increase the pace. Electricity that can be used
up
The chassis and suspension contain the excellent performance, but less the city roads/Wala! system, Yatir Davidovich
Comfort and behavior:
the tremendous performance and the enticing sound need a chassis to take advantage of them.
The Brabus has a suspension system calibrated on the stiff side of the scale and two motors in the front and rear designed to support the upset power.
On the winding road the Brabus moved with surprising elegance between turns.
The grip is good while avoiding excessive bending.
Even on a not very grippy surface it is well planted, leans a little and responds well to steering commands.
The brakes manage to offset speed and the energy recovery system enthusiastically claims electricity back to the battery.
Whoever calibrated it understands heavy cars and abnormal performance.
The pace picks up and when you go from fast driving to something truly sporty, one that tries to test the limits of the sporty Jeep, the weight and platform limitations emerge.
She does not communicate, not from the chassis and certainly not from the steering wheel.
Its reactions to weight transfers are slow and clumsy and it reveals the gap between it and real sports cars.
Bad?
Absolutely not, since most drivers will not bring it to these places.
Most probably won't push hard and just wait until the end of the turn before releasing the smart towards the tail of the car in front, Asher wondered.
But the rigid calibration has a price and it comes mainly in the city.
As long as you drive slowly and don't challenge the suspension most will be fine.
Major disruptions in the city will already move it more than desired and make it busy and sometimes a bit bumpy.
Outside the city, the noise insulation is good and the comfort at high speed is good overall.
Range and loading:
here was a small surprise.
Our test included relatively calm intercity trips alongside sections of dynamic driving and urban driving.
At the end of the test, the small Smart withstood an energy consumption figure of about 20 kW per 100 km. The figure is very similar to the regular version tested by us and given an effective battery size of 62 kW, it offers a real range of about 310 km.
For a car with an official range of 400 km and the performance of a spaceship the figure is acceptable.
The fast charging is good with a maximum rate of 150 kW. We needed about 50 minutes to fill it from 40 to 92% with most of the time spent charging over -75% percent. Not bad. FYI, there's also AC charging here at a rate of 22 kilowatts which is almost a tie-breaker in view of the combination of a reasonable price and a small battery that charges at a fast rate.
The bottom line:
Smart 1 Bravo is not a smart you know.
The small, weak and urban car was replaced by a luxury Jeep, with not bad behavior and adrenaline-inducing performance.
When you look at the alternatives on the market, it's hard not to understand why many people would choose the 1 Bravo over the direct and indirect competitors.
The performance is in territories few other cars offer and it comes with an unusual sound.
The interior space, excluding the trunk, is good for a young family, although the budget for cleaning the seats is expected to be high.
Charging is relatively fast, certainly in the AC positions, the passenger cabin is impressive and equipped and the price, yes the price, is reasonable in relation to the performance and along the list of accessories, even though it has become more expensive by NIS 20,000 since the launch due to the purchase tax increase.
True, the comfort is not impressive, the range is only reasonable and the human engineering is also not superior.
But if you want to use the power of your electric car, there are not many cars that offer such a combination at the given price.
Just remember that for a truly sporty driving experience you will still have to choose a car that kills trees or an electric car that kills your pocket.
On the technical side: Smart 1
Engine:
two electric, 428 hp, 59.5 kg.
Gearbox:
auto, direct transmission.
Dual drive
Battery:
66 kWh
Maximum fast charging:
153 kWh
Performance (manufacturer):
0-100 km/h (seconds):
3.9 seconds
Performance (km/h):
180 km/h
Driving range:
400 km m
Test range:
310
km
Dimensions:
Length (meters)
: 4.30
Width (meters)
: 1.82
Height (meters):
1.64
Wheelbase (meters):
2.75
Trunk (liters):
313
Weight:
1,975 kg
Safety:
Score in the European crash test:
5 out of 5 stars
Active safety:
autonomous front and rear emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, warning of a vehicle in a dead zone and prevention of deviation into it, automatic high beam, warning of a passing vehicle when a door is opened
Warranty:
3 years or 100 One thousand km for the car, 8 years or 160 thousand km for the battery
More on the same topic:
Smart
electric car