Tuesday 2nd September 2025

Smart confirms city car return with #2

ForTwo successor coming in '26, 'providing a stylish, efficient and innovative vehicle for the A-segment'

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Was the Smart ForTwo ahead of its time? There’s today’s question to ponder. Launched almost 30 years ago with its diminutive dimensions, changeable panels and Mercedes influence, maybe it previewed all that was now so important - specifically personalisation and a premium billing. Ideal for cities and super efficient too, the Smart has felt long overdue a comeback. 

Maybe that’s just the nostalgia talking, but Smart itself is keen on the ideas as well, and has now confirmed the return of an A-segment city car for next year. It’ll be the Smart #2 (yes, still persisting with the crazy naming strategy), it’ll be built in China, and it’ll be focused on the ‘demands of customers in urban areas, with Europe as main market.’ 

What we can see so far (it really is just a shadow) suggests that this new #2 really will be as dinky as its predecessors. In a world of two tonne EV hatches, that’s got to be encouraging; previous electric Smarts have used batteries as small as 17.6kWh (or less than a PHEV Panamera these days), so something of a similar capacity would make sense this time around given the advances made in battery tech. 

The electric A-segment is a booming one at the moment, too, which must have influenced Smart’s decision to reenter. As well as offerings already on sale like the Hyundai Inster, Renault 5 and Mini, there’s the VW ID.2 coming, plus the Fiat Panda and whatever else will come from the other Chinese makers. Not so long ago small electric cars were as odd as the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, so it’s nice to see the city car segment reimagined in some style. 

The #2 (nope, still not getting it) will sit alongside the #1, #3 and #5 in the Smart range from next year. And that’s the last hashtag, promise. Dirk Adelmann, CEO Smart Europe, said: “The confirmation of our ‘project: two’ and the upcoming launch of the Smart #2 marks a milestone moment for the smart brand on a global scale. The smart #2 will shape a new era of individual urban automobility, especially in classic smart cities like Rome, London or Paris…The new smart #2 will be a unique, authentic addition to the all-electric product portfolio of smart in Europe.” Certainly it feels like the right place for Smart to be expanding into. The Brabus will be here before we know it…

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• Smart #5 Brabus launched with 646hp
  
• Spec and prices revealed for Smart #1 

[BVB]

Good thing too. Most modern cars are too big for UK roads now. I think city dwellers should be banned from owning SUV's and pushed more toward Smart size vehicles.

[theicemario]

Good news. Shame it'll be built in China though

[Hugo Stiglitz]

My word it is ugly.

[Frimley111R]

That's just a squashed std Smart car, not what it will actually look like

[Inbox]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

My word it is ugly.

No worse than a musky tesla and it looks like a death trap in a crash.

[Turbobanana]

That Autocar pic looks like the stunted love-child from a liaison between a Tesla and an Opel Adam.

Still, what can you expect from something called "number two"? I still have to remind my kids to flush after a number two.

Fun story: it's 1999, and I'm working for a cottage industry car importer. We've brought one of the new Smart Cars in from Germany, and it's my job to get it registered. It's yellow and LHD, so we need to switch the foglight over and replace the kph speedo with an mph one because we still live in the dark ages.

With both of these completed, I take it to the local DVLA office for inspection, which it passes with no problems. It's a hot day, so I have the windows down as I leave the DVLA office. A young mum with a small child is walking past. The little girl points and says "Look at that funny little car with a big man driving it!".

I've never driven one since.

[anonymous-user]

Turbobanana said:

That Autocar pic looks like the stunted love-child from a liaison between a Tesla and an Opel Adam.

Still, what can you expect from something called "number two"? I still have to remind my kids to flush after a number two.

Fun story: it's 1999, and I'm working for a cottage industry car importer. We've brought one of the new Smart Cars in from Germany, and it's my job to get it registered. It's yellow and LHD, so we need to switch the foglight over and replace the kph speedo with an mph one because we still live in the dark ages.

With both of these completed, I take it to the local DVLA office for inspection, which it passes with no problems. It's a hot day, so I have the windows down as I leave the DVLA office. A young mum with a small child is walking past. The little girl points and says "Look at that funny little car with a big man driving it!".

I've never driven one since.

Is this you ??

[Turbobanana]

lancslad58 said:

Turbobanana said:

That Autocar pic looks like the stunted love-child from a liaison between a Tesla and an Opel Adam.

Still, what can you expect from something called "number two"? I still have to remind my kids to flush after a number two.

Fun story: it's 1999, and I'm working for a cottage industry car importer. We've brought one of the new Smart Cars in from Germany, and it's my job to get it registered. It's yellow and LHD, so we need to switch the foglight over and replace the kph speedo with an mph one because we still live in the dark ages.

With both of these completed, I take it to the local DVLA office for inspection, which it passes with no problems. It's a hot day, so I have the windows down as I leave the DVLA office. A young mum with a small child is walking past. The little girl points and says "Look at that funny little car with a big man driving it!".

I've never driven one since.

Is this you ??

LOL! Yes, that about sums it up...

[nismo48]

Looks like a Smart move to me...

[BigChiefmuffinAgain]

If a first you don't succeed, try, try, try again....

It was either ahead of it's time, or it actually answered a question no one was asking. And not sure that's changed. Are people going to pay a premium price for a 2 seater city car when you can get a 4 seater for the same ( or less ).

There will be some who may, but suspect that's a small number and Smart will be hopelessly optimistic again and fail to deliver the volumes....

[ex-devonpaul]

So they're calling this car the "number 2".

Yup, no sniggering at all in the marketing meetings for that one.

[BUG4LIFE]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

My word it is ugly.

No way did you think that's the real car?!?!

[Alex_225]

I always quite liked the FourTwo, thought it was a clever little thing and it was definitely ahead of it's time. I remember seeing a very early one when I was a teen down the road from home and we all thought it was a weird little thing.

But if you have to travel to work by car, it's via busy roads, through towns etc. Little cars like this are perfect.

[dunnoreally]

Kind of unrelated, but one of my weird driving ambitions is to take one of the original run of Smart cars on a modern motorway, just because that sounds absolutely terrifying.

[Noserider5]

My Driver is of the opinion that the Phantom EWB is the best city car one can have

[Noserider5]

dunnoreally said:

Kind of unrelated, but one of my weird driving ambitions is to take one of the original run of Smart cars on a modern motorway, just because that sounds absolutely terrifying.

A customer of mine has one, when he visits us he refuses to drive it on the motorway, he says it is terrifying

[Byker28i]

BUG4LIFE said:

Hugo Stiglitz said:

My word it is ugly.

No way did you think that's the real car?!?!

Autocar thinks it is
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/smart-...

Saw a Smart #1 the other day in red. I didn't recognise it, had to look twice. Looked ok. This looks like a squished version

[ae2006]

dunnoreally said:

Kind of unrelated, but one of my weird driving ambitions is to take one of the original run of Smart cars on a modern motorway, just because that sounds absolutely terrifying.

I did. Yes It IS terrifying. It was a Brabus Smart (453 / 3. Gen) ForTwo Cabrio with 109hp and I took it all the way to its limited 155 km/h (or 165km/h, can't remember) on the Autobahn. As the wheelbase is so short it will absolutely NOT go in a straight line in any way or form. It is like driving in an old american muscle car, you are permanently correcting on the steering wheel to go where you want. Also, at this speed it sounded like the wind was blowing it apart any moment.

[greenarrow]

ae2006 said:

dunnoreally said:

Kind of unrelated, but one of my weird driving ambitions is to take one of the original run of Smart cars on a modern motorway, just because that sounds absolutely terrifying.

I did. Yes It IS terrifying. It was a Brabus Smart (453 / 3. Gen) ForTwo Cabrio with 109hp and I took it all the way to its limited 155 km/h (or 165km/h, can't remember) on the Autobahn. As the wheelbase is so short it will absolutely NOT go in a straight line in any way or form. It is like driving in an old american muscle car, you are permanently correcting on the steering wheel to go where you want. Also, at this speed it sounded like the wind was blowing it apart any moment.

My younger daughter has a gen 2 Smart 4-2, a little 1 litre turbo'd triple. I've not been on the motorway yet, but several times driven it down the A338 dual carriageway to Bournemouth and that road is like a race-track at times. Not a problem but you do get funny looks when overtaking people and some folk take exception to being overtaken and immediately go for the re-overtake.

I'm really happy to hear that a proper Smart is returning. For me, those huge honking BEV Smarts are not proper Smart cars. The world definitely needs more tiny cars like the Smart. They are just so handy for town driving. My wife takes her 85 year old mum to all her hospital appointments in the daughter's smart. 1) At busy Poole hospital, she can always find a space, no matter how tight. 2) her mum finds stepping into the Smart easy. Most cars these days she struggles with, due to her limited mobility. The height of the Smart seat is just ideal to step "into". I think they are great and a proper blast to drive.

[Turbobanana]

greenarrow said:

ae2006 said:

dunnoreally said:

Kind of unrelated, but one of my weird driving ambitions is to take one of the original run of Smart cars on a modern motorway, just because that sounds absolutely terrifying.

I did. Yes It IS terrifying. It was a Brabus Smart (453 / 3. Gen) ForTwo Cabrio with 109hp and I took it all the way to its limited 155 km/h (or 165km/h, can't remember) on the Autobahn. As the wheelbase is so short it will absolutely NOT go in a straight line in any way or form. It is like driving in an old american muscle car, you are permanently correcting on the steering wheel to go where you want. Also, at this speed it sounded like the wind was blowing it apart any moment.

My younger daughter has a gen 2 Smart 4-2, a little 1 litre turbo'd triple. I've not been on the motorway yet, but several times driven it down the A338 dual carriageway to Bournemouth and that road is like a race-track at times. Not a problem but you do get funny looks when overtaking people and some folk take exception to being overtaken and immediately go for the re-overtake.

I'm really happy to hear that a proper Smart is returning. For me, those huge honking BEV Smarts are not proper Smart cars. The world definitely needs more tiny cars like the Smart. They are just so handy for town driving. My wife takes her 85 year old mum to all her hospital appointments in the daughter's smart. 1) At busy Poole hospital, she can always find a space, no matter how tight. 2) her mum finds stepping into the Smart easy. Most cars these days she struggles with, due to her limited mobility. The height of the Smart seat is just ideal to step "into". I think they are great and a proper blast to drive.

The experience I wrote about earlier involved a dual carriageway round trip of about 25 miles, bookended by some proper country roads and some town driving. I don't remember it being in any way scary, despite being the basic "Pure" model with, I think, 45bhp - perhaps some on here have limited experience of driving older / slower cars than I do.

I do remember being frustrated by the gearbox, which IIRC was some sort of dim-witted automatic affair that you could change manually, like a primitive tiptronic or suchlike.

But, quite fun and I definitely think they could sell a few if they get the styling and marketing right.