2023 is loaded with releases. And if we had to draw what the typical car that will land in dealerships next year will be like, it would be an SUV and electric. On the other hand, we have already been telling you how China wants to gain a foothold in the European market, with a wave of products in which there is room for cheap cars, but also high-end electric ones. And the product that we are going to talk about today would fit this description perfectly, made in China, but not by a brand of Chinese origin.
Mercedes-Benz has given a complete turn of the screw to the strategy and focus of smart, an adventure shared from now on with the Chinese manufacturer Geely. From the urban, ultra-compact product, smart has evolved towards the multi-purpose, towards bigger and more spacious cars, with a more familiar style..
And this is how it arrives at dealerships one of the most interesting SUVs from Mercedes-Benz, which did not wear the star, but the smart emblem.
smart has now evolved into a brand that builds its cars in china and products like the smart #1, an electric SUV the size of a 2008 Peugeot
The SUV worth waiting for in 2023
It is worth waiting for 2023 to buy a #1 smart if you are looking for an electric SUVwith enough space to cover family needs if we do not require a large space (its trunk, thanks to a sliding rear bench, offers a capacity of between 313 and 411 liters, similar to that of a SEAT León) and if what we prefer is quality and a differential and attractive design.
My colleague David Clavero, who had the opportunity to test it and tell us his impressions in the video that you can see in this article, highlighted how the smart #1 manages to match the Mercedes EQA and surpass it in certain aspects. Let’s think that as standard we already have a performance and complete electric, with 272 CV of power, 420 kilometers of autonomy and fast recharging of 150 kW.
A very competitive option for those looking for a practical, quality electric vehicle with a very original design.
It is not a cheap car. But it is located in a price range well below those of the Mercedes EQA whose price starts at €53,868. The smart #1 part of the €42,100, without applying the up to €7,000 of aid from the MOVE Plan (with scrap metal from an old car) that we can receive as aid and subsidies, which would place it in line with the Volkswagen ID. 3 or the CUPRA Born.
