Smart could now not make completely small automobiles however, based on its present designers, it does need to provide the best-packaged passenger automotive in each market area of interest through which it competes. The inside of the #1 definitely bore out that technique and the #3 does too, albeit to a predictably much less placing extent.
Bigger doesn’t essentially additionally imply higher packaged, in fact, however whereas the #3 does give away a bit little bit of head room in contrast with the taller #1, its cabin remains to be fairly spacious. There’s loads of room for taller, bigger adults within the entrance row, though the automotive’s sporty-looking entrance seats weren’t thought of ideally comfy by just a few of our testers. Their ‘integral’-style headrests are mounted, and tended to jut out and poke some drivers within the nape of the neck relatively than supporting the pinnacle itself, whereas their seat cushions lacked helpful inclination adjustment and thigh assist.
In the again row, there’s good area for adults (one thing you may’t say of loads of EVs at this worth level), and an lodging stage that feels much like that of a Tesla Model 3 – proper right down to the marginally unnerving nearness of the glass roof to your scalp.
In the boot, general carrying area is respectable, although no extra. A capability of 370 litres is sufficient to beat some opponents, but it surely comes by means of a barely shallow cargo bay that will solely admit cumbersome objects after the removing of the ‘fake floor’ (underneath which is the automotive’s solely actually helpful charging cable storage, as a result of the ‘frunk’ is sufficiently small to be virtually ineffective).
The cabin atmosphere has a selected type of glitzy, plasticky materials lustre to it that places you in thoughts of Mercedes – and doubtless not accidentally. Shiny gray plastic is used to cowl massive swathes of the fascia, centre console and doorways. It was textured within the case of our take a look at automotive, and strong and nice sufficient to the contact, however whether or not it will be thought of interesting is subjective. The automotive’s wider normal for materials high quality and match and end is sort of good, although.
A 12.8in infotainment touchscreen inevitably dominates the higher sprint (see ‘Multimedia system’, proper) however is partnered with a slim however helpful digital instrument show behind the steering wheel and (on Premium-grade automobiles, not less than) a big head-up show behind that, so driving instrumentation and navigation prompts are stored near your line of sight.
Multimedia system
Smart has not less than tried to make the 12.8in landscape-oriented touchscreen multimedia show within the #3 navigable. A line of shortcut keys alongside its base provides you entry to HVAC controls, driving modes and a choice of top-level car methods settings, and different menu shortcuts seem on the high edge, however there’s no bodily cursor controller for it.
You due to this fact end up, arm outstretched, diving two and three ranges deep into settings menus to deactivate help methods which can be reactivated each time the automotive begins, and appear to have to do numerous leaping between screens even to realize extra easy issues. A user-configurable tiled residence display screen with often accessed settings on it’s a conspicuous omission.
It is likewise irritating that the manufacturing facility navigation system omits a north-up mapping show mode. It’s simple sufficient to program and observe however doesn’t all the time recognise voice command locations. Mirroring for each Apple and Android smartphones is included and works properly.