mReview: Smart #1 Brabus & #1 Pro+ – A Tale Of Two Smarts

The Smart #1 is a new and youthful electric SUV with tons of features and lots of performance on tap. How does it stack up to its competition though?

Everyone’s favourite maker of tiny cars is back with a new not-so-tiny car with the most modern name possible, the #1 (pronounced hashtag 1). The #1 is available in Singapore in two variants, the Pro+ and the Brabus. We checked them both out and here’s how they stack up.

Where did the old Smart cars go? 

The #1 is an all-new compact electric SUV brought to you by Smart, the brand that created the Fortwo and Forfour ultra-minis. Since 2019, Smart’s parent company, Daimler, have been in a joint venture with the Chinese Geely group. Together, they built a new factory in China and have designed multiple new cars, like the #1, based on Geely’s SEA architecture.

The #1 Pro+ has these very unique 3-spoke, 19-inch rims.

How do I tell the #1 Pro+ and the #1 Brabus apart?

Both cars are identical in width, height, length, and wheelbase but there are some key markers to differentiate between the two. The easiest way, of course, is to see whether or not the #1 in question has the assorted Brabus badging around the car. Otherwise, there are several sporty exterior colours exclusive to the Brabus variant. Both cars get 19” rims although the designs also differ by variant. 

The Brabus has a much racier interior with more ambient lighting and more red.

The Brabus also gets Matrix LED headlights instead of just normal LED headlights for the Pro+, along with sequential turn signals and puddle lights. On the interior, there’s Brabus-only equipment like an Alcantara steering wheel (the Pro+’s is PU leather), a Beats co-branded sound system, a heads-up display, and wireless phone charging.  

What about the stuff I can’t see? 

The biggest difference between the two models is the powertrain. Both variants get the same 66kWh battery but the Pro+ has just one electric motor on the rear axle while the Brabus gets an additional one on the front axle for all-wheel drive.

The Smart #1 is far the Little Tikes car the Fortwo used to be.

Thanks to the extra motor, the Brabus puts out 422hp and 543Nm of torque compared to the Pro+’s 268hp and 343Nm. The added oomph and all-wheel drive help the Brabus rocket to 100km/h in 3.9 seconds, almost twice as fast as the Pro+’s 6.7-second century sprint. 

Range-wise, the Brabus’ twin motor setup costs it slightly in efficiency, with a maximum claimed range of 400km compared to 420km in the Pro+. Interestingly, while both variants can fast-charge at up to 150kW on a DC charger, the Brabus can AC charge at up to 22kW, while the Pro+ can only do 7.4kW on an AC connector. 

Both variants get a boot and a frunk.

Are the new Smarts as uh, cosy, on the inside as the old ones?

No, actually. Thanks to the short overhangs with the wheels right at the corners, cabin space and even boot space are very decent. And because the #1 isn’t one of those coupe SUVs and instead has a conventional and high roofline, there’s loads of headroom too.

Are the Smarts as smart as they claim to be?

Yes. Both Brabus and Pro+ variants come standard with the full range of safety and driver assistance features like adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, lane departure prevention, lane change assist, Smart’s Pilot Assist, evasive manoeuvre assist, and a 360˙ camera. 

The #1 Brabus gets an exclusive Brabus driving mode for all-out B-road bombing.

However, the Driver Monitoring System, the gizmo that scans your face to warn you if you’re dozing off at the wheel, is far too trigger-happy. I’m not sure if it’s my Asian eyes but the car beeped at me constantly for supposedly falling asleep or not paying attention to the road when all I was doing was checking my mirrors or changing the fan speed. 

How are they like to drive?

For starters, the Brabus is an absolute rocketship. 3.9 seconds for 0-100km/h used to be zoned as supercar territory but here is a compact SUV that does it for a fraction of supercar price. Full-bore acceleration in the #1 Brabus is properly ferocious and wholly addicting. And in the bends, the Brabus will even kick its tail out a little bit if given the beans mid-corner, a hugely appealing trait to my youthful self. 

In the Pro+, acceleration is still quick and purposeful, a 6.7-second century sprint is more hot hatch territory and it feels like it. The slightly lower kerb weight in the Pro+ also helps it feel more dynamic at times than the Brabus does, and not as hefty under braking. However, the biggest issue is the ride quality. 

Red seatbelts for the sportier Brabus variant.

While the Brabus rides a little stiff, it’s well-damped and handles itself well whether you’re cruising or pushing. The Pro+ on the other hand, despite its supposed “comfort suspension”, is unforgiving and rides so much worse than the Brabus does. The ride in the Pro+ is incredibly harsh and has next to no give in it at all, which makes no sense as the comfort-oriented model in the lineup! 

So which should I get?

If you have the budget, I’d say spring for the #1 Brabus variant for sure. It’s much better equipped and drives much better than the Pro+ as well. It’s also much more unique a vehicle than say, a BYD Seal or a Tesla Model 3 Performance (the closest cars with similar speed in its price bracket). 

However, at S$250k+, it’s in a very, very tough price point with lots of competition, so you’ll have a lot of cross-shopping to do. 

Read More: mReview: Zeekr X Standard RWD – New Kid On The Block

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