Review of the new Smart #1 Brabus 2022

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The Brabus #1 has massive straight-line speeds and a nicely finished cabin, but the fact that this super-small crossover will set you back £40,000 is still hard to ignore. There really isn’t any more driving pleasure here than in the regular versions, and the sub-motor also cuts the official range to less than 250 miles. This may just be a case of more than less.

Smart and Brabus have been in a relationship for two decades now, on top of everything since childhood ForTwo for Roadster. So it is inevitable that the German ‘premium performance’ brand will breathe new products # first SUV car. Sure, ah #1 Brabus will be available at the same time as the rest of the main range – from early spring 2023, in the case of the UK.

There are many visual signs from the outside that this is a ‘special’ #1; Features a distinctive design that includes 19-inch alloy wheels, custom paint combinations, red accents on the exterior trim and a longer spoiler extending out from the roofline. Inside, you get nice textured plastic and materials, plus the Brabus logo on the headrests and in the infotainment – ​​though sadly the system animations and looks are still present here. .

All in all, there’s a significant performance upgrade, as this No. 1 adds a 154bhp/200Nm motor on the front axle, boosting overall output to 422bhp and 543Nm. Top speed remains the same as for the regular versions, at 112mph, but the growl and additional traction cut the 0-62mph time to just 3.9 seconds – a very fast figure for with a big car superminiand one that elevates the number 1 spot above anything that can be found in Kia Niro or Hyundai Kona. Even BMW car‘S iX1 defeated.

Smart feels snappy too, though you’ll need to tap the drive mode button at the base of the infotainment display to flip through the configurations and choose Sport or Brabus to get the full range of performance on offer. Do this and the powertrain generates instant torque of the sledgehammer that will send the No. 1 Brabus too fast to its top speed.

These modes also remove some support from the steering wheel in order to provide a sportier ‘weight’. In fact, there isn’t much engagement yet, and the steering feels a bit affected by the auxiliary engine up front. The chassis can also almost pop out if you’re too strict with your inputs; The front tires break the grip first, and then the system seems to start allowing some slip in the rear, before changing its mind. Let’s assume you’ll end up tossing the Brabus between corners like a mini-GT, instead of pointing it at the edges like hot bloom.

Trip also supports this; There’s a solid edge to it, as you’d expect at 1,900kg, but as with the regular #1, there’s enough sophistication in the damping to keep it tied up in most situations.