Smart #3 Brabus Review: Impressive Electric Car That Will Model

Although Brabus is best known as the premier tuner for the Mercedes-Benz aftermarket, it has also maintained a 50:50 joint venture with Daimler since 2001, lending its expertise to bespoke Smart range models. Brabus, the brand responsible for turning AMG monsters into even bigger monsters, has now turned its attention to the Smart #3, which benefits from extensive modifications.

It contrasts sharply with the class-leading Tesla Model Y Performance, but is also comparable to slightly higher-end offerings like the BMW iX3 and Genesis GV60 Performance. It has just arrived in Australia and is sold online and at Mercedes-Benz dealers nationwide. Does it have what it takes to become a significant player in this space?

quick overview

Photo Brad Anderson/Carscoops

Competitive pricing

For the price, the #3 Brabus is a compelling choice, I never thought I’d say that for a car that was half German. The flagship model starts at AU$70,900 (approximately US$45,200), making it more expensive than the entry-level Smart #3, which starts at AU$57,900 (approximately US$36,900), and the mid-range Smart #3 Premium, which starts at AU$57,900 (approximately US$36,900). $61,900 (approximately $39,500). However, when you look at the competition, Brabus starts to make a lot of sense.

Locally, the Tesla Model Y Performance starts at AU$84,700 (approximately US$54,000), and while it’s slightly more powerful, it’s not as fast as the Brabus. Other alternatives are significantly more expensive, including the entry-level BMW iX3 (AU$89,100/US$36,900) and the more premium Genesis GV60 Performance, which starts at around AU$110,000 (approximately US$70,000). A compelling alternative to the upcoming Brabus #3 is the mechanically related Zeekr X.

The Smart #3 and Zeekr share the same platform as the Volvo EX30, with the equivalent flagship X AWD starting at AU$64,900 (approximately US$41,400). For now, however, Brabus is hard to beat in terms of price and performance.

Photo Brad Anderson/Carscoops

Smart nailing quality

Smart does a great job of making the #3’s interior feel match the price tag. It’s much more interesting than the Model Y’s bland cabin, and it’s mostly covered in nice-looking materials. Granted, there’s too much hard black plastic on the door panels, but the rest of the interior does have a German and premium feel.

What’s immediately noticeable is the layout of #3. The three circular air vents in the center of the dash are classic Mercedes-Benz style, and the central spine from the dash to the center console is made of silver plastic designed to mimic metal. It performs quite well, with a wireless phone charger and two USB ports hidden behind a flap below the vents. The cup holder is also hidden under the slider.

What stands out is the 12.8-inch tablet-style infotainment system. It follows Tesla and many Chinese cars in adopting an operating system that’s more like a smartphone than a regular car system. That means it’s filled with a bunch of different menus, displays, and seemingly endless settings. I didn’t like it when I first went in, but after two days or so, I was won over. However, less tech-savvy buyers may encounter difficulties.

Photo Brad Anderson/Carscoops

The main display consists of a number of widgets, including a navigation widget shaped like a globe, a media screen, details about driving consumption, weather and current driving mode. Scroll the mouse and you will enter the application screen. Important vehicle settings are then accessed by pressing the vehicle button in the lower right corner of the screen, while a handy shortcut contains all climate control settings.

Read: Smart #3 Brabus Get Extra Brabusness

There are six shortcut buttons below the screen, although they don’t offer tactile feedback, which is a shame. The most important ones, on the far left, include settings for lane assist, auto-hold, electric parking brake, rear fog lights, hill descent control, traction control, and a single-pedal driving mode (called s-). pedal. You can also choose between three other regenerative braking settings and enable the Rocket Launch control system on this screen. Separate shortcuts are used to switch between driving modes. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard.

Spacious and well-appointed cabin

In front of the driver is a three-spoke steering wheel with metal spokes, finished in black leather and Alcantara. There’s also a narrow instrument display that shows important information like speed, range and multimedia. It’s not as good as a full instrument cluster, but it’s better than nothing (like a Tesla). The large head-up display is also a great feature that the Model Y doesn’t have.

The front seats are electrically adjustable, offer multiple adjustments, and have heating and cooling functions. They also have a rather interesting shape and are wrapped in plush leather and Alcantara. As for the second row, legroom is good even for taller passengers. Headroom is adequate, but not as good as the Model Y, though that’s not surprising given the car’s slightly lower roofline. Other nice touches include metal speaker grilles and door handles – something you won’t find at this price point.

Photo Brad Anderson/Carscoops

Other welcome features in the cabin include a decent 640-watt Beats sound system and a 360-degree camera. A highly configurable ambient lighting system, very similar to current Mercedes-Benz models, is also standard.

All Brabus #3 models also feature a large panoramic glass roof as standard. Unfortunately, Smart takes a page from Tesla’s playbook and doesn’t offer a sunshade for this glass panel. While it’s a nice tint, heat still gets in, and it doesn’t completely block the sun, which is annoying on hot summer days.

All climate control settings are located within the screen. While they’re easy to access, the icons you have to press are a bit too small, making them annoying when moving around. Seat heating and cooling settings are microscopic.

The trunk capacity is 370 liters (13 cubic feet) and with the rear seats folded it’s 1,160 liters (40.9 cubic feet), providing plenty of storage space. There’s also a hidden cubby in the back for the charging cable and a 15-liter (0.5 cubic feet) luggage compartment.

Photo Brad Anderson/Carscoops

Great performance but could use stickier tires

Brabus #3 is a great car, but there’s something special about it. All #3 models feature a 66 kWh lithium nickel cobalt manganese battery pack under the floor that drives a pair of electric motors. All told, the electric car delivers a strong 422 hp (315 kW) and 543 Nm (400 lb-ft) of torque, allowing it to hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.7 seconds (versus the Model Same for Y Performance) according to Smart. We recorded a best time of 3.59 seconds with the GPS timer enabled and the Rocket Launch setting enabled.

In typical EV fashion, it pulls away at impressive speed, effortlessly putting all that power to the ground. When looking for maximum performance, it’s best to select Sport or Brabus driving modes, as they enhance throttle response and unleash all that power. Eco and comfort modes are also available, which are more suitable for daily driving.

Steering feel is almost non-existent, although it does tighten up in Sport of the four steering settings. Even so, it was a bit difficult to feel the performance of the front tires. Speaking of tires, they are Continental EcoContact 6Q at all four corners in size 245/40 R20. Although they are quiet, they are designed for economical driving and are not a good fit for Brabus. Push the SUV hard into a corner and the tires will soon start to skid and squeal. We wish some slightly stickier tires were standard.

The ride feels great. Many electric cars are too stiff, but the #3 is comfortable and luxurious. However, it’s not as soft as the Model Y.

Lots of ADAS – and some flaws

There are four different levels of regenerative braking available, including a single-pedal mode called s-Pedal. During my week with the Brabus, I drove it mostly in s pedal mode and it worked as advertised. If you’re driving with brake regeneration on the low, medium, or high setting, the feel of the brake pedal may be a little inconsistent. It seems like the car will apply the brakes subtly and quickly, then release, then apply the brakes again, and so on, even if you maintain constant pressure on the pedal. It’s hard to select and most drivers probably won’t even notice, but it shows that some extra fine-tuning is needed to smooth the transition from brake regeneration to friction braking.

We also encountered some minor electronic issues. The car repeatedly displays warnings that the driver monitoring system is blocked, but this is not the case. Additionally, the one-pedal driving mode sometimes works seamlessly in Sport and Brabus driving models, while other times it doesn’t slow the electric car to a stop. There’s also an annoying chime that sounds whenever you exceed the speed limit, and it has to be disabled every time you drive.

Many driver assistance systems are standard, including adaptive cruise control and automatic steering on the highway. During our week with the EV, the system performed flawlessly on the highway. During everyday driving, the lane-keeping assistant can be a little too eager to provide steering corrections, but it’s easily disabled with just two presses of the screen.

judgment

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the driving experience the Brabus #3 provided. It’s just as fast as some of its more expensive rivals, is smooth and quiet in day-to-day tasks, and looks very stylish.

The downside of the small 66 kWh battery pack is limited range. Smart says it can travel 415 kilometers (258 miles) on a single charge, but with steady driving, a figure of around 350-370 kilometers (217-230 miles) is more accurate. During use, we averaged 19.2 kWh/100 km. If it had a larger battery pack, closer to the 80 kWh mark, increasing the range to 450 km – 500 km (280 – 311 miles), the Smart #3 Brabus might be the best choice in this segment. For now, it’s a great value option – just make sure you have a home charger.

Photo Brad Anderson/Carscoops