Primary Navigation Mobile

There is a newer version of this car Read the latest Smart Forfour (15-19) review here

Smart Forfour Hatchback (2004-2006) review

Looking for a different model? (change model)
Parkers overall rating: 3 out of 53.0

At a glance

Price new £7,190 - £17,070
Used prices £338 - £3,839
Road tax cost £35 - £255
Insurance group 7 - 32
Get an insurance quote with
Fuel economy Not tested to latest standards
Range 424 - 662 miles
View full specs for a specific version

Available fuel types

Petrol

Diesel

Pros & cons

PROS

Neat styling, unique cabin design, performance Brabus version available, decent cdi diesel

CONS

Few around on the second hand market, sluggish automatic gearbox, some lacklustre engines

Written by David Ross Published: 6 June 2019

Overview

The Forfour is the only model from Smart with more than two seats, making it a realistic choice as a small family car. The five-door hatch has a similarly youthful feel to the compact Fortwo helped by bold styling both inside and out. If you’re after something that stands out then it’s a good choice. There’s decent space for those travelling in the back and it’s cheap to run too with a range of economical engines.

It was never a big seller and Smart dropped it after only two years on sale, so finding one can be a problem as it’s not a common sight on the used market. The base-level models are quite sparse inside and the smaller engines can be hard work, but the cdi diesels offer better performance while there’s also a high performance Brabus version.