Residuals have been acceptable, though the Brabus model took quite a hit from new, because of its high list price. There are some good Smart specialists around for servicing and repairs while insurance and fuel costs are very low thanks to the tiny engine and modest performance. Fun doesn’t come much cheaper than this.

The Roadster is very eco-friendly and easy on the environment. With an average of 123g/km CO2 across the line-up, its emissions are comparably low for a sports coupe. The range is also very frugal, averaging 54 mpg.

The peppy little engine and transmission are well proven on the Fortwo (previously the City Coupe) and Smarts have so far proven to be trouble-free although some of the trim does seem rather cheap. Early cars can suffer from water ingress into the fuse box – you’ll know if the car develops a mind of it’s own with the horn, wipers and locks going mad.

It can be expensive to repair, mainly due to labour costs and in severe cases the entire wiring loom may need replacing. There are also issue with air conditioning pipes breaking. This can be expensive to fix as the engine needs removing for them to be replaced. Leaky roofs are a common problem too.