Smart Roadster Coupé (03-07) - Review

Review by David Ross on
List the key attributes for any good small sports car and stylish good looks, sharp handling and peppy engines are likely to be at the top. The Smart Roadster boasts all three, plus that all important fun factor, making it one of the most characterful two seaters of recent times. It is very small at less than three and half metres long, but there's a surprising amount of legroom in the cabin, even for those over six foot tall. Powered by a distinctive 698cc turbocharged engine its performance figures don't look particularly impressive on paper, but out on the road it feels very nippy, with great acceleration from low down. The Roadster Coupe is also great fun and guaranteed to put a smile on your face every time you get behind the wheel. It's a car that is destined to be a future classic.
3.5 out of 5

Other Smart reviews

3 out of 5

Safety

The body incorporates a strong safety cell to protect occupants in an accident, and there are twin airbags. A electronic stability ESP system is also fitted as standard which isn't that common in cars of this size and value. The Coupe gets a hard-top as standard for extra security plus an alarm and immobiliser.

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3 out of 5

Reliability

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.

Car check problem points

Body

Leaky roof and windscreen. Flaking paint on tailgate hinges.

Engine/Gearbox

Broken air conditioning pipes. ECU problems.

Other

Water ingress into the SAM unit.