Smart EQ Fortwo boot space, practicality and safety

• Two seats only, obviously…
• Boot space is minimal
• There’s just enough cubby holes inside

This one’s easy – it’s a two seater with no pretensions of being anything other than a city car. Boot space is limited to 350 litres, but that’s spread around the cabin depending upon how the seats are arranged. You can fold the passenger seat flat, which unlocks maximum load area for longer items such as flat-pack furniture.

The split tailgate is novel, and we like the glass hatchback that you lift up if you don’t need to fold down the main tailgate. There’s a pull-out tray and double cup-holders in the central console, while there are luggage hooks in the boot and pockets on the doors for maps and such like.

Smart EQ Fortwo safety

• Not tested since 2014 by Euro NCAP
• …and it was a four-star car back then

The Smart EQ Fortwo hasn’t been tested in its current form yet by Euro NCAP but the changes over the old Fortwo are fairly minor, so these results should still stand. According to Euro NCAP, the Fortwo was commended for its stiff passenger cell, which provided plenty of protection – especially when considering most impacts involving a Fortwo will be low speed ones.

Standard Smart Fortwo safety equipment includes five airbags, automatic hazard warning lights in the event of a crash, crosswind assist, stability control, hill-start assist (to stop you rolling backwards when making off from a hill), ISOFIX child seat lashing point for passenger seat, a seatbelt reminder and a tyre pressure monitor.

The Fortwo has been crash-tested head-on against a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, with both vehicles going 50mph, and thanks to the clever safety cell it survived very well indeed. The main structure was intact, the driver’s footwell undamaged and you could even open the door to get out.