smart cabrio BRABUS Review

smart cabrio BRABUS

The BRABUS smart will comfortably cruise at legal motorway speeds although the road/engine noise does become a little tiring after a while. You may notice that some road users like to bully small cars and this can be intimidating especially when you are sat so close to the rear window. But generally most other road users show great respect and admiration towards smart cars especially the cabrio BRABUS version.

The engine is in the rear under the load space and whilst accelerating it has an exhilarating engine and exhaust note. You also soon get used to the distinctive noise of the turbo waste-gate as you decelerate or change gear - it’s truly addictive.

How It Drove - Ride/Handling

The overall ride is very firm and the smart's stability is exceptionally reassuring for a car with a perceived high centre of gravity. Around town larger speed humps can prove awkward because of the smart's short wheelbase, it actually sits on top of them and then drops off which can be uncomfortable.

The safety conscious smart features an Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) as standard. ESP uses selective brake intervention to stabilise the vehicle and also also incorporates further safety and comfort features such as Hill Start Assist (HSA) and Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA). The Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) including Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD) and Cornering Brake Control (CBC) is integrated into the ESP system.

The steering is direct and responsive and Electric Power Steering (EPS) is available as an option on the smart cabrio BRABUS. The level of assistance is speed-sensitive and also dependent on the force applied to the steering wheel by the driver. The servo effect decreases noticeably at higher speeds. ESP ensures that the car always follows the direction in which the driver steers, the result is excellent grip and road holding ability however, it will understeer if pushed hard although under normal driving conditions this would be unnoticeable. Due to its short wheel base the smart tends to pitch on the open road and on uneven road surfaces. It can be uncomfortable to begin with and is particularly noticeable under heavy breaking & acceleration. However, you soon forgive the smart and learn to live with it because its overall fun factor.