HAVING a familiar name goes a long way with product awareness. An easy-to-remember name or one that has made rounds in public can help speed up acquaintanceship with the subject, even if it is entirely new to the market.
Proton New Technology Sdn Bhd's (Pro-Net) premier electric vehicle (EV) may be new to the market but it has already benefited from legacy qualities right out of the box.
The Smart brand isn't new and enjoys an association with the Mercedes-Benz name. This gives the smart #1 a huge advantage over brands that are establishing their EV credentials.
But riding on name alone can only take the said product so far. Eventually, the public will want to put it to the test. It is when the curtains are pulled that the product can no longer hide behind its veil of a name and its appeal will hinge entirely on delivery.
Thankfully, Pro-Net's EV has the brawn to match its namesake, which is critical in the face of frenzied competition.
PLAYING IT SMART
The smart #1 is available in three variants: Pro, Premium and Brabus. For this review, we'll be looking at why the middle ground makes for the best option.
All variants run on 19-inch Dynamo alloy wheels and share the same dimensions: length of 2,750mm, width of 1,822mm and height of 1,636mm.
The Pro and Premium share mostly the same design finishing and a rear-wheel drive (RWD) setup while primarily differing in battery specifications.
The smart #1 Pro is powered by a 49kWh LFP battery with a range of 315km (WLTP). The Premium has a 66kWh NMC battery delivering a range of 440km (WLTP).
Paired with a single rear-mounted electric motor that delivers 272PS and 343Nm of maximum torque, the EV can complete the century sprint in 6.7 seconds and has a top speed of 180kph.
The Premium has additional features that include CyberSparksLED with Matrix headlamps, an illuminated front grill, sequential turn signals, side mirror puddle lamps, 19-inch "Rotor" alloy wheels and a hands-free powered tailgate with a kick sensor.
in the cabin is a gloss white T-shaped dashboard with a 12.8-inch infotainment touchscreen. It is Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatible, and has Qi wireless charging.
The Premium adds a 10-inch colour head-up display (HUD), 13 speakers to go with its 640-watt Beats sound system, leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, illuminated door sills and an extended 64-colour ambient lighting system.
The standard onboard AC charger is capable of up to 22kW, which allows a charge from 10 to 80 per cent in three hours. The DC charging is listed at 150kW, allowing for a 10 to 80 per cent charge in 30 minutes.
The safety features include an electronic stability control, hill hold assist, hill descent control and seven airbags.
The advanced driver assist system includes adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, front and rear collision mitigation support, lane keep assist, lane departure warning and prevention, front and rear cross-traffic alert and blind spot monitoring.
It has 323 litres of boot space when all seats are up and a maximum of 986 litres when the rear seats are down.
Both the Pro and Premium variants come with a total of 10 colour combinations, which are Future Green, Quantum Blue, Digital White, Cyber Silver, Lumen Yellow, Laser Red, Atom Grey — Matte (Atom Roof), Atom Grey — Matte (Red Roof), Cyber Silver (Red Roof), and Meta Black (Red Roof).
The EV is accompanied by a host of all-inclusive premium ownership packages (five, on top of the standard warranty) aimed at delivering a comprehensive and worry-free journey for customers.
The standard warranty includes an eight-year or 200,000km high voltage battery warranty, an eight-year or 150,000km high voltage component warranty, a four-year unlimited mileage vehicle warranty, a two-year unlimited mileage spare parts warranty, and 24/7 road side service assist.
The smart #1 Pro and Premium are priced at RM189,000 and RM219,000, respectively. The sportier Brabus variant is priced at RM249,000.
MIDDLE GROUND
There's no discounting the leverage that the smart #1 inherits from its roots. From the start, it was clear its design was the highlight for bearing a heavy resemblance to the Mercedes EQA e-SUV (sport utility vehicle), mostly at the rear and sides.
This is a small but clear advantage as Mercedes-Benz still handles the design end for the Smart brand under its partnership with China's Geely.
It then adds a uniquely original front along with minor design elements inside out.
The overall result is a massive payout in the looks department. It manages to distinguish itself enough that it looks nothing like the EQA yet retains that Mercedes-Benz silhouette design DNA.
It's not a stretch to argue that the design is more appealing than the EQA, with the smart #1 turning heads almost everywhere it went.
The cabin technology is also up there with the best EVs in the market at its price range.
What this writer has an issue with is that it centralises most of its appendage controls to the infotainment screen, as with many other EVs.
For example, side mirror adjustments can only be done on the screen. One has to wonder if this is truly necessary and not more of a hassle for something that used to be so easily accessible.
But what we do like is how smart #1 didn't hold back with the interior quality, given how premium and comfortable the #1 feels to all the passengers.
Having ample space for everyone, inclusive of luggage, makes it a very practical vehicle.
Since the e-SUV's dimension and design silhouette are the same regardless of variant, what you're really deciding on is the performance and some aesthetic choices.
The Premium offers the best balance by adopting some of the physical and technical features you'll otherwise only find in the Brabus, all the while keeping to its aesthetics, in line with the Pro for those who are fine with a little less flair.
One aspect it surpasses its siblings is that it offers the best range: 100km more than the Pro and 40km over the Brabus.
While the Brabus is a more powerful vehicle, all variants top out at 180kph. Again, balance is the keyword here.
VERDICT
Calculated or by chance, the drawn-out strategy involving smart #1's introduction had most of us wondering if there was a confidence issue involved with the product.
Whichever it was, the model has proven that it is more than just a name. Not only is it one of the better-priced EVs in the present market, but it is also one of the finer vehicles to be launched at the end of 2023.
Already loaded with features, the only other way to describe how much the model measures up to the competition is how complete it is.
For the price you're paying, you're given almost everything you can expect out of a vehicle.
Balance is the order of the day and the only reason its rivals would appeal to you more is down to personal preference and less of shortcomings.
It already has the looks and comes with a cabin interior that feels upmarket, is comfortable and practical. The standout Premium variant gives it an added value with a very solid range.
Feedback during the model's early preview last year was clearly taken into account, with the EV receiving the localised tuning.
This includes suspension comfort and steering input, with the latter's response vastly improved from pre-localisation.
To take it one step further, the model ticks all the right boxes for being the best value-for-money choice even among the competition.
