Smart EQ forfour

Overview

The 2022 Smart EQ forfour was the cheeky four-seat electric city slicker that bowed out in style. Perfect for nipping through tight urban jungles, this Slovenian-built hatchback offered zero-emission motoring with a tiny footprint. While new ones are off the menu as production ceased in 2022, you can snag a used model for around €8,490 in the EU. It was all about making city driving fun, frugal, and fantastically easy to park, even if its motorway legs were a bit short. A true specialist for the concrete playground!

What's New for 2022?

For its final curtain call in 2022, the Smart EQ forfour didn't rock the boat with massive updates. It was more of a fond farewell tour for this particular generation. Essentially, the 2022 model carried over the familiar charm and electric powertrain from the previous year, focusing on its core strengths as an agile urban EV. Buyers in its last year of production got the established package, a proven, if short-ranged, city companion. So, no revolutionary tech drops, just the classic EQ forfour experience as it signed off.

Design & Exterior

The Smart EQ forfour always stood out with its funky, two-tone design and iconic tridion safety cell. It’s undeniably a Smart, compact and cheeky! Measuring just 3495 mm in length, 1665 mm in width (mirrors tucked in!), and 1554 mm in height, it’s a master of tight spots. The 2022 model kept the friendly face, signature grille, and typically came with neat alloy wheels that suited its city vibe. It’s a car that screams personality, even when it's just parked up looking cute.

Interior, Tech & Cargo

Step inside the EQ forfour and you’re greeted by a surprisingly airy cabin for its size, with a playful design and decent materials. It seats four, though the rear is best for kids or short hops. Cargo-wise, you get 185 litres in the boot, expanding to a useful 975 litres with the rear seats folded down – pretty handy for a city car! Sadly, no frunk here. Tech usually included a touchscreen infotainment system, often with smartphone connectivity like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, keeping you plugged in on your urban adventures.

Performance & Driving Experience

Don’t let its size fool you; the EQ forfour is a proper little whippet in town! Its rear-mounted 60 kW Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor delivers a punchy 160 Nm of torque instantly, making it feel quicker than its 0-100 km/h time of 12.7 seconds suggests. Top speed is capped at 130 km/h, perfect for city limits. Thanks to rear-wheel drive and that teeny turning circle, it darts through traffic and U-turns on a sixpence. The ride’s a tad firm, but it’s all part of its agile character. Regenerative braking helps top up the battery.

Range, Battery & Charging

The EQ forfour packs a 16.7 kWh usable battery, offering a real-world range estimated by Green Cars Compare at around 113 km – strictly city-centric stuff. Its efficiency is rated at a decent 6.77 km/kWh. For charging, it uses a Type 2 (Mennekes) port via its 400V architecture. Standard AC charging is at 4.6 kW, but the real game-changer was the optional 22 kW on-board AC charger, juicing it up in under an hour! Don't go looking for DC fast charging though; this little Smart relies on its speedy AC capabilities for quick top-ups.

Safety & Driver-Assistance Features

For a little tyke, the Smart EQ forfour held its own in safety, bagging a respectable 4-star rating from Euro NCAP. Standard kit often included essentials like Crosswind Assist, which is a godsend in a small, light car. You could also find Active Brake Assist to help prevent shunts, and cruise control for those slightly longer city arterial roads. More advanced features like adaptive cruise were generally not on the menu for this model, keeping things simple and city-focused for its target audience.

Warranty & Maintenance Coverage

When new, the Smart EQ forfour typically came with Mercedes-Benz backing, meaning a 2-year, unlimited-kilometre vehicle warranty in Europe. Crucially for an EV, the battery was usually covered for 8 years or 100,000 km, guaranteeing at least 70% of its original capacity – peace of mind for an electric heart! As an EV, maintenance is generally lower than petrol counterparts, with fewer moving parts to worry about. Reliability was decent for its intended urban use, making it a cost-effective runabout.