Smart Forfour (used review)

The Smart Fortwo made a name for itself as the tiny cheeky city car with two seats. What anyone outside of Europe wouldn’t know is that the Forfour is a cheeky four-seat small hatchback for everyone else. The Forfour came with a ton of engine options. Petrol engines started with a 1.1-liter three-cylinder with a choice of 64hp or 75hp. Next up is a 1.3-liter three-cylinder pumping out 94hp, and two 1.5-liter four-cylinders. Non-turbo output is 109hp, and turbo form produces 177hp. Diesel engines are both 1.5 CDI, producing either 68hp or 95hp. The pick of the range depends on your driving habits, but we will tell you how each of them drove. 1.1-liter (64hp or 75hp) is best left for city duties. The 75hp form felt a bit livelier, but you’ll have to really work the gears to make progress. Running costs are extremely cheap for both and prove why we strongly recommend city use only with this engine. 1.3-liter (94hp) is one of the three engines we’d choose with the Forfour. You’ll enjoy flexible performance for both city and motorway driving. Running costs are still respectable, and this engine has very good reliability ratings. 1.5-liter (109hp or 177hp), we reckon the non-turbo form is the way to go if you are looking for reliability and low running costs. The turbo form, or Brabus, is exhilarating to drive and makes the Forfour feel like a hot hatch. However, these forms are much harder to find and may suffer from more wear and tear due to their performance nature. If you can get your hands on a version that was well serviced, we highly recommend it. 1.5-liter CDI (68hp or 95hp): we’d avoid the entry CDI engine as it is just too slow for motorway driving. You’ll have to really work the gears to get a decent turn of pace. The more powerful form is much easier to live with and doesn’t sacrifice running costs. We strongly recommend making sure the turbo is in good shape before purchasing, as the bill can be quite pricey.

Driving the Smart Forfour is very easy due to its dinky dimensions. It may not be as tiny as the Fortwo, but it is still easy to live with. Some versions of the Forfour can be had with an adaptive drive chassis. It helps sort out the Forfour's ride comfort on long journeys. Otherwise, the Forfour will be quite bouncy and unsettled without it. Steering feedback is good and does the job well. Brabus forms have a more punishing ride quality, but the trade-off is that they are a hoot to drive on twisty-narrow roads. Stay away from the semi-auto gearbox. It’s too jerky and slow to upshift and downshift. You’ll literally have to drive it as if it were a manual gearbox. Lifting your foot slightly off the gas pedal between shifts will smooth out the delays. However, a proper manual gearbox is widely available and the only way to go in our eyes. The Forfour has a functional interior in the form of a “lounge concept”. The front seats can fold down and give the rear space a sort of “lounge” experience. We reckon this is only worth it if you opt for the panoramic glass roof and plan to use your Forfour for this experience on the daily. The standard four-seat configuration will work just fine. The rear seats do offer sliding and reclining abilities, but keep in mind that it will rob you of precious boot space. The forms we’ve driven all had a navigation system fitted optionally as well as the panoramic glass roof. The only forms without the glass roof were the pure trim level. This came fitted with 75hp and a 5-speed manual gearbox. The Forfour was quite an expensive proposition when it was first launched. However, if you can get your hands on one. We reckon finding one with a glass roof and navigation system will be well worth the effort. Many city cars of this class didn’t offer a glass roof at all. The Forfour didn’t do anything special when it was on sale. It had stand-out styling and low running costs. The Smart Roadsters and Fortwo were unique. The Forfour was more conventional with the quirky charm that only those who know anything about Smart would understand, and that’s why we loved it so much. It will forever be a gem of a hatchback in a sea of boring. Likes: Brabus tuned verison had real hot-hatch turn of pace. Available glass roof and other features helped it stand out. Low running costs from all engines. Dislikes: Entry-level trim levels were a bit stingy on kit. The base 1.1 petrol and 1.5 CDI are way too sluggish for their own good.

Subaru Outback

Subaru has given us a brand-new Outback. We are afraid that Subaru has lost the plot. The Outback offers two engine options: a 2.5 non-turbo producing 180hp, while the top of the range offers a 2.4 turbo with 260hp. We reckon picking between the two depends upon what you value the most. Most buyers will find the 2.5 is just enough for them, while the 2.4 turbo is best for those who will spend most of their time on the motorway or plan to ferry the family around and occasionally tow. The turbo engine can haul up to 3500 lbs in case you were curious. Both engines are equipped with a continuously variable transmission. Subaru claims that this gearbox can emulate real gear shifts like a conventional gearbox. However, it just doesn’t feel that way in our opinion. A conventional eight-speed auto gearbox would suit the Outback much better. Driving the Outback is very interesting. The boxy shape makes it easy to see all corners of the car. It’s more SUV than lifted wagon. We certainly miss that quirky wagon-wanna-be-SUV charm. It’s not that this Outback isn’t charming. It’s very nice to drive around town. It’s comfortable with decent steering feedback, and it handles its own very well. It’s just not the driver-focused Outback that we’ve been given year after year. The Forester is supposed to fill the slots where the Outback can’t. If we wanted an SUV, the Forester would be that vehicle. The Outback is supposed to be the option for those who want a “wagon”. Sorry, my apologies, “lifted-wagon”. The new Outback just doesn’t offer what the previous generations did so well. The interior is very well laid out. You get actual controls for the climate control. It’s a breath of fresh air. The 12-inch infotainment screen is easy to navigate. However, we certainly say that it takes some getting used to. We wouldn’t recommend using the controls while on the go, as it can be quite distracting until you’ve mastered all the several menus and know where everything is. Boot space is very generous for the class. Rear seat passengers would feel short-changed on space and overall quality.

Premium trim is the cheapest way into an Outback. You are greeted with standard all-wheel-drive, EyeSight driver assist technology and a 12-inch infotainment screen. Limited trim adds leather seats and a Harman Kardon sound system. Touring trim adds a Nappa leather interior and ventilated leather seats. Our pick of the range, Limited XT adds the turbo engine option while Touring XT adds ventilated leather seats. Despite the dizzying array of trim levels to choose from, they all have a decent amount of standard kit. Subaru has changed the lifted-wagon charm from the Outback and made it more of a traditional boxy SUV. It’s not a bad thing, but it certainly isn’t the Outback we’ve grown to know. It’s a bit of a shame because this Outback really isn’t bad, but it’s just not an Outback. We feel that Subaru has lost the plot here to chase after sales rather than keeping the Outback for non-SUV-conformist and the Forester for those who seek an actual SUV. Likes: Both enignes are up to the task. Standard kit is generous for the money. It’s still rugged and offers go-anywhere capabilities for very little money. Dislikes: It’s a far departure from the previous generations. Overall: Please bring back the lifted-wagon Outback.

Poverty Spec (US Vs. UK)

The grass is always greener on the other side, or is it? We take a look at bare-bones cars you can purchase in the UK and spec them up to how we would normally spec a vehicle to see exactly what you get for your money in the UK vs. the U.S. Let’s dive in! 2026 BMW 120 Sport ($44,360) 1.5 turbocharged three-cylinder with 48-volt mild hybrid, 170hp and 206lb-ft torque. 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. Front-wheel drive layout. Options: Blue cloth seats ($237.84). Harmon Kardon Sound System ($747.49). Technology Package ($2,106.57). Panoramic Sunroof ($1,427.03). Cross-bars ($406.36) Total: $49,327.63 We were very conservative on the options here. A 1-series with a three-cylinder turbo producing 170hp would run us almost $50k with front-wheel drive.

2026 BMW 228 Gran Coupe ($42,000) 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, 241hp. 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. Front-wheel drive layout. Frozen Pure Grey Metallic ($2,350). Premium Package ($1,350). Comfort suspension ($0). Total: $45,050 Our pick: 120i Sport. You can’t go wrong with the trusty hatchback. It’s much more stylish and practical for everyday use compared to the 228 Gran Coupe.

Audi A1 (Sport 25 TFSI 95 PS 5-speed) ($33,031.48) 1-liter turbocharged three-cylinder, 95hp. 5-speed manual gearbox. Front-wheel-drive. Options: Cross bars ($473.14). Technology Package (1,760.68). Fun fact: 120i doesn’t offer power-folding mirrors or DAB radio standard, despite being more expensive. Total: ($36,047.07)

2026 Audi A3 (Premium 40 TFSI quattro S tronic) ($40,100) 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, 201hp. 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch automatic. All-wheel-drive. Options: Convenience Package ($1,500). Total: ($42,995) Our pick: The A1 only comes with 95hp! But it makes the most of that with a 5-speed manual gearbox. There’s no sunroof option with the A1, which is a bummer! However, the A3 offers much more for the money.

2026 Mercedes A 180 Sport Edition ($43,330.45) 1.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. Mild-hybrid, 136hp. Front-wheel-drive. 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. No options added. Total: ($43,330.45) Fun fact: The bare-bones basic Mercedes doesn’t look like it on the inside. However, just like the A1, there is no option for a sunroof or glass roof. 2026 Mercedes CLA 220 Hybrid Sedan ($43,900) 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, mild-hybrid. Total output: 208 hp. Front-wheel drive. No options added. Total: ($45,330.45) Our pick: It’s a bit strange that the A180 doesn’t offer an optional sunroof and the CLA has it standard. We prefer the looks of the A-class and the powertrain of the CLA. With that being said, we’d still choose the A-class simply for the looks and hatchback body style.

2026 Volkswagen Polo Life 1.0MPI ($28,626.38) 1-liter naturally aspirated three-cylinder, 79hp. Front-wheel-drive. 5-speed manual gearbox. Options: 16-inch alloy wheels ($706.99). Panoramic Sunroof ($1,332.41). Keyless access ($557.44). Cross bars ($410.60) Total: ($31,633.81) Fun fact: The Polo base trim can be optioned with a panoramic sunroof while the A1 base trim doesn’t offer one at all.

Volkswagen Jetta S ($23,995) 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, 158hp. Front-wheel-drive. 8-speed automatic transmission. Options: Cross bars ($414). Total: ($24,410) Our pick: The Jetta S can’t be optioned with any luxury features like the Polo. In fact, the Polo doesn’t even have a turbo engine. If you overlook the power difference. The Polo is the better deal with a nicer interior and simpler engine technology.

Toyota Aygo X Icon ($29,428) 1.5-liter naturally aspirated hybrid petrol. Front-wheel-drive. CVT transmission. Options: Convenience package ($500) Total: ($30,264.70)

2026 Toyota Corolla LE ($23,325) 2-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder, 169hp. CVT transmission. Front-wheel-drive. Options: LE Premium Package ($1,135) Total: ($24,620) Our pick: Despite the Aygo X having less horsepower. The Aygo X can be optioned with luxury features that the Corolla doesn’t offer. Both are base trim levels, and that’s insane!