Used Smart Cars for Sale

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Used Smart cars overview

Smart has been selling its tiny two-seat city car — the ForTwo — since the early 2000s, and while it’s far from the most practical thing around, it’s brilliant in town with its tiny size. Even the four-seat ForFour isn’t that much bigger, and is perfectly sized for tight city streets. However, you need to check used examples carefully for parking dings and scrapes, watch for issues with the gearboxes and make sure you get a battery check done before you buy an Eq electric version.

Popular used Smart models

Smart’s used car lineup traditionally has consisted of the ultra-small ForTwo and ForFour models, but the first used versions of the new-generation electric #1 are now coming onto the market.

Used Smart ForTwo

If you’re a city dweller and don’t need to worry about carrying lots of passengers, then there are few cars better suited to your needs than a Smart ForTwo. So small that you might struggle to park it properly at first, the ForTwo is surprisingly comfy for two, but only has a tiny boot if you’re doing a big shop. Gearboxes can be troublesome, and you need to check for scuffs and damage to the body and alloy wheels.

Used Smart EQ ForTwo

A tiny electric car needs only a tiny battery, and so the Smart EQ ForTwo can only do a maximum of 99 miles on one charge (and that's for the updated 2016 version too…). In real-world conditions, expect to get between 60 and 80 miles, and that range will evaporate fast if you try to go out on the motorway. Still, few cars will be as cheap to run as this, and there’s no need to worry about fast-charging when you only have a tiny battery to top up. Make sure you get a battery health check before buying, though.

Used Smart #1

The #1 (yes, it has an excruciating Tik-Tok style name) is one of the new generation of Smarts, that instead of being tiny aims to be space-efficient, but about as big as other cars. This one is all-electric, and you can squeeze up to 270 miles out of the big-battery version (or around 220 miles more realistically). Standard models are quick, but the two-motor Brabus version is positively rapid, although none are what you’d call fun to drive. Roomy inside, but the big touchscreen is appallingly fiddly to use. The #1 is too new to get a good handle on any reliability issues, but make sure you get a battery health check done before buying a used version.

Used Smart ForFour

The ForFour — four seats for four people, see what they did there? — was actually twinned with the Renault Twingo from 2014, and the two cars are identical under the skin. That means you get a tiny three-cylinder engine, with either 70hp or 90hp, mounted under the boot floor, but don’t go expecting Porsche-style handling. Usefully more roomy and practical than a ForTwo, but still small enough to make city life easy. Watch for fragile gearboxes, malfunctioning infotainment systems, and leaky air conditioning.

Used Smart EQ ForFour

Although larger and roomier than the EQ ForTwo, the EQ ForFour gets the same small battery and consequently the same tiny 99-mile range, which limits it to in-town use (especially as you’ll struggle to get past 70 miles in real-world conditions). Back seats and a bigger boot than the ForTwo are helpful, but beware of broken infotainment systems, and make sure the battery is in good shape before you buy.

FAQs

Is a used Smart car a good buy?

Yes, a used Smart car is a good buy, if most — preferably all — of your mileage is in-town and you want something that’s cheap to run and easy to park. A ForTwo is pretty much the ideal city commuter car, as long as you don’t need to worry about passenger space too much. Just don’t go expecting long-journey comfort, and in the case of the EQ electric versions, don’t go expecting long journeys at all.

What is the average cost of a Smart car?

Expect to pay somewhere between £6,000 and £8,500 for a good Smart ForTwo (the most recent model, older versions can easily dip below £2,000), although the very best models might still be priced above £10,000. A ForTwo commands similar money, but can be a bit cheaper at the lower end.

Do smart cars need a lot of maintenance?

No, not really. The 2014-onwards ForTwo and ForFour shared all their parts with the Renault Twingo, so cheap running costs were pretty much baked-in. Annual servicing shouldn’t cost more than £300-500, although replacement body parts can be expensive if you have a knock.