Skip to content
Smart models, news & reviews
3
Handling
4
Performance
Usability
Feelgood factor
Readers' rating
3.5
By Andrew Noakes
First Drives
16 July 2008 12:02
The Smart Fortwo MHD has been available in Europe since October 2007. MHD is Smart-talk for a stop/start system and stands for Micro Hybrid Drive. UK versions of the 61bhp and 71bhp Smart will have MHD from October 2008, while the punchier 84bhp and Brabus models will have it in 2009.
Time for CAR to take one out for a traffic-jam test drive.
Bigger stop/start systems like that in the A-class BlueEfficiency add a belt-driven starter-generator, but keep the conventional starter motor for cold starts. In the Smart, both the starter and alternator are replaced by the starter-generator.
The system generates electricity to charge the battery when the driver is braking, and automatically cuts the engine when the speed drops below 8km/h (about 5mph). It then re-starts the engine when the driver releases the brakes.
Click ‘Next’ to find out how the Smart Fortwo MHD drives
Add your comment
Sign in You must be signed in to submit a comment.
Smart Fortwo MHD micro-hybrid (2008) CAR review
Subject
Your comment
By submitting your comment, you agree to adhere to the CAR Magazine website Terms and Conditions
Cancel
You must be logged in to subscribe to a topic
Login or register now
supercarrambler says
RE: Smart MHD micro-hybrid CAR review
When will they build cities to take city cars. Have you ever tried to drive any of these micro cars over any traffic calming humps, Paris to Dakar must be less traumatic !!
02 September 2008 08:07
JohnnyBimmer says
What criteria is the Smart Hybrid dumped in green then? Is green being alive or is green being dead? If green is small in size then eliminate buses. If green is small 'per vehicle' then some account must be taken for volumes which make the 3 units per year Bugatti Veyron 'green' and the 200,000 unit Smart a terrible strain on Earths resources. If green is smallest carbon footprint 'per person' then Al Gore, the Google founders, Un Gen Secretary and his helicopter over Antartica and his IPCC jet-set cronies with meetings Bali, Maldives, Vienna, Hazaii etc are all to be jailed first on hypocracy and un-greenes crimes against humanity. If green is being alive then the Smart fails to match a Mercedes S-Class on protecting its occupants. If green is sipping petrol at 50mpg then dump the Toyota Prius (real world 45mpg). What are CAR's rules on green then?
30 July 2008 14:16
resis says
"And THERE goes the SMART MHD!" Oh how I miss Murray Walker.........
17 July 2008 22:53
AReader says
Actually, the word is spelt "catapult", which is the only way to launch a SMART off the line smartly. As for Gordon Murray Walker, he really was the GOD of F1 commentary. His mate James Hunt understood how to max out meagre motoring money, exploiting his Austin A35 van like the man!
16 July 2008 22:37
Biram Desai says
AReader thoroughly enjoyed your Polo story, I think a £500 Polo from the small ads would be the most fun and I will try it one day for sure. For me the original Polo, Scirocco, Golf etc only got worse with later designs and I do think car design has gone backwards in many ways. JB entertaining as always, but its capitalist not capatalist - but more importantly its Gordon Murray not Murry - sacrilege to spell the worlds greatest car designer's name wrong - its like spelling God wrong!!! :-)
16 July 2008 20:36
Upload stories, photos or videos direct to the site, or email newsdesk@carmagazine.co.uk.
Alternatively, call 01733 468 485 (+ 44 1733 468 485)
Seen a secret new car, fabulous exotic or have news we should publish? Then get in touch now.
