Smart ForTwo Passion Cabrio CDI

HERE’S a car with incredible green credentials that will blow you away! The ForTwo cabrio combines the lowest CO2  emissions of any car here with wind-in-the-hair thrills.

At the heart of the Smart’s eco masterclass is its 799cc diesel powerplant. It produces only 54bhp and 130Nm of torque, but thanks to the 800kg kerbweight, performance is surprisingly brisk – although the oil-burner does without the stop/start system fitted to petrol models. The handling is agile, too, while the car is a composed long-distance cruiser.

But the diesel Smart suffers from the same flaws as other versions in the line-up, including a jarring ride, high driving position and slow-witted five-speed semi-automatic gearbox.

Even these issues fail to detract from the ForTwo’s incredible charm and character. In range-topping Passion trim, the £12,140 Cabrio is pricey – the entry-level Coupé is a more reasonable £9,440. But when it comes to running costs, only walking or riding a pushbike is cheaper than driving a diesel ForTwo.

Rating: ***