Skip advert
Advertisement

Smart Brabus Tailor Made

Maximum personalisation for the ForTwo... at a mighty price

Overall Auto Express rating

2.0

How we review cars
Find your Smart ForTwo Hatchback
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

No matter how much you like the look of the Brabus Tailor Made, you’d be mad to spend £21,845 on a two-seat city car. On the plus side it’s well put together, ultra-economical and good looking, but the driving experience is seriously flawed. The demand for car customisation is growing rapidly – just ask MINI and Fiat – so you can’t blame Smart and Brabus for attempting to tap into the market. But for a handful of optional extras, the price tag is impossible to justify.

Advertisement - Article continues below

If you want a city car that stands out, then look no further! Smart has taken the customisation of its FourTwo to the extreme, by offering a luxurious Brabus Tailor Made styling pack across the range.

The idea is that drivers can shower the £11,415 cabrio with extras. These include a bodykit, 15-inch alloys, leather seats and plenty of Brabus badges. This doesn’t come cheap, though. It costs £6,950 in its most basic form, and some of the features on our car aren’t even included.

For example, a colour-coded Tridion safety cell – the part of the bodywork that normally comes in a contrasting colour – costs £2,700. Daytime running lights and ground-illuminating LEDs in the side skirts are a comparative snip at £780. According to Smart, there’s a story behind each of the 18 exterior colours. Ours was finished in Byfleet Blue, which is a nod towards the banking at the historic Brooklands circuit, and also explains the Union Jacks stitched into the headrests.

Strip away the adornments, though, and this £22,000 car loses its sparkle. Instead of the 98bhp turbo engine fitted to the ForTwo Brabus, the Tailor Made version use the standard 71bhp unit.

It has a raspy exhaust note and is willing to rev, but the semi-auto gearbox’s slow responses destroy any driving fun. Take control via the wheel-mounted paddles, and unless you lift off the throttle during shifts, the ForTwo lurches as it finds the next ratio.

It’s a shame, because there’s a lot to like about Smart. It takes a refreshing approach to personal mobility, and this Brabus pack makes it more individual than ever.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Audi A3

Audi A3

RRP £26,295Avg. savings £3,214 off RRP*Used from £10,195
Omoda 5

Omoda 5

RRP £23,990Avg. savings £2,192 off RRP*Used from £20,921
Toyota Yaris Cross

Toyota Yaris Cross

RRP £26,495Avg. savings £1,672 off RRP*Used from £15,925
Renault Clio

Renault Clio

RRP £16,160Avg. savings £2,921 off RRP*Used from £8,877
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New MG IM5 has the Tesla Model 3 beaten on price and range
MG IM5 - Goodwood front

New MG IM5 has the Tesla Model 3 beaten on price and range

The all-electric IM5 brings new technology and design to the MG line-up
News
10 Jul 2025
New MG Cyberster Black is a dark sign of things to come for the brand
Cyberster Black - front 3/4

New MG Cyberster Black is a dark sign of things to come for the brand

MG boss thinks special editions like this might be the ticket to keeping up demand for the electric sports car
News
10 Jul 2025
Vauxhall Mokka vs Hyundai Kona: small hybrid SUVs in a big battle
Vauxhall Mokka vs Hyundai Kona - front end

Vauxhall Mokka vs Hyundai Kona: small hybrid SUVs in a big battle

Hybrid newcomers slug it out for family buyers’ hearts and minds
Car group tests
12 Jul 2025