Top ratings for Smart models

The Smart #1 and Smart #3 have been awarded five-star ratings from ANCAP Safety, making them the marque’s first vehicles to achieve the top ranking.

Australasia’s independent consumer voice on vehicle safety says the battery electric vehicles (BEVs) achieved solid scores across ANCAP’s multi-pillar assessment.

The Smart #3 was assessed against 2023-2025 criteria and demonstrated high levels of occupant protection in physical crash tests, with a mix of good and adequate results for adult and child protection across most crash scenarios. 

However, a poor result was noted for occupant-to-occupant contact in the oblique pole test as the centre airbag between the front seats did not prevent contact between the heads of the driver and front passenger.

The Smart #1, pictured, recorded a similar mix of adequate and good occupant protection results in crash tests.

It also gained full points for driver protection in the full-width frontal and side impact tests, and both child occupants in the frontal offset test. 

This contributed to a high adult occupant protection score of 96%, noting the small SUV was assessed against the 2020-2022 rating criteria becauseit was introduced into the European market ahead of the Smart #3.

ANCAP observes the two models are equipped with a similar array of advanced safety technologies designed to actively avoid a collision with another vehicle, pedestrian, or cyclist.

The Smart #3 was also assessed for its ability to detect motorcycles in lane-keeping scenarios. A good performance was delivered in the majority of tests but a poor performance was recorded for the lower speed overtaking motorcycle scenario.

Carla Hoorweg, ANCAP chief executive officer, says: “These five-star results for the Smart #1 and Smart #3 will be reassuring to buyers looking to purchase a new car from this unique brand. A pair of very sound safety results.”

For more details on the safety performance of the Smart #1 and #3, visit ancap.com.au.