The Smart Fortwo III (generation 453), developed in partnership with Renault (platform shared with the Twingo III), marks a major technological breakthrough for the two-seater city car. Gone is the dreaded slow and fragile automated manual gearbox (Softouch) of the 450/451 generations: the 453 adopts a manual gearbox or an excellent dual-clutch transmission (Twinamic). Still featuring a rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive architecture, it offers a record turning circle (6.95 m) that makes it the undisputed queen of the city. However, despite generally robust Renault-sourced engine blocks, the model suffers from a mixed reliability record. Statistics from the TÜV (21.5% defect rate at 3 years) and What Car? (score of 2/5) place it below the average for its segment, penalized by cooling, electroni
The Smart Fortwo III (453) is undoubtedly the best generation produced. The abandonment of the jerky automated manual gearbox in favor of the Twinamic and the adoption of Renault engines have transformed the driving experience. However, reliability data (TÜV, What Car?, ADAC) urges caution: with 21.5% of defects noted at the technical inspection at 3 years and 35% of owners reporting breakdowns, it remains a temperamental car. Problems are often concentrated on cooling (especially on the 0.9 Turbo), electronics, and assembly defects (seals, windshield). Buying advice: Favor a 1.0 MPI 71 hp version with the Twinamic gearbox for maximum reliability in 100% urban use. If you opt for the 0.9 Turbo (more versatile), demand an impeccable service record, with particular attention paid to the cooling system. Avoid models that have neglected the maintenance of the dual-clutch gearbox.