Driving a 453 loaner

[darren]

My ED is in for diagnosis of an odd rumble coming from the drive unit (motor/gearbox), so I've got a brand-new 453 loaner in the interim. Here are my impressions thus far:

• Unlike previous generations, this one seemed to grow significantly on the outside, while not feeling appreciably bigger inside. The outward bulge of the doors seems particularly exaggerated when you open them.
• FINALLY, a transmission that doesn't trip over itself! (The ED notwithstanding. ) Shifts are smooth and fast, especially if you're accelerating gently... almost imperceptible. In Eco mode, it shifts really low (about 2000-2500 rpm) and advances through the gears rapidly. Sport mode holds on to higher RPM. Snappy shifts with less lurch. Manual shift mode is actually usable! I would LOVE to try one of these with a manual transmission.
• I love the interior.
• The steering wheel is nice, but has an odd feel. The 9-3 grip is very comfortable, but the wheel has a narrow/deep profile to it. I like wheels that are more uniformly meaty. The cruise control buttons have a rubbery action to them, with almost no tactile/haptic feedback. Really weird.
• The armrests molded into the door panels are useless for tall people, and the window switches are awkwardly placed. It's like the doors were designed purely for aesthetics and not usability.
• Height-adjustable seats!
• And speaking of the seats... I find them to be quite a bit wider and flatter, with less bolstering and a slightly less comfortable back shape. My old 450's seats were fantastic, even on long trips. I'm not sure I can say the same about these.
• The turning radius truly is ridiculous. However, I find the steering to be WAY over-boosted, and vague on-centre on the highway. Even though the 453 has "crosswind stability control", I found myself doing a LOT of constant micro-correction on the QEW, windy or not. They really need to dial back the boost on the steering rack. A LOT.
• The order of the lock and unlock buttons on the key fob seems wrong to me. I constantly pressed the wrong one. And the ignition on the steering column just feels SO wrong for a smart!

Overall, it's a really decent drive. I don't think I'd buy one, though. It's decently efficient, but it's still expensive compared to the competition. There are more good subcompact and "city car" competitors on the market these days, and that shows in smart Canada's sales numbers. I'd probably look at a Micra, Fit, Spark or 500 before one of these. A manual transmission might tip the scales a bit, but for me, the vague steering and questionable long-term comfort and ergonomic issues might be a problem.

[darren]

Other thoughts:

- The cargo area is smaller than on the 451, and the opening is smaller.

- The turning radius really is laughably small. I can spin around on my street.

- These come fitted with Conti Pro Contacts, which are way better than the crappy Kumhos on my ED.

[Huronlad]

The cargo area is not smaller in the 453, it just looks like it is. Others have confirmed with a measuring device it is larger.

[darren]

Wow. That's amazing. Maybe it's because the new car bulges out in every direction, and the opening is so small.

[darren]

I just discovered yesterday that the smartphone dock for the standard radio was stashed away in the console drawer! I've installed it and now have my phone in a much more visible spot on the dash. Very cool to have. The smart connect app is marginally useful, as well, with everything laid out in a very car-friendly way. It's a shame Apple only does the "car mode" thing with compatible head units, instead of allowing users to use the phone's own display in a simplified car mode.

After driving this thing quite a bit over the last week, i can say that it is a lot of fun. It's quite peppy, other than a little bit of lag off the line. A low-pressure turbo would probably help with that just a touch. The dual-clutch transmission is fast and smooth. None of the "tap the lever and wait two seconds" shifting like on our 450s, or "lift the throttle before upshifts or get whiplash" of the 451. It's almost TOO smooth! 90% of the time, shifts are completely imperceptible. They did a superb job engineering this new transmission. I'd still love to try a manual, though. Too bad it's only a 5-speed.

I think with a small turbo, a mild re-map, a stiffer suspension, wider, low-profile tires, tighter steering, and a growly exhaust, the BRABUS edition of the 453 could be a LOT of fun.

[DangerDan]

Interesting notes about the steering on the 453.

Having gone from a 450 with no power steering, straight to a 453, I find it to be quite precise on the highway (minus the I-can-feel-every-bump-in-the-wheel road feel that the 450 had). Even with a lot of crosswind, the boost is really not noticeable to me. Maybe after four months I've just gotten used to it, but I honestly found the speed-sensitive steering to be stranger. That took a few days of mental training. I wonder if the sport package changes anything in that regard.

The turning circle is fantastic. It's almost like it pivots on its rear wheel.

The window switch placement still drives me nuts, but it's nice having both on the armrest, even if I have to hunt a bit for them each time.

I really am enjoying the tranny. Two quick blips from 6th to 4th on the highway and I'm past anything... except the cops. (The 453 has gotten me my first speeding ticket in 14 years!)

I like the seats, but they're only about 90% as comfy as the 450's.

And yeah, the ignition on the steering column is just wrong. 11 years with a 450 has altered my brain enough!

Edited June 21, 2016 by DangerDan

[darren]

I finally had to give it back today. I enjoyed driving it a lot, but being back behind the wheel of my ED just felt like home. The smaller steering wheel, heavier steering feel, and overall comfort and ergonomics in the 451 just feel better to me overall.

[DangerDan]

Honestly, I've never actually driven a 451 ED, but I'd really like to give one a go. Most of my 451 experiences have been in Car2Go vehicles, and those were instrumental in cementing my decision to wait for the next gen smart.

I get what you mean about the steering being heavier, and that's a plus, much like it was on the 450. Still, I think the 453 feels just as planted, but with a lighter touch, if that makes any sense?

[darren]

It definitely feels planted… the wider track and wider tires really help it to feel more stable on the road. I just found the steering to be a little too light and too sensitive. I prefer a heftier, more "sporty" feel. The 451 ED definitely feels right in between the totally un-boosted 450 and the hyper-boosted 453. I really miss having the wider BRABUS wheels and summer tires of my old 450. They improved the overall steering feel and stability tremendously.

[DangerDan]

Thanks. I think we're mostly on the same page, but with slightly different preferences when it comes to road feel.

I do still wonder if tire/wheel combos, or if my (slightly) lowered 453 sport suspension has anything to do with how we perceive our respective rides?

[darren]

I imagine a slightly stiffer and lower suspension would give better road feel and a more "planted" sensation overall. I found the 453 (it was a pretty bare-bones Passion model) to be a tiny bit soft and "floaty" which may have been what my hands felt as a vagueness or imprecision in the handling.

[DangerDan]

I'm really looking forward to a 453 ED. With much of the battery weight under the floor, it'll be interesting to compare handling characteristics to the gasser.

Does your 451 ED feel any different than its petrol sibling?

[darren]

I've only had limited time behind the wheel of a 451 gasser. The ED is smooth, fast, and quiet in comparison. The extra mass under the floor does help it to feel very "planted", though it could really do with better tires. The Kumho Solus all-seasons it came with are absolute crap.

[DangerDan]

I had a small issue with my 453 last week, and was given a similarly-equipped passion as a loner, since a part had to be shipped from MB HQ in Toronto.

The loaner didn't have the sport package or the lower-profile 16" wheels. There was indeed a distinct difference in handling.

I now know what you mean when you talked of the floaty steering feel on your loaner 453. Very glad I went with the sport version!

[darren]

Excellent. I didn't know there was a sport package. I'd totally go for that. Does it include better seats, I found the seats in the 453 to be awfully flat and wide, and I like my seats to hug me a bit better.

[DangerDan]

The sport package includes a lowered suspension (1 cm), 16" wheels with the black y-patterned rims, wider tires, paddle shifters, stainless pedals and a chromed exhaust.

The seats are a bit wide, but the interior does seem cozier overall, since there's a lot more width to the door panels. I don't think there are any other seat options though.

[MikeT]

So the sport pkg also gives proper steering feel? I found the 453 non-sport steering to be Nintendo-like.

[DangerDan]

I really have no idea if anything in the actual steering mechanism is different, or if the feel is simply due to the lowered suspension plus the tire/wheel combo.

The non-sport 453 was remarkably less exact than my car, for sure.

[darren]

I drove a 453 again on the weekend (car2go in Toronto has just added a bunch to their fleet) and it was a great experience, especially after driving a car2go 451 the next day. What a difference!

 

I have to say, though… while the 453 cargo area may technically have greater volume than the 451, but it's a far less usable space. The opening is considerably smaller, and the whole space is more rounded (particularly where the walls meet the roofline) and tapers toward the hatch, making it impossible for me to fit a larger, square-ish item into the cargo area. The same item fits beautifully in my 451 ED.