2018 smart fortwo electric drive

This year brings big news for Mercedes-Benz's smallest car, the two-seat Smart Fortwo: For 2018, Benz has discontinued the car's gasoline powertrain, leaving just the battery-powered Electric Drive variant.

It's a wise move that leaves the best version of the Fortwo to vie for buyers in a small electric car segment. Smart faced few competitors before and arguably faces fewer now that this car is electric-only, but expect that to change in the next few years as other automakers jump on the bandwagon for city-friendly cars that plug in instead of fuel up.

Updates are otherwise minor: There's a standard backup camera that allows the Fortwo to comply with a new safety regulation that will require one in every new car sold in Canada from May 2018. An optional touchscreen package now includes Android Auto smartphone integration and a new smartphone cradle is larger and can hold phones up to six inches wide.

As before, the Fortwo Electric Drive is propelled by a little electric motor that's good for 80 hp and 118 lb-ft of torque and a 17.6 kWh battery that holds energy energy for about 90 km of driving. A full charge happes in as little as three hours on a 240-volt charger. You can still get the Fortwo in your choice of coupe and convertible (cabriolet) body styles.

Standard features include 15-inch wheels, LED daytime running lights, two-piece tailgate, automatic climate control, height-adjustable driver's seat, heated seats and steering wheel, cruise control and crosswind assist.

Options include and LED lighting package of LED taillights, fog lights with a cornering function and rain-sensing wipers, and a touchscreen package that brings a 7.0-inch display, Android Auto and heated, power-adjustable side mirrors.

There are a few stand-alone extras too, like ambient lighting, an armrest, panoramic sunroof (coupe only), forward collision warning, tire pressure monitoring and an upgraded stereo.