smart car insurance

Smart cars are small in size, but depending on the model can have powerful engines which sometimes places them in a high insurance group. Each model is designed with city driving in mind, and newer models are geared around efficient, green driving. 

We can help you find a quote for your Smart car, whichever model you have. Click the 'Get a quote' button to start comparing insurance prices.
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How much does a smart car cost to insure?

The amount you pay for smart car insurance depends on the model you choose to buy. Your smart insurance costs might also vary depending on which insurance group your model falls into.

For example, the EQ 82hp Prime Premium Plus sits in group 15, while the smart 60kW EQ Exclusive is in insurance Group 10.

While all smart cars are small in size, some have more powerful engines and this is reflected in the cost of your car insurance. Older models such as the smart Roadster Coupe, built between 2003 - 2007 and with a distinctly sporty look, are placed in a relatively high insurance group (20-26).

Nowadays, smart is more focused on what it does best: producing an efficient and green ‘microcar’. All cars currently manufactured by smart are electric.

The range includes the smart EQ fortwo, the smart EQ fortwo Cabrio and the smart EQ forfour.

Its cars include the smart EQ Control app which allows drivers to keep an eye on information such as the battery status and range, all from a smartphone.

Given the size of smart cars, insurance costs are usually reasonable.

For instance, the average cost for the EQ fortwo Prime Exclusive is £325* and for the fortwo Grand Style MHD Coupe is £211*.

*These prices are an average based on the model, and all our customer quotes from 15/10/22 - 15/01/23. This includes different locations, driving background and other factors. Your own quote could be cheaper or more expensive depending on your personal circumstances.

smart forfour Passion

Launched in 2004 and manufactured until 2007, the smart forfour range proved that smart could produce a practical car at an affordable price. Until the arrival of the forfour, smart was viewed as something of a boutique brand, offering desirable but pricey cars.

The forfour changed this. Smart was now in mass market territory and was geared up to give the likes of the Vauxhall Corsa, Peugeot 206 and the Ford Fiesta a run for their money.

The forfour Passion is now more of a collector’s item but if you do pick one up, the average insurance cost is £795*.

smart fortwo Pulse

The smart fortwo range was launched in 1998 at the Paris Motor Show, and was initially called the smart City Coupe.

The rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger hatchback microcar proved popular to those who wanted a car that was easy to drive and park in the city. It was also quite efficient with its fuel economy.

Although most are petrol driven, they’re cheap to run in terms of miles to the gallon.

The average cost of insurance for the smart fortwo Pulse 84 is £580*.

The smart EQ forfour

Fast forward to today’s smart car models and the smart EQ forfour is attracting plenty of attention.

The car offers intelligent charging and plenty of storage space. It's a fully electric 4-seater for the city.

Urban drivers are able to avoid the London congestion charge with this car and are well serviced by electric charging points.

To give you some idea of insurance costs, the average insurance price for the EQ forfour Prime Exclusive is £570*.

smart EQ fortwo

The smart EQ fortwo is a compact, 2-seater electric car that's designed to zip around the city.

Smart boasts that the EQ fortwo has a range of 81 miles on a single charge - perfect for urban driving where charge points are likely to be frequent.

An example insurance price for this model is the EQ Fortwo Pulse Premium costing £325*.

You can also get this model in a cabriolet version - the smart EQ fortwo Cabrio, which is the only electric convertible currently in production.

The smart EQfortwo uses radar-based energy recovery. This adapts how it recovers energy based on the traffic and road conditions.

*These prices are an average based on the model, and all our customer quotes from 15/10/22 - 15/01/23. This includes different locations, driving background and other factors. Your own quote could be cheaper or more expensive depending on your personal circumstances.

History and facts about smart cars

While smart cars may only have appeared on UK roads in 1998, the history of the company behind the car goes back to the late 1980s.

The makers of Swatch SMH were the first to develop the idea. The CEO of SMH, Nicolas Hayek, believed that the automotive industry had ignored customers who wanted a small but stylish car.

Initially the car was referred to as the ‘Swatchmobile’ – though not surprisingly this name was scrapped further down the line.

In order to develop the concept further, Hayek approached several manufacturers about a collaboration on his new ‘city car’.

He finally reached an agreement with Volkswagen. However, this partnership was short lived as VW decided to terminate the project with SMH in 1993.

Hayek then approached other potential suitors including Fiat and Renault – with no joy. Eventually in 1994 he reached an agreement with Daimler-Benz AG, the makers of Mercedes-Benz.

By allying with Daimler-Benz, the Swatchmobile suddenly had a future even though the German car giant didn't like the name and instead proposed ‘smart’, an acronym for Swatch Mercedes Art.

The first smart car was launched in October 1998. However, Hayek was disappointed in the debut car’s design. While he wanted it to be a hybrid, the first smart car was instead a fuel-powered car.

Since then, smart has continued to pioneer cleaner energy in car design and all the current models it manufactures are electric.

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