Smart->ke83 took the automotive world by surprise when it unveiled the ForTwo Cabrio at the 1999 Frankfurt Motor Show->ke235. A year later, the Germans launched the smallest production cabriolet->ke144, taking the micro car industry into a new era. It's been 15 years since then and Smart has revealed the third-generation ForTwo Cabrio, which is set to break cover officially at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

Based on the third-gen 2015 Smart ForTwo we already saw in 2014, the ForTwo Cabrio has been redesigned from the ground up. The styling is all-new inside and out, the chassis has been rebuilt for greater comfort, while the drivetrains are both more powerful and fuel-efficient.

"Our new smart cabrio really exudes joie de vivre in the city – which is what our brand stands for", said Dr. Annette Winkler, head of the Smart brand. "I am sure that we will delight our present 220,000 cabrio customers and win lots of new fans with this successful lifestyle icon."

The micro convertible will arrive on U.S. soil in the first half of 2016, a few months after it goes on sale in Europe. By the time it hits showrooms on this side of the Atlantic, it will join the ForTwo coupe, set to reach U.S. soil at the end of September 2015, and the 2015 Smart Fortwo Brabus Tailor Made program the brand announced earlier this year.

Update 06-29-2016: Mercedes has announced pricing for the 2017 Smart Fortwo Cabrio. Check out the prices section below for details.

Continue reading to learn more about Smart ForTwo Cabrio.

2017 Smart Fortwo Cabriolet

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2017 Smart Fortwo Cabriolet
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

Essentially a sliding-roof version of the redesigned Smart ForTwo the company launched in Europe in 2014, the ForTwo Cabriolet employs the same styling cues as its tintop sibling. Though it remains recognizable as a Smart, it rides on a slightly longer wheelbase and a wider track and features redesigned fascias and more muscular bumpers.

The front grille is now larger and positioned higher toward the hood, while the headlamps received a rhombic shape. The dual taillight units seen on the previous generation model have been replaced by larger squares with the signals and the reverse lights mounted in the middle, while the roof seems to sit a bit lower.

Speaking of the roof, this is where the Cabriolet stands out. The B-pillars are slightly narrower versus the coupe, while the roof is a retractable, sliding soft-top with three positions. When not fully closed, the top can be partially opened for a sunroof-like experience or fully lowered. Smart says the new cloth roof is four percent larger than the previous model and that it takes 12 seconds to fold it down completely. However, this doesn't include removing the roof cross beams and stowing them in the trunk.

Moving on to add-ons that are less visible, the Fortwo cabrio is fitted with a large, steel underbody brace and two bulkheads intended to increase torsional stiffness. As a result, the structure is 15 percent stiffer in terms of torsional rigidity than the previous model. The new car also has a hot-formed steel tube inside each A-pillar for additional rollover protection.

Like the previous model, the ForTwo Cabrio comes in a two-tone finish with plenty of combinations to choose from. Moreover, Smart offers numerous wheel design options and three colors for the fabric top (blue denim, red or black), enabling customers access to various exterior configurations.

Interior

The Cabrio's interior is identical to the coupe's->ke141 meaning it carries the brand's new sculptural approach for the dashboard and the door panels, as well as the two-tone dashboard and larger center console. Along with the new design comes a revised instrument cluster, a new infotainment screen that seemingly hovers in front of the dash, bolstered seats, and spherical air vents. The three-spoke steering wheel can be optionally equipped with radio and navigation controls, while the high-quality textile surfaces on the dashboard and the door panels can be ordered in many colors, adding to the ForTwo's customizing potential.

Of course, this new and lively interior comes with the infinite headroom convertibles benefit from when the top is folded flat behind the seats. The fabric top can be removed when driving or from outside the car by remote control using a button on the key.

Drivetrain

Just like the coupe, the cabrio will initially be available with two three-cylinder gasoline engines. The least powerful unit displaces one liter and cranks out 71 horsepower and 67 pound-feet of torque from as low as 1,000 rpm. With this engine, the ForTwo needs 14.9 seconds to hit 62 mph from a standing start and reaches a 94-mph top speed.

The range-topping mill is a turbocharged, 0.9-liter three-pot rated at 90 horses and 99 pound-feet of twist. It adds 7 horses and 10 pound-feet over the previous turbo 1.0-liter and pushes the cabriolet to 62 mph from a standstill in 10.8 seconds. Top speed sits at 96 mph.

Both engines can be coupled with either a five-speed manual transmission or a fully automatic dual-clutch transmission. The five-speed manual gearbox is available for the first time in the ForTwo, while the dual-clutch replaces the dated five-speed semi-automatic.

Although the ForTwo Cabrio won't get you anywhere in a hurry, the tiny convertible is quite efficient thanks to its automatic start/stop system, variable swirl control, and variable adjustment of the inlet valves. Though official estimates aren't yet available, the drop-top should return the same figures as the coupe, which is rated at up to 33 mpg city and 39 mpg highway.

Besides the two engines available right from the start, the ForTwo Cabrio will also get an entry-level 1.0-liter, three-banger developing 60 horsepower. This new base unit replaces the previous 0.8-liter diesel (offered only in Europe) rated at 53 horses.

Prices

For the 2017 model year, the Smart Fortwo Cabrio will start out at $18,900 which, according to Mercedes, makes it the most affordable convertible on the market. That entry-level price represents an increase of $970 over the 2015 Cabriolet’s base MSRP. The Fortwo Cabrio is also offered with a twinamic dual-clutch automatic transmission and, when so equipped, will command $19,890 before taxes, options and a $750 destination fee.

Suspension

The new Smart ForTwo also benefits from a reconfigured chassis, which includes a new McPherson suspension system with a triple-path head bearing for the front axle and a De-Dion rear axle. A sports suspension package for a sportier experience behind the wheels is available as an option. The bundle adds firmer springs and lowers the vehicle’s ride height by 0.4 inches.

Safety

Vehicles coming from Daimler are always known to include state-of-the-art safety features, and the ForTwo Cabrio is no exception. Besides the large underbody brace, bulkheads, and hot-formed steel tubes inside the A-pillars, the city car is also equipped with Smart's already traditional tridion safety cell, which enabled the ForTwo to pass Mercedes'->ke187 roof-drop test, during which the vehicle falls at a slight angle from a height of 20 inches onto the roof structure. Additional safety electronics include the brand's latest-generation ESP with standard Crosswind Assist and hill start assist, and optional forward collision warning and Lane Keeping Assist.

Competition

2015 Fiat 500C

Perhaps the only car that can compete with the Smart Fortwo in terms of its size and offering a convertible is the open-top Fiat 500C. Like the Fortwo Cabriolet, the 500C uses a folding cloth top rather than a more conventional fully retracting soft top. The Fiat 500->ke1708 does hold a few advantages over the Fortwo, including its larger size with a pair of rear seats, more engine options (such as the performance-oriented Abarth) and better highway fuel economy, rated at 40 mpg.

Read our full review of the 2015 Fiat 500C here.

2015 Scion iQ

Although it is not available as a convertible, the Scion iQ->ke3422 is the only other alternative buyers have when it comes to tiny, two-door city cars. Before its redesign, the Fortwo always looked much smaller than the iQ due to its narrow width, but now that it has gotten almost four inches wider than the current model, the next-gen Fortwo actually looks more like the Scion.->ke79 The 2015 Scion iQ starts at $16,435 (including destination), and while that pricing is identical to the 2014 model year, it is still quite a bit more ($1,200) than a base 2015 Fortwo.

Read our full review of the 2015 Scion iQ here.

Conclusion

While the Smart Fortwo Cabriolet is hardly the convertible that enthusiasts will flock to, it does provide some of the highest fuel economy numbers of any non-hybrid and non-diesel car. Sure, the new ForTwo Cabrio isn’t that much more powerful or faster than its predecessor, but it is brilliant at squeezing in the most tight parking places and through the city’s narrowest streets. In all, the new model seems to be a vastly improved product overall that provides greater comfort and improved handling charactericts, two features the previous model was heavily criticized for.

Spy Shots

May 22, 2015 - Smart Cabrio caught camouflage free

Update History

Updated 09/22/2015: We’ve added a series of new photos we took at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. Find them in the "Pictures" tab.