smart fortwo & forfour (W453) · smart fortwo & forfour
W453
One car, built twice — with Renault.
- Production
- 2014–2024
- Built
- —
- Body
- Coupé, cabriolet & hatchback
- Chassis
- W453
smart and Renault built the same car twice: the fortwo and the revived forfour share a platform with the Renault Twingo, all three with the engine sitting over the rear axle.
From 2014 the W453 used 1.0-liter naturally aspirated and 0.9-liter turbocharged M281 three-cylinders with a five-speed manual or the twinamic dual-clutch. The fortwo was also sold as a full cabriolet on the A453 code, and the forfour offered a full-length folding canvas roof.
From 2019 the range went electric-only as the EQ fortwo and EQ forfour, and the last fortwo left Hambach in 2024 — the end of the line that began in 1998.
Every model.
6 model designations across 2014–2024 — engines, transmissions and series codes for the W453.
| Model | Lata modelowe | Podwozie | Silnik | Skrzynia biegów | Razem |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| fortwo 1.0 | 2014–2024 | 453 | 281 | JH3 | — |
| fortwo 0.9 turbo | 2014–2024 | 453 | 281 | 6DCT250 | — |
| fortwo BRABUS 0.9 turbo | 2014–2024 | 453 | 281 | 6DCT250 | — |
| forfour 1.0 | 2014–2024 | 453 | 281 | JH3 | — |
| forfour 0.9 turbo | 2014–2024 | 453 | 281 | 6DCT250 | — |
| EQ fortwo / EQ forfour | 2017–2024 | 453 | — | — |
Year by year.
From the wider third-generation city car to the electric-only US range and 2020 facelift — the W453 milestones.
- 2016
- The third-generation fortwo reached the US with a wider body, rear-mounted turbo three-cylinder engine, standard five-speed manual and optional twinamic six-speed dual-clutch transmission.
- Its Tridion safety cell, Crosswind Assist and 22.8-foot turning circle remained defining features; the related four-seat forfour was not sold in the US.
- 2017
- The new fortwo cabrio joined the US range with a power-operated fabric roof that could open to its intermediate position at any speed.
- Fourth-generation electric drive arrived with an 80-hp motor and 17.6-kWh battery; coupé sales began in spring and cabrio sales in summer.
- 2018
- Smart discontinued gasoline models in the US and Canada, making fortwo electric drive the brand’s only new-car offering there.
- 2020
- The European facelift became electric-only, adopted the EQ fortwo name, and received separate coupé and cabrio front-end treatments plus updated infotainment.
- 2024
- Production at Hambach ended, closing the rear-engined two-seat fortwo line.
