With the smart #1 being so successful, will smart Malaysia bring in the smart #3?
The smart#1 has been a major success here in Malaysia and has seen more bookings than anticipated while also leveraging its comprehensive infrastructure to already deliver many of the booked models to their owners. Despite only being here a few months, the brand is hugely successful, so is it time for smart to expand in Malaysia?
By expanding, I do not mean opening more locations throughout the country, although I have a feeling that the brand already has plans for that as it is, no, I mean, expanding the lineup. Currently, the smart #1 is the sole offering the brand has in its portfolio but will the smart #3 come to Malaysia and change that?
Moreover, on the UK smart Website, the brand has already announced the smart #3, a bigger, more mature looking version of the smart #1. In fact, the website defines this all-electric SUV with “Sporty, stylish and ever-so-smooth. An electric SUV coupe that parks adventure. Available early 2024.”
Well, would you look at that? It’s early 2024! This means that the smart #3 should be just about ready to make its debut anytime now and with Malaysia being one of the few markets where EV sales did not decline exponentially in 2023 (looking at you, United States), perhaps this car would make sense here.
What’s more the smart #3 should feature about 455km of WLTP range and for the price, it will likely offer more than adequate range and acceleration. How do I know this? Well, the smart #1 sets a good example of the kind of price to value ratio that the brand upholds, particularly here in the country.
On top of that, instead of dwelling on the numbers we do not have, let’s look at what the brand already told us. The same UK website will inform one that the smart #3 features an aerodynamic design, a spacious interior (and a massive sunroof), sports style seats, very versatile lighting and powerful air conditioning.
All of these features will serve the car very well here in Malaysia, but if smart could change just 1 thing about this electric vehicle (EV) SUV before it breaks ground here, I hope they will either make the sunroof smaller or do away with it entirely. Huge sunroofs are just not ideal for our hot weather here.
So what do you guys think? Should smart Malaysia piggyback off the success of the smart #1 and introduce its bigger sibling the smart #3 here?
