Smart 3 vs Mini Aceman

What's the difference?

Smart is back.

Not with the classic ForTwo two-seater city car, oddball four-seater ForFour hatch or dinky Roadster targa top. Those were yesterday’s cars.

Today, Smart – as a 50/50 joint-venture between Germany’s Mercedes-Benz (the brand’s originator) and China’s Geely – is all about SUVs. Electric SUVs.

The boxy #1 (pronounced “hashtag-one”) is a small SUV and the sleeker #3 is the coupe-esque performance crossover version. Both are made in China and use Geely technologies.

We take a long, hard look at the range-topping #3 Brabus, the speediest, sexiest and exxiest of the lot. Let’s go.

Mini and electricity were always destined to be together. Of course a sporty, prestigious and quirky little car favoured by urban dwellers was going to be the perfect match for an electric powertrain.

And while the Aceman SUV isn't the first fully electric vehicle for the brand it is a welcome addition that's quintessentially Mini, even if it is made in China.

The Aceman fills the gap between the Mini Cooper hatch and Countryman SUV and rivals a range of small electric premium SUVs such as the Alfa Romeo Junior and even the Volvo EX30.

The variant of this four-door, five-seater Aceman we are testing is the SE.