PlainEV

DS 3 vs Smart #3

· Real-world figures, not WLTP

DS 3
Photo: M 93, CC BY-SA 3.0 de

DS 3

DS 3 E-Tense

£35,495 · 186 mi

Wins 9 of 14

Smart #3
Photo: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0

Smart #3

#3 Pro (MY24)

£33,960 · 165 mi

Wins 5 of 14

Our verdict

The DS 3 and Smart #3 are both electric SUVs in the small car class. The DS 3 starts at £35,495 in the UK and the Smart #3 at £33,960, comparing the cheapest version of each.

The 3 goes further, with about 186 miles of real-world range against 165 for the #3. On top of that, it charges faster on a rapid charger (79 kW against 70 kW on average, 10–80%) and uses less energy (3.7 mi/kWh against 3.5 mi/kWh).

The #3 is £1,535 cheaper to buy new (£33,960 against £35,495). On top of that, it has the bigger boot (385 litres against 350) and is quicker, doing 0–62 mph in 5.8 s against 9.0 s.

Choose the DS 3 if you want the longest range and quicker charging stops and the Smart #3 if you want the lower price and more boot space.

Written from the figures below, comparing the cheapest UK version of each. Other versions can differ: open them in Compare to swap versions.

DS 3Smart #3

Price

Price new
£35,495on sale now
£33,960 (best)on sale now
Used from (estimated)
£11,500 (best)2022 car
£16,1002024 car
Price per mile of range
£190 (best)
£206

Range and efficiency

Real-world range
186 mi (best)300 km, estimate
165 mi265 km, estimate
Range today, used (estimated)
about 172 mi (best)2022 car, est.
about 158 mi2024 car, est.
Efficiency
3.7 mi/kWh (best)169 Wh/km, estimate
3.5 mi/kWh177 Wh/km, estimate
Range with one 15-min stop
200 mi (best)322 km
185 mi297 km

Charging

Rapid charging
79 kW (best)10–80% average
70 kW10–80% average
Home (AC) charging
11 kW (best)
7 kW
Charging plug
Type 2 CCS
Type 2 CCS
Vehicle-to-load (V2L)
No
Yes (best)
Vehicle-to-home (V2H)
No
No
Vehicle-to-grid (V2G)
No
No

Battery

Usable battery
50.8 kWh (best)
47 kWh
Battery chemistry
NCM (nickel manganese cobalt)
LFP (lithium iron phosphate)
Heat pump
Yes
Yes

Body and performance

Body style
SUV
SUV
Size class
B · Small car
B · Small car
Seats
5
5
Drive
Front-wheel drive
Rear-wheel drive
0–62 mph
9.0 s0–100 km/h
5.8 s (best)0–100 km/h
Weight
1,625 kg
1,855 kg

Size

Length
4.12 m13 ft 6 in
4.40 m14 ft 5 in
Width (without mirrors)
1.80 m5 ft 11 in
1.84 m6 ft 1 in
Width with mirrors
1.99 m6 ft 6 in
2.05 m6 ft 9 in
Height
1.53 m5 ft
1.56 m5 ft 1 in
Wheelbase
2.56 m8 ft 5 in
2.79 m9 ft 2 in

Practicality and safety

Boot space
350 litres
385 litres (best)
Towbar available
No
No
Towing (braked)
Not approved
Not approved
Max payload
458 kgpeople and luggage
–
Euro NCAP rating
–not tested yet
5 stars

Warranty (UK)

Car warranty
–not confirmed
3 yearsunlimited miles
Battery warranty
8 years100,000 miles
8 years (best)125,000 miles, 70% capacity
Passes to next owner
Yes
Yes

Availability

Status
On sale new
On sale new
Model years
2022 on
2024 on

Green marks the better figure in each row. Range is a real-world estimate, not WLTP. Used prices are estimates. Warranty terms are UK terms from each maker’s website.

Every version

DS 3

Smart #3