You can take the car out the city, but you can’t take the city out the car.

The smart is made for city driving but every now and then, it’s good to get out of the big smoke and let it run free in the rolling hills of the great British countryside.

A smarts compact size benefits rural driving as it’s perfect for squeezing past an on-coming tractor down a narrow lane. It is also a master at handling windy corners and tight hair pin bends thanks to a rear wheel drive transmission that enhances balance and a Direct-Steer system that keeps steering light.

Without high-rise buildings to provide shelter from heavy winds, a smart is completely exposed to any strong, unexpected gusts, particularly out on the open road. The clever crosswind assist feature on all models will reduce disruption to the vehicle, countering any threat of drifting off track by applying braking intervention on the wheels of the wind-facing side, meaning less counter-steering effort is required from the driver.

The smart most suited to country driving has to be the cabrio. Roof-down driving is made for the open country road and the cabrio’s roof can be fully retracted at any speed, offering panoramic views of sweeping countryside in just 12 seconds. If you spot the cows lying down expecting rain, the fabric top will close again at the same speed.

To keep you on track, a 3D navigation system with maps for the whole of Europe is displayed on a 7-inch touch-screen display. Included with the smart media system, it’s great for finding cross-country short-cuts. As it comes with 3 years of LIVE services for free, there’s no need to worry about it not recognising where you are, making annoying ‘recalculating’ moments a thing of the past.

Check out our smart offers here and explore the great British countryside in a smart.