Let’s start with the thing that catches everyone’s eye. 7 AM to 10 PM booking window. That’s a 15-hour day. Not many Victoria driving schools do that. Most work bank-hours-ish. Wise and Smart is set up for people who work shifts, students with weird schedules, adults with jobs — anyone who can’t do lessons between 9 and 5.

The school is at 2-2220 Quadra Street, which is central Victoria — Fernwood/Hillside area, sits pretty much halfway between downtown Victoria and Uptown. That’s actually a smart location. Quadra Street itself is a busy arterial (great for learning real Victoria traffic), you’re 5 minutes from downtown, 5 minutes from the ICBC McKenzie office, and 10 minutes from most of the residential neighbourhoods where road tests do parallel parking.

But most of the reviews aren’t about the location. They’re about one person: Mr. Farasat Abbas. Students almost always just call him “Abbas.” His name shows up in review after review, and the pattern is very consistent.

What Wise and Smart Actually Offers

Pricing isn’t published online. Multiple reviewers describe the lessons as “affordably priced compared to other schools” — but you’ll have to call to get an actual quote. Payment is expected before your first lesson, which is standard for Victoria driving schools.

Why the Quadra Street Location Matters

2-2220 Quadra Street sits in central Victoria. That geography matters more than people realize when picking a driving school. From here you’re teaching on:

• Quadra Street itself — busy urban arterial with signal-controlled intersections, bus traffic, pedestrians. Real Victoria driving conditions, not empty parking lots.
• Hillside Avenue — one of Victoria’s main east-west roads, connects to Shelbourne. Lots of school zones, common test route.
• Cook Street / Fort Street — busier downtown-adjacent streets with tricky one-ways and turning restrictions.
• Fernwood residential streets — quiet streets for parallel parking and 3-point turn practice.
• Access to ICBC McKenzie (4370 Blanshard) — 5-10 minutes north on Quadra + Blanshard. Reviewers mention Abbas takes you on the actual test routes near the office.
• Highway 1 / Trans-Canada access — for merging practice, essential for the Class 5 test.

Multiple reviewers specifically mention that Abbas “teaches parkings and highways” — meaning the lesson mix includes both the fiddly stuff (parking) and the confidence stuff (highway merging). Which is what you want for the actual ICBC test.

What Students Actually Say About Abbas

These are real Google reviews (verified via Trustindex on their website). The pattern is remarkably consistent — Abbas gets named specifically, and first-attempt passes come up over and over.

The patterns you can’t miss

Reading through a big pile of Wise and Smart reviews, four things come up almost every time:

• Abbas is named specifically — not “the instructor,” not “the school,” but Abbas by name. Sign of a strong personal reputation.
• First-attempt passes are unusually common — a large share of reviewers explicitly mention passing on the first try. Both Class 5 and Class 7.
• Detailed teaching style — “explaining everything in details,” “very clearly,” “step by step.” Reviewers describe it as thorough.
• Calm and kind with anxious students — comes up in almost every review. This is legitimately hard to fake across dozens of reviews.

One review said something interesting: “He is very kind, and professional, and I highly recommend him for not just passing the test, but actually learning how to drive well.” That distinction matters. A lot of driving schools teach you enough to pass. A good one teaches you enough to drive well.

By the Numbers

The 5.0 Google rating is genuinely rare for a driving school with real review volume. Most Victoria driving schools sit in the 4.3-4.8 range once they have a lot of reviews (one bad experience drags the average down). Maintaining 5.0 across multiple platforms (Google, Wheree, TrustAnalytica) is hard.

Wise and Smart vs Other Victoria Options

Here’s how Wise and Smart fits among the other Victoria driving schools worth knowing about:

Honest take: if you specifically want Abbas as an instructor, if you need early morning or late evening slots, or if you’re an anxious learner who wants a small-school personal experience, Wise and Smart is a very strong pick. If you want the most reviews or the option to switch between multiple instructors, Sky or DriveWise BC might fit better.

Common Questions

Bottom Line

Wise and Smart Driving School is one of those Victoria driving schools where the school’s reputation is basically wrapped around one instructor. That’s not a bad thing — Abbas is genuinely well-regarded across many reviews, especially for Class 5 and Class 7 first-attempt passes, and especially with anxious learners. The extended 7 AM to 10 PM booking window is unusual and useful for people with rigid schedules.

The downsides are the same downsides you’ll find at most small Victoria driving schools — pricing isn’t public (call for a quote), payment is upfront, and the late arrival policy is strict. Nothing unfair, just make sure you know what you’re signing up for.

The best move: call (250) 896-8381, ask about Abbas’s availability, and mention what test you’re preparing for (Class 5 or Class 7). If he’s booked out for weeks — that’s usually a good sign about the quality, but if you’re on a deadline, check a backup school too.

Info compiled from Wise and Smart Driving School’s official website, published Google reviews (verified via Trustindex), TrustAnalytica listing, and Wheree business profile. Confirm current pricing, program details, and instructor availability by calling directly.