Smart Car Coming To the US In Jan. 2008

Blahbooboo3 writes "After many delays and missed promises, the Smart Car is finally coming to the US in January 2008. Smart Car uses a specially designed crash cage to protect the driver and gets upwards of 40 miles per gallon. Crash tests are very positive. The car is deceptively large inside, as showcased by this great ad from the Smart USA site. The second-generation Fortwo will be offered first, starting around $14,000. Unfortunately the slick roadster isn't coming any time soon."

Rather get one of the scion models or even a yaris

[majortom1981]

For some reason when I look at the price all I think is that there are better cars for that price. Why would I buy one of those when I can get a yaris or scion that gets the same milage?

Re:Rather get one of the scion models or even a ya

[gilesjuk]

Firstly, you can change the bodywork easily for different designs. Secondly it's a Mercedes, Thirdly it can park in small spaces in cities which other cars can't.

Re:

[Original Replica]

Yeah, being able to park nose in between two parallel parked cars on the street would be great for cities. But what the crash test video didn't show was what happens when you get hit by someone in a big SUV. The biggest selling point of the big cars these days is still safety for the people inside. Soccer mom don't give a shit about gas milage when it comes to protecting their babies.

Re:

[mrchaotica]

Soccer mom don't give a shit about gas milage when it comes to protecting their babies.

That's okay; the Smart Fortwo only seats two people anyway (hence the name), so it can't carry soccor moms' "babies!"

Re:Rather get one of the scion models or even a ya

[Original Replica]

No no no, I didn't mean that the soccer moms would be driving the Fortwo, but that the Fortwo would have to contend with giant SUVs. And do not doubt SUVs are killers.

For every one life saved by driving an SUV, five others will be taken. Government researchers have found that a behemoth like the four-ton Chevy Tahoe kills 122 people for every 1 million models on the road; by comparison, the Honda Accord only kills 21. Injuries in SUV-related accidents are likewise more severe.Part of the reason for the high kill rate is that cars offer very little protection against an SUV hitting them from the side -- not because of the weight, but because of the design. When a car is hit from the side by another car, the victim is 6.6 times as likely to die as the aggressor. But if the aggressor is an SUV, the car driver's relative chance of dying rises to 30 to 1, because the hood of an SUV is so high off the ground. Rather than hitting the reinforced doors of a car with its bumper, an SUV will slam into more vulnerable areas and strike a car driver in the head or chest, where injuries are more life-threatening.

http://www.alternet.org/story/14839/?page=2 [alternet.org]

Just look at Fortwo, taller than it is wide, and figure out what happens when someone runs a red light.

Re:Rather get one of the scion models or even a ya

[mrchaotica]

Just look at Fortwo, taller than it is wide...

Well, considering that, you'd think it'd be safer than other small cars in side impacts, because the door reinforcements are higher off the ground. Also, because it's so short, the side impact actually hits the A and B pillars, the front and back wheels (at the same time!), etc -- the stuff that's rather more solid than the doors.

In a side-impact crash, I would expect the Smart to be more likely to roll and get less smashed-in, meaning that the occupants would be at greater risk for whiplash but less risk for entrapment or getting crushed.

Re:Rather get one of the scion models or even a ya

[Fred_A]

Err, yeah. What do you mean when you speak of a vehicle rolling or rolling over in an accident?

Rolling a good saving throw apparently...

Re:Rather get one of the scion models or even a ya

[mightyQuin]

We've had smartCars available in Canada since late 2004/early 2005, and I see them frequently on the road here (Winnipeg). It never fails, anytime I mention that I wouldn't mind getting one, people always bring up the crash/safety issue. Try to argue that I commonly ride my bicycle in heavy traffic, not willingly - there aren't many cycling paths here - that's dangerous. People ride motorcycles at high speeds - that's dangerous too. Why is everyone a safety freak when it comes to the smartCar? Incidentally, from my personal experience, males are much more opposed to the car than females are.

Re:Rather get one of the scion models or even a ya

[Original Replica]

So smaller vehicles are the answer......guess we need semis and trains the size of pickup trucks.

That, or we need to be as strict with the licensing for every car as we currently are with the license for a semi or train. If you are going to drive a vehicle that is that dangerous to everyone else on the road, shouldn't you have to meet much stricter requirements?

Re:

[dal20402]

Fully agree. Given the various harms monster vehicles cause, the only way to rationally preserve people's freedom to drive them is to take steps to make their owners bear the costs imposed on all other motorists by their self-indulgent vehicle choice.

First, increase the gas tax until the drivers of heavier vehicles are paying their fair share of the road repair bill. (There are very rational arguments for subsidizing road wear caused by heavy vehicles, such as semis, used commercially. There are no ration

Re:

[Billly Gates]

Never happen

Detroit and Exxon/Mobil would have a field day lobbying and claiming lost jobs to the politicians that run the government. Ford makes maybe 1-2,000 for each Ford Focus. Meanwhile they make $9,000 for each Ford Explorer sold. Maybe this is why they have been refusing to put fuel cell focuses on the market? Its clear what their financial interests are.

SUV owners would revolt and vote. Most rich white voters who are male and own such vehicles vote more than any other group which is why the republic

Re:

[rs79]

Keep in mind GM pays no income taxes.

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[nido]

Detroit and Exxon/Mobil would have a field day lobbying and claiming lost jobs to the politicians that run the government. Ford makes maybe 1-2,000 for each Ford Focus. Meanwhile they make $9,000 for each Ford Explorer sold. Maybe this is why they have been refusing to put fuel cell focuses on the market? Its clear what their financial interests are.

While I agree that the Oil Titans and the Auto Executives are working together to screw working people (I recently aquired a 13 year old Honda that averages 45m

Re:

[Silentknyght]

The gas tax isn't a magic bullet.

The burden of gas taxes disproportionately falls on the poor, not the rich people who are driving the large, luxury SUVs. Gas taxes are flat, $ per gallon taxes, which means, all things held constant, that a poorer person is paying more than a richer person. But, all things are not held constant, you say? Too true. The rich can afford new cars that get better gas mileage, whereas a poorer person must drive the car they have, which is likely to be an older, less effici

Re:

[Redbaran]

My father drives a semi and he couldn't agree with you more! His favorite object of complaint are the large motor homes that people drive and he makes a good argument: How can a person drive something that is potentially bigger then his semi (compared to when he's pulling a short trailer) do so without any special treatment, especially when they are more likely to be old.

It probably doesn't help that we live in the retirement state (Florida).

Re:

[dosquatch]

guess we need semis and trains the size of pickup trucks

Already done! [backcountryjournal.com]

Oh, wait, you meant making semis and trains smaller, didn't you? Nevermind.

Re:

[Kristoph]

That's just silly ...

I have a wife and one child. I also have two cats. My sedan is fine to drive around the city but when we want to drive to our other home two adults, one child and two cats (in carriers) will not fit so we're going to need to get an SUV just to manage that. (We don't have one atm, but we plan on one.)

If you have one or two kids and a pet or two an SUV is just practical, it's nothing to do with a 'power trip' or whatever.

I will admit a station wagon would also work but I couldn't possibly

Re:Rather get one of the scion models or even a ya

[dal20402]

I will admit a station wagon would also work but I couldn't possibly ...

Or a minivan. Or a crossover.

You realize that what you've just admitted is that you're ...

1) putting most other drivers around you at risk, because of your high bumpers, poor braking and handling, and excess weight;
2) paying who knows how much extra in gas, and putting the resulting extra CO2 into the atmosphere;
3) actually *sacrificing* space compared to rational people-moving vehicles (because of your high floor and long hood) ...

... because you're insecure about how you look.

Re:

[Kristoph]

You know I am not planning to get a Suburban or anything like that. I consider a crossover a small SUV. I have no special love for the SUV. I've never owned one and I am happy with my existing sedan.

Anyway to answer your questions ...

1) Actually, according to consumer reports. The SUV I plan to buy is as safer as the sedan I drive :-)

2) Hybrid :-)

3) I tested my requirements and 2 adults, 2 children with safety seats and 2 pets in carriers all work. This is purely a question of the design of the vehicle. I a

-1; Stupid

[KingSkippus]

two adults, one child and two cats (in carriers) will not fit

Try two adults and four kids. That was my family when we were growing up. We never had an SUV. The typical seating arrangement when we all went somewhere was Mom and Dad up front with one kid between them and three kids in the back. Was it cramped? Sure, but rare were the times when we all had to be piled into the car at the same time.

Nowadays, I would suggest against that arrangement for safety reasons (this was when most cars didn't even have seat belts). Still, there is nothing wrong with two adults up front and three kids (or one kid and two cats, in carriers) in the back of any modern sedan.

I can't believe that someone out there actually thinks that two adults, one child, and two cants (in carriers) will not fit in a sedan. I mean, really. Damn. Not only can they safely fit, but quite comfortably.

By your standard, almost every family in the country should have an SUV.

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[im_thatoneguy]

P.S. Cat Carriers + Cabin Area in car accident = Flying Cats of Death. Put the animals in the loose luggage--err cats in the trunk where they belong.

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[kanweg]

That chance that it gets hit is only half as large as with a regular car!

Bert

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[Archimonde]

bodywork easily for different designs

Dunno about US but here in EU if you change the design of your car you have to get new documents. Btw, those bodywork parts are not cheap in any case, and I haven't seen anyone actually changing the color of their car by buying new bodyparts. Probably the most expensive color change ever.

Secondly it's a Mercedes

Reliability-wise I would own a Toyota over a Mercedes any day of the year.

t can park in small spaces in cities which other cars can't.

Valid point though. Even though, Yaris isn't that much bigger than a Smart.

So what are the benefits of Yaris over Smart?

Much better gear changing.

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[deacon]

A Mercedes? And you think that's a plus? Most of us laugh at the twits who think the mercedes gives them "status". The rest of us have pity for them based on the very low reliability record of mercedes in general as shown in every years Consumer Reports car issue. People in the know have been fleeing mercedes to go to Lexus for years.

Please. If this was built by Toyota, it would be worthy of consideration. Considering the diaster of mercedes reliabiliy along with the outrageous cost of spare parts, the e

Re:

[mobby_6kl]

I don't drive a Mercedes, but honestly, what "status" car owner gives a shit about what Consumer Report says about them, or how much a repair manual costs? A DMC-12 might also suck according to CR, but I'd rather have it over any Toyota.

Re:Rather get one of the scion models or even a ya

[mustafap]

>... and you won't get laughed at in them either.

That doesn't happen here in the uk, since the vehicle is seen as cool, distinctive and effective.

On the other hand the usa motor market that seems to think driving tanks with the same fuel economy as cars from 80 years ago is ok - they get laughed at, by everyone else in the world. Attitudes are changing this way, thankfully, and maybe one day the usa will 'get it'.

Scions and the Yaris DON'T get the same milage

[mrchaotica]

The Smart gets more than 40mpg; the most efficient Toyotas (in the US) get up to 36 (manual Yaris according to fueleconomy.gov).

If you want a Toyota comparable to the Smart, you're looking at an Aygo [wikipedia.org], which is even smaller than a Yaris and not sold in the US.

By the way, about those Scions: although the first-gen xA and xB had the same 104hp, 1.5L engine as the Echo and Yaris, the new xB and xD will have larger ones and will probably get less mileage.

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[ls -la]

the most efficient Toyotas (in the US) get up to 36 (manual Yaris according to fueleconomy.gov).

Might as well get a Honda then. My combustion-only Civic gets 30/35. You sure you looked at the hybrids and not combustion only?

Re:

[mrchaotica]

I meant non-hybrid only, although I didn't say it, as I was only talking about cars of a similar size to the Smart (and Toyota doesn't make any hybrids that small).

Of course, you aren't kidding about Hondas: why would anybody be impressed by the Smart car when they could have gotten a 70mpg Insight any time in the past 8 years?!

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[hughk]

I really don't understand that 36mpg for a manual Yaris somebody must have fscked up the statistics (or had a lead foot). My wife has had one and if the consumption was ever that bad, it would be straight back to the shop. The normal real average is about 46+.

40 mpg isn't that great

[jbengt]

I got a VW rabbit (diesel) in 1980 that got 55 mpg highway and 42 mpg city.
How come I can't get a car with better mileage than that by now?

Nobody cared too much until recently.

[Kadin2048]

Because until very recently, most people weren't willing to pay extra for, or use as a selling point when choosing between vehicles, fuel economy.

It's really only since the price of gas has hit $3/gal(US) that anyone here in the 'States has started to care about fuel efficiency. At least in the mainstream market -- the VW Diesels have always been popular with some folks I know (and I used to own one, great car) who were really into fuel economy, but the price-premium you pay for the diesel engine doesn't pa

Re:

[mrchaotica]

Yeah, I forgot to qualify my statement with "non-hybrid." Also, I should have checked fueleconomy.gov more thoroughly: strangely enough, the Corolla actually gets up to 37mpg, edging out the Yaris even though it's a bigger car.

But it doesn't really matter, because the Prius (or any other current Toyota hybrid) is obviously not in the same size class as the Smart Fortwo.

Re:Scions and the Yaris DON'T get the same milage

[mrchaotica]

Actually, there were (relatively) a lot of cars from the late 80s and early 90s that got better mileage than most cars do today: Geo Metro XFI (51 mpg), Honda CRX HF (50 mpg), your Citroën, etc. But what you seem to not realize is that those cars were also a heck of a lot lighter than modern ones, because they weren't weighed down with airbags, ABS, etc. It's much harder for a modern car to achieve that same efficiency and still meet safety regulations (let alone customer expectations, which are also a lot higher).

Re:Rather get one of the scion models or even a ya

[Bluefirebird]

Simply because it is cool! The Smart is the equivalent of the MAC.
It is mostly used by young people that creativity related careers like architects and designers. It is also quite common as a company car for innovative dynamic companies.

Besides, you can park perpendicularly in a street that only allows parallel parking.

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[mrchaotica]

Besides, you can park perpendicularly in a street that only allows parallel parking.

You say that as if it's somehow difficult to parallel park any of the other cheaper small cars in the US (e.g. Hyundai Accent, Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, etc.).

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[Anonymous Coward]

The Smart is the equivalent of the MAC. It is mostly used by young people that creativity related careers like architects and designers. It is also quite common as a company car for innovative dynamic companies.

That might be the stupidest statement I've ever read at Slashdot, and I browse at -1.

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[tompaulco]

Besides, you can park perpendicularly in a street that only allows parallel parking.
Does Mercedes offer an address to send all your parking tickets to?

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[dave420]

You can park it sideways in a parking space, for one, so no more parallel parking. :)

Re:Rather get one of the scion models or even a ya

[orasio]

Because it's beautiful, and they are different things.
A Yaris is not a beautiful car, and a Smart is.
Buying a car is not about saving mney in gas, if that was the issue, the only sane way to buy cars would be following a TCO study of each model, because the price of the car is an issue in fuel economy.

Re:Rather get one of the scion models or even a ya

[CompMD]

You've obviously never seen what happens to a Yaris when it t-bones a Volvo XC90 at 45mph. Just happened here in town yesterday, scared the heck out of me. The Volvo had some bent metal, and the driver walked away. The Yaris was scattered across the intersection, and the driver was pulled out on a stretcher and taken to a hospital by helicopter.

The Smart car has Mercedes engineering behind it, and crashworthiness is superior to anything put out from Toyota.

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[Archimonde]

I won't argue with your Volvo example but your other paragraph:

The Smart car has Mercedes engineering behind it, and crashworthiness is superior to anything put out from Toyota.

is some serious bullshit.

The previous model of Smart got barely three stars(http://www.crash-test.org/marques/resultat.p hp?mod=mccsma_1999-2000 [crash-test.org])in Euro NCAP test. I do think that the new one isn't much more safer than that. Consider that Toyota Yaris got 5/5 stars in the same test (http://www.adac.de/Tests/Crash_Tests/Automodelle/ toyota_yaris_ab2005.asp?ComponentID=130151&SourceP ageID=8650 [www.adac.de]). There goes your fanboi credibility.

And the Sma

Re:Rather get one of the scion models or even a ya

[mrthejud]

I have no idea why you would purchase the Americanized smart car. It seems like a waste of space. I just purchased the Canadian/European model which uses a diesel engine. Instead of a sissy 40 MPG I get about 70-74 MPG. Its intense, now I get to scoff at all of the people who drive vehicles other than mine because there isn't much that can beat it for gas mileage. I'm just glad I bought mine before this crap happened.

$14,000 too high?

[Bluecobra]

While I am all for more small and fuel efficient cars here, a $14K price tag seems like a bit too much. Why would someone spend that much on a car when they can get 4 door Toyota Corolla for around the same price with the same fuel efficiency? I would think that the $10K range would be more reasonable.

Re:

[morari]

Why would anyone buy any new car at all? They're all over priced and instantly loose a considerable chunk of their "value" the moment you drive them off of the lot.

re: Why buy a NEW car at all?

[King_TJ]

I used to think the same thing, but guess what? I'm driving a brand new Mitsubishi Eclipse right now. The argument that they "immediately lose a bunch of resale value, the minute you drive them off the lot" is technically correct. But realistically, it doesn't mean as much as people pretend it does. In reality, MOST people buying a new car plan on keeping it for a while. The initial loss in value only affects someone who makes a poor purchasing decision and tries to trade the almost new car back in after only a few months through maybe the first year or two of ownership.

Meanwhile, loans on new vehicles tend to have much better interest rates than loans on used vehicles, so you're not giving as much of your money away to some bank as you pay off your car....

My new car also included such "bonuses" as free roadside assistance during the warranty period. Used car owners generally don't receive benefits like this, and have to pay for a "motor club" membership like AAA to get the same thing.

The warranty itself can be a factor, too. You may or may not get one with your used car purchase, depending on its mileage and all. But it could easily "make or break" the overall "value" of your purchase if something major like a transmission fails 2 or 3 years into the vehicle ownership.

Ultimately, for me, the assurance that my new car doesn't have some worn out part just waiting to fail and greatly inconvenience me when I need my car the most is the *best* reason for buying new. I only own one vehicle, and I count on it daily. If I'm supposed to go to a customer site and can't make it because my car breaks down, that costs me income from both ends at once on a used car that's not in warranty. (Loss of income on a job I can't do, AND loss of income paying for a car repair.) Generally, the dealership will even give me a free rental car while repairing mine under warranty - which they'd never do on used car repairs.

Re:

[porcupine8]

It's not so much about the resale value, because you're right, most people won't resell it. But when you can save 20% by buying a car that's 2 years old, the odds of making that much up with things failing anytime soon are sufficiently low that it's usually a good deal. Sure, there's a tiny chance something will fail quickly, but personally the only cars I've known that needed bigtime repairs were several years old. If you think there's a good chance, maybe you should be buying a different car.

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[deacon]

If you have to get a loan for a freaking car, YOU CANNOT AFFORD IT! You are going into debt for something that will be worth less than your loan value. If you want debt, buy real estate. A car? Feh! All those "bonuses"? You paid more for them than they are worth to the car dealer! You think the car company gave you those for free???? Warranty? You paid more for that than it is worth. The car company knows what the cost of the warranty to them is, and they charge you MORE than that amount. Gah.

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[SlashChick]

The Smart "pure" model starts out at "under $12,000" according to their site. Also, to test your theory, I went to toyota.com and configured a Corolla. Once I added in an automatic transmission and power windows/door locks (which is a $500 option on the Corolla!), my MSRP was $16,325. I would imagine that the Corolla will still be a more popular car -- but it's certainly not cheaper.

Bacause people think they are cool and hip...

[fantomas]

"Why would someone spend that much on a car when they can get 4 door Toyota Corolla for around the same price with the same fuel efficiency?"

Because people think they look cool and hip and fun. People buy cars as an expression of their personal taste as much as anything else, projecting an image, etc, not just on rational aspects like price/fuel efficiency. If that was the case we'd be following Henry Ford's line about having any car we want as long as it's black, we'd all be driving identical vehicles. Jus

Re:

[Alioth]

You have to parallel park a Corolla. You can just drive the Smart into an on-street parking space nose in, and the back end won't extend past the SUVs you're parked next to.

Re:

[mrchaotica]

For that matter, who in the world would consider a Smart car sexy?!

Now, if you were talking about the roadster or the Crossblade, you might have a point, we'd only be getting the ugly ones in the US anyway!

Fortwo

[Timesprout]

I dont think that means what Smart think it means in the US.

Already quite popular north of the border

[KeithH]

These have already been in Canada for a year or so and judging by the number on the road, they've been selling well. I've spoken to a couple of owners and they love them. Apparently they cope well in the snow (not that we had much in Ottawa this past winter) so they should be perfectly viable in the northern States. Mind you there is something ludicrous-looking about them, especially when you see them next to the ubiquitous SUVs. People thought the same thing about the Morris Minor and the Mini Cooper 40+ years ago. Now, the Cooper is trendy!

Smarts and Japanoids

[spaceyhackerlady]

Smart have been on sale in Canada since 2004. There are zillions on the road here in Vancouver. Once again the U.S. is behind the times, while us Canadians are on top of things. :-)

The current fad (everything is a fad in Vancouver) is for older Japanese imports. It started with Nissan Skylines [theskylineshop.com], but you also see lots of Mitsubishi Delicas [terra2imports.ca] and Nissan S-Cargo [japanoid.com] vans. I've even saw a Toyota Hi-Lux pickup, the same kind Top Gear [bbc.co.uk] failed to destroy...

If they're more than 15 years old you can privately import th

For anyone who can't stream the ad...

[TheSHAD0W]

http://shambala.net/misc/BigMan400%5B2%5D.flv [shambala.net]

Smart indeed

[joss]

You can stick it in the back of your truck for when you need to get somewhere
inaccessible by normal means - like closer to the mall entrance than a
regular parking spot.

Re:

[MadMidnightBomber]

No worries mate, you can park it inside the mall.

Comedy handling

[rehabdoll]

Yeah, those smarts are really good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfguxvWPRZE [youtube.com]

or not.

montana has a a dealership for a few years

[k2enemy]

montana (of all places) has had a dealer for a few years in bozeman.

http://www.ecoautoinc.com/smart.php [ecoautoinc.com]

Re:

[pat_trick]

Thing about this is that if you RTFP, it talks about how these are import versions modified for the US market. The smart that's being sold in January is actually made for the US market from the beginning.

you can't park like that even if you want to

[cellocgw]

Last time I looked, nowhere in the USA is it legal to park nose-in when you're in a parallel parking zone. Further, it's generally illegal to "create" parking spots out of nothing, so anywhere there are painted slots or meters, forget about squeezing in.
This isn't to say that an influx of microcars might not lead to a change in the laws, but it ain't that way yet.

"smart", not "Smart Car".

[Moskit]

"smart" with a lowercase "s" is the correct brand and car name.

The decline of slashdot posters

[CompMD]

is evident in many of these posts. The demonstrated lack of understanding in topics such as statics and dynamics, mechanics, mechanical engineering, crash dynamics, and automotive technology is astounding. Before anyone decides to flame me, I am an aerospace engineer, I build airplanes for one of the greatest living aircraft designers in the world. I am well educated in how cars are supposed to work. I am amazed at the number of Honda/Toyota fanboys that post in here saying things like tantamount to "my

Re:

[Vellmont]

Sheesh. What an arrogant SOB you sound like.

Not everyone has the same value system, or makes a large salary as you apparently do. Just because you're an aerospace engineer doesn't mean what you value is any more important than anyone else values. You seem to put an enormous value on safety. That's fine, that's a good thing to value IMO. Of course, not everyone makes the nice salary that I imagine an aerospace engineer makes, so we can't all afford expensive Volvos or Mercedes.

Get a grip buddy and maybe

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[dokebi]

I respect expert opinion, but as an engineer I value testing over hearsay. [consumerreports.org]

The video of the crash test is from an old Smart.

[IYagami]

The crash test that is linked in the subject belongs to the first version of the Smart Car. You can find the Euroncap test information at http://www.euroncap.com/tests/smart_city_coupe_200 0/29.aspx [euroncap.com] (3 stars out of 5)

The 2008 version hasn't been tested yet, but hopefully it will get 4 stars in the same test.

Back to the future!

[PastaAnta]

I am getting 33km/l (78 miles per gallon in twelve-finger units) in my Volkswagen Lupo 3L [wikipedia.org] from 2001.
The Lupo can transport 4 persons and reach a top speed in excess of 165km/h (102mph in twelve-finger units). Read more here [vwvortex.com].
Volkswagen has now ceased building this gem - and well, I guess it would never sell in SUV-loving States of America anyway.

I just rented one this week

[Oldsmobile]

I just rented out a Smart for two days this week.

I was skeptical at first, but figured I'd rent it for the experience. Having driven it for two days I'm a total convert. When you get into it, you notice that it not only has plenty of room inside for two people and their stuff, but that you actually sit higher up than in most regular cars. The car seems quite stable, even at speed up to 100kmh and probably faster, but I didn't really have a chance to take it any faster an this.

The suspension is maybe a bit too hard and sporty in it's feel, you can feel rough roads a bit too well. The interior quality was excellent and I like the dash design. The seats were very comfy and it was very easy to find a good seating position. Like I said, there's plenty of room for even big and tall people.

The engine is small and turbo charged and has plenty of oomh, though only at higher rpm's and you have to wait for the turbo to spool. It has six gears and an automatic transmission. You can use the shifter to go up and down the gears on your own or switch it into automatic. My only gripe is the automatic taking way too long to downshift when you want to surge, but supposedly that's been fixed in the newer version (ours was the 1st gen).

Really truly the best part was the pitiful amount of fuel it used. I filled the tank up as soon as I got it, and the gauge indicated a full tank (a very unscientific 5 bar gauge) when I returned it to the rental place. I actually felt a bit cheated by it, since I didn't use most of the gas I put in the tank :(

Like I said, I have reservations about high speed handling in an emergency. I've seen the crash test videos, and I believe the car to be safe enough in crash, it's avoiding one I'm still not sure about. The car does have every electronic measure available, ABS, stability control and other stuff, but I didn't want to test it on public roads.

On the other hand, most SUV's will flip easily if you do a high speed left-right, so it's a matter of being careful I guess.

My other gripe is the transmission, though I can live with it and as I said, it's been fixed in the newer model.

All in all, I'm seriously looking into buying one as a second car. A Smart would fulfill about 95% of my motoring needs, but I would still need my current large gas guzzler for transporting more than me and my spouse and driving to see our relatives through elk infested wintry roads at night.

Roadster won't come at all

[Jeff Kelly]

The Smart roadster will not be released at all because it is no longer in production by Smart

I'm sure it's cute

[gelfling]

But at 40mpg and $14,000 it's basically a 2 seat Civic. And my next car will probably be a one year old Civic.

And you can be sure that the rednecks down here in NC will pass some kind of law making it prohibitively expensive or uninsurable. Because as we all know, small is faggoty Eurocommunism. Down here in AMERICA, guldurnit, 75% all new Veee-hick-ul registrations are trucks and SUVs. Learn the damn rules.

Why only 40mpg?

[DrRobert]

Am I missing something on fuel standards? I had an 89 Honda CRX which looks like it was bigger than a smart car and it got 50mpg even when I had run 250000+ miles on it. I now have a BMW 328i sport coupe that gets in the high 30s and has 267hp. Why would I want a little car like that if I only get 40? Other than it is cheap and cute. But just purely on economic and enviromental impact, I don't get it.

...and gets upwards of 40 miles per gallon

[PipingSnail]

I'm sorry to have to burst your bubble, but 40mpg is nothing. Most cars in the UK can do this. My 1987 Vauxhall Astra (1.3L engine, petrol) regularly gave me 43mpg (and lasted 13 years before it was written off by thieves. My girlfriends Skoda Octavia 1.9L diesel can get about 60mpg on a good run and averages 54mpg including urban commuting. If you don't know what a Skoda Octavia is it is an Audi A4 with a different skin styling - made by VW/Audi group - they own Skoda and Seat.

It is a true indictment of how wasteful car designs and usage are in the US that you think 40mpg is newsworthy. BTW, your $3.50/gallon petrol is cheap. We pay £0.97 per litre - thats $1.94 per litre to you, or about $9 per gallon. So when you complain about your "high" US petrol, sorry, gas, prices, you are complaining about something that is not high at all.

Re:...and gets upwards of 40 miles per gallon

[ctid]

Remember, imperial gallons are about 20% larger than US gallons. Wiki page on gallons [wikipedia.org].

Re:...and gets upwards of 40 miles per gallon

[shiftless]

...and another snooty European weighs in. I'm sure your comment makes perfect sense from the perspective of your armchair, but when you throw in a few actual FACTS about America, it doesn't make much sense at all. Do yourself a favor and go out in the world, come visit America and educate yourself. You Eurotrash insult us all the time saying we Americans as a whole don't know anything about the world, yet you don't know a damn thing about America and you insist on making ignorant comments regardless. Come here and see for yourself why your tidy little European armchair solutions for the US (how thoughtful, thanks!) simply ain't gonna work.

When you see how big this place REALLY is, you'll shit yourself. $3.50/gallon (US gallon) might be cheap in the UK, but it is NOT cheap in the US. Do you know how many goods (vital goods, even) are transported cross-country by diesel truck at 12 MPG? Do you know how many people are forced to drive an hour (50-60 miles) to work each day because the only other options are to a) get a much lower paying job closer to home or b) move to a crowded, polluted, dirty, restrictive, crime-laden, expensive city? When (not if, but when) fuel gets up to $9 gallon, our economy will likely collapse.

Yeah, I think it's stupid how a lot of Americans choose to live with their mortgages and SUVs and high debt, but that's besides the point- it is how it is, and it's not going to change overnight just because some European thinks it ought to. It's going to take a significant emotional event to effect the kick in the ass this country (in my opinion) so desperately needs.

Deja Vu

[puck13]

No trunk. Less space than a Prius. Lame.

Re:

[leerpm]

They've been around here in Canada for at least a year or more. Could have been someone from BC down to Seattle for the day.

Re:

[Nethead]

I see one on Marine Drive in Tulalip, WA about everyday. Washington plates on it.

Re:Forget smart cars...

[dangitman]

My Dad told me a story this afternoon

(John Stewart voice) Gooo on...

about a woman who bought an RV, drove it on the highway, set the cruise control, went back to make breafast, and, of course, the RV crashed.

Yeah, stupid people are funny.

The woman sued the RV maker for not explicitly stating in the manual that she needed to be behind the wheel when on cruise control and won a million bucks.

Of course she did! The system is out of control, I tells ya.

Did you ever consider that your father might be telling you an urban myth?

Re:Forget smart cars...

[Rich0]

Suddenly I have a mental image of the mythbusters creating a cooking robot to try to make breakfast while another robot sets the cruise control while taking its hands off the wheel...

After all, nobody could envision the car wandering off the road under this scenario without a proper test, could they?

Re:Forget smart cars...

[flanksteak]

Help him out. The myth is reviewed at snopes.com [snopes.com]. Maybe his dad reads snopes just for stories to unload on him.

Read Snopes lately?

[SlashChick]

I guess when it's your parents who tell you these whoppers, you wouldn't bother to check up on this urban legend with Snopes [snopes.com]. You can take some consolation in the fact that Snopes points out that false rumors of this variety have been circulating since the late 1970's.

Re:Forget smart cars...

[owlnation]

We need smart drivers.

And in Europe we really need smart Smart drivers. Having lived in a few European countries -- especially in Switzerland and Germany where the Smart is popular -- one thing is noticeable about most drivers of the Smart... they are all psychotic!

I can only assume that the extremely small size of the Smart leads to an attempt to overcompensate. Most Smarts are driven as fast as the can go, whenever possible (which isn't very fast, but far faster than safe for the size of car). They will cut you up at junctions, they will race you, they park in a manner that is often extremely selfish.

It seems that in Europe, only total dicks buy the Smart.

Re:

[rueger]

one thing is noticeable about most drivers of the Smart... they are all psychotic!

Hmm... In Canada it's Volkswagen drivers that invariably, and yes I mean always, ride your bumper, cut you off, and come flying at pedestrians as if there is a God given right that nothing on Earth shall impede their right to Fahrvergnügen.

VW people scare me more than taxi drivers.

Re:

[xs650]

In the US the total Dicks drive big SUVs and 4wd pickup trucks that are never driven off pavement.

We need to get them to convert to Smarts.

Re:

[VJ42]

In the US the total Dicks drive big SUVs and 4wd pickup trucks that are never driven off pavement.

Being a Brit, that sentence brings a whole new meaning to off-road:

Pavement - Pavement in English is sidewalk in American. The first chapter in the Texas driving handbook says that you must drive on the pavement at all times! Yikes!

http://www.effingpot.com/motoring.shtml [effingpot.com]

Re:

[mrchaotica]

esp. considering the SUV would probably drive right over it if the SUV was coming from behind

No, an SUV would drive right over something like a Corvette. A Smart fortwo is way too tall (even awkwardly so) for that to happen. I've seen pickup trucks that are shorter!

Re:Now all we need to do

[SerpentMage]

Have you looked at the videos illustrating how safe they are? Or how about the one in the UK where they ran the thing against a wall head on. These things are incredibly safe!

Mercedes has safe cars. I know, I have seen a Mercedes roll on the German autobahn (the guy was doing about 170-190). His Mercedes end up upside down. The guy walked out without being hurt. Ok he was shaken, and he looked like, "I survived that?"

Re:

[Vellmont]

Have you looked at the videos illustrating how safe they are?

I saw a video of it smashing into another car, but not one smashing into an SUV (which is what we're talking about here)

Or how about the one in the UK where they ran the thing against a wall head on.

Didn't see that one, but when you're smashing into a wall you only have to consider the mass of the vehicle you're riding in, not say the mass of an SUV that's 2-3 times heavier.

These things are incredibly safe!

Well, I'll believe that when I se

Re:

[spoop]

I wouldn't exactly call a Smart "safe," at least compared to larger cars. It might have a spiffy protective cage so that cabin doesn't deform in a crash and smoosh the occupants, but you can't argue with physics. And I'm not talking about mass and collisions with large SUVs. The tiny size means that when you hit something there is less time to decelerate since the distance between the front bumper and the passenger cabin is so small. This means that the force acting on the occupants in a crash is multip

Re:

[dangitman]

How can that be so? If it's new to the US, then it must be new, and can't have existed anywhere else before. Didn't you know that the US is the only place that matters?

Re:

[Alioth]

If you hit a concrete barrier at 70 mph in an SUV, the results are pretty much the same.

Re:

[SaDan]

Welcome to the iPhone of the automotive world. Except it's already out in 36 other countries. :-)

Re:

[pla]

I can't imagine buying one of these things. It looks totally freakish

Thanks, but yes, I do feel confortable with the size of my penis. ;-)


with it's tiny size you're get about zero respect from other drivers on the highway.

Who needs respect, when you can "merge" into the space between any two cars on the road, even ahead of a tailgater?


And the milage is ONLY 40 mpg? What the hell?

I'll give you that point... 40MPG really doesn't amount to anything special. For a car so tiny, I'd expect quite a

Re:

[Vellmont]

Who needs respect, when you can "merge" into the space between any two cars on the road, even ahead of a tailgater?

Sounds like a dangerous, idiotic thing to do that only pisses people off because you've engangerd their lives. Sorry, but respect IS important on the road, as it's a shared resource and thus cultural.

As far as looking freakish, people WILL judge you on the way your vehicle looks. I don't want to be the freak who drives the freak mobile.

Re:

[porcupine8]

Who needs respect, when you can "merge" into the space between any two cars on the road, even ahead of a tailgater?

Of course, if you actually drive like that, which car your driving becomes totally moot because no driver will respect you anyhow. You better hope your car has a good safety rating and that you have good insurance. And don't run into anyone disgruntled with a gun.

Re:I thought this car was a joke...

[pla]

Of course, if you actually drive like that, which car your driving becomes totally moot because no driver will respect you anyhow.

I take it you've never driven in Boston...

And for the record, no, I do not regularly drive like that. But having the option to forcefully merge...


In any case, "respect" comes from a long relationship. On the road, that means nothing. A bunch of strangers that I'll never see again, and around whom I drive defensively because I can't trust any of them to have slept well last night; to have at least one hand on the wheel rather than one on the coffee and one on the cellphone; to have a BAC of zero; To have a blood benzo level of zero (Xanax/Klonopin/Ativan/etc have warnings on them for a reason, bluehairs!); to generally count as what we might call "sane" and not suddenly express their self loathing with suicide-by-head-on-collision. I "respect" them only in the same way I "respect" a pissed-off badger - I do my best to avoid them.

Re:

[porcupine8]

Yeah, I kind of wonder why people make such a big deal out of 40 mpg. Our 98 Saturn gets 40 on the highway when it's got a fresh oil change, no problem. Our 94 Saturn (which the last owner crashed twice and is in terrible shape) still gets a good 30-35 on the highway. If 10 year old cars can still do that, I would really hope that today's cars would be bragging about 50+ on a more regular basis, especially if they also wouldn't give me room for my two dogs and luggage.

Your info is out of date.

[pavon]

The amount of sulfur content in the exhaust is entirely dependent on how much is fuel - it can removed during refinement, it just costs a little more. Europe has had strict requirements about sulfur content for quite some time, and the US and Canada both passed laws last year to do the same [wikipedia.org]. As far as the other nasty stuff, catalytic converters and in-engine burn efficiency on diesels have improved to the point where that is really no longer a concern. The only downside that I know of is that some diesel vehicles still have problems getting started in very cold climates, and until the engine warms up may have higher particulate concentration? This might be a concern in canada - I haven't looked into it much myself as I live in the US SW.

Diesel is a great fuel for the economically minded as it is more energy efficient than gasoline, and can also supplemented with biodiesel to the extent it is available (which in turn is much much more efficient than ethanol).

Re:Not for the Energy Conscious

[hbp4c]

You're right about diesels - in the 1970's and 80's that is. Modern diesels are far cleaner, and the US mandated low sulfur diesel this year for all 2007 and later cars.

BMW and Merc both have developed a european-spec diesel which if theoretically driven in the LA or DC areas where smog is a problem, the air going into the engine is dirtier than the air coming out of the exhaust. You're actually CLEANING the environment, just a little bit. The Mercedes engine passed the 2007 US diesel emissions standards as is, so is currently on sale here already. BMW will begin offering the diesel in their SUV models in 2008. All other manufactuers (including Volkswagen, the only other company that currently produces a small diesel for sedans) are currently refining their engines to meet the new US standards for low sulfer fuels.

In all seriousness, mile-for-mile, a modern diesel engine using low sulfur diself fuel is cleaner than a gasoline engine of the same displacement. Get over it.