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The smart car would be a very interesting choice for commuters like me if the gas mileage wasn't so disappointing.... In my opinion, the gas mileage is very disappointing for the size of engine and car, it should get well above 55 MPGs to be competative AND if I'm not mistaken, it only takes premium gasoline too!! That's a deal breaker, aside from the obvious ugliness and size.
I'd definitely consider one if it got anywhere close to 60-70 MPG's... I think it should for such a small car with such a small engine... otherwise, why not just buy a Honda Fit or something similar that seats 4, is much safer, has close to similar MPGs with much better reliability history
Yeah.. thats a pretty famous pic.. Too bad it's NOT a Smart... It's actually an Aveo.
Agreed, that's not a Smart, but that pic is still posted many places as being one.
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All the ignorant posts about crash safety are ridiculous. Is a Smart the BEST thing to be in a crash?? Probally not. But the structure of the Smart is TOTALLY different than any other road car. The whole structure is basically a super stiff roll cage. Any other road car is tin foil compared to a Smart. That is by design. Any other car is built to crumple and absorb energy to help the driver. Obviously the Smart does not have room to crumple so the WHOLE structure is ultra stiff like an protective egg shaped roll cage. It actually fairs MUCH BETTER in the majority of accidents than ANY small car and MOST mid size cars, and smaller trucks.
BS...take a look at the pics of actual Smarts I posted that were in wrecks. Of the five pictures, two were from the Mercedes test and the other three were real world. In the three real world photos the "super stiff roll cage" had been completely compromised.
You need a serious lesson on physics to understand why things are the way they are:
1. Crash safety standards rate the performance of the CAR against forces equal to the weight of the CAR. Running a Smart into a wall at 40, means that only the weight of the Smart is at play. The side impact tests are done the same way. These ratings also do NOT include potential injuries to the occupants. So, the Smart is only tested as if it was hitting other Smarts, not 6k pound trucks and SUV's and 4k pound cars. Physics come into play as the Smart is so light it bounces on impact with a heavier object, especially one that is also moving. It's the bounce and secondary crashes that can result that severely injure people.
2. Modern cars are designed to crumple like tin foil because doing so absorbs the energy from the impact and dissipates it. This means that the total energy of the impact is dampened before it reaches the passengers. In the case of a Smart, all of the energy from the impact is directly passed into the passengers with no dissipation. The Smart may come out looking better, but the passengers will come out worse.
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I've actually seen one bounce of a highway guardrail and then UNDERNEATH the wheels of and run over by a fully loaded 53' ft trailer. The Smart was scuffed up like hell, the pass. side A pillar was tweaked some, the windshield was done. But the driver was totally OK. Before they loaded it on the flatbed they hit the Smart's fuel reset and she fired right up and drove.
Again, I have to call BS. I could see it bouncing off the guardrail and then bouncing off the tandems on the trailer, but if it went "UNDERNEATH" it would have been decimated by the impact. Regardless, that driver would have been tossed around like a rag doll inside that car and I just can't see anyone being "totally OK" after that kind of an impact. BTW, there is a nice pic of truck vs. Smart that I posted as well...not good for the Smart.
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Working in the auto business and racing my whole life I've seen THOUSANDS of crashes first hand and have learned you certainly can't judge the "strength" of a vehicle by it's size or looks. I'm totally objective when it comes to products/vehicles and learn as much as I can about them and don't jump to conclusions. I've been surprised WAY to many times to do otherwise.
Being in the business and racing, you must understand how the crash tests are done and what they rate. Further if you race you understand the necessity of driver restraint in a race car. Even seated in a full on safety cage the driver still needs to be securely strapped to the car, particularly helmet restraints to prevent whiplash. Even then, many race cars wreck and drivers are severely injured just based on the amount of G's their bodies experienced in the crash.
You are correct not to jump to conclusions about safety, like assuming a pickup is safer than a sedan, but in the case of the Smart, you're wrong.
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Now, the issue I do have with the Smart is that for the size the MPG sucks. Almost any other "compact" car from any manufacter gets better MPGs. Although many people would feel safer in those other cars, in reality they probaly are not.
And would I buy a Smart??. No. I need something alil more fun and peppy, and roomier, like my WRX wagon. And if I was looking for economy I'd probally have tons of other smaller, yet still 4 doors cars on my list first. MAYBE a Prius since for 24K you can havep lenty of bells and whistles, power everything, all your controls on the wheel, good enough room for 6 footers in the back and still an honest 45-53 MPG.
This is a very old thread. I probably have already answered this question, but I am too lazy to search. So I'll answer it again.
I am going to buy one as soon as I get the money. I love them.
So there you go. Haters. LOL
20yrsinBranson
I, too, like the car. It's cute. Europe is full of these little cars. My only criticism is that I would expect better mileage from it.
My next car will probably be a Prius unless there is a hybrid Smart or something like it. The Prius will be introduced to selected markets as a plugin in 2012.
I also like the appearance of the Mini Cooper.
I do mostly town and city driving, so my needs differ than some on this thread.
Last edited by goldengrain; 07-13-2011 at 12:17 PM..
First of all, I have driven the smart and I did not find the statement....
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automated manual transmission shifts gears so slowly and clumsily that the noticeable shift shock will make passengers wonder what's wrong with it.
to be true AT ALL. You could HEAR the engine shift, but so what?
In fact, overall, the Edmund's review that you cite has more good things to say about the car than negative.
As for your statement that it would be suitable for a "city car" only, I am reminded of a very nice couple who drove one to Branson from Canada and said it was a wonderful experience. Granted, it was a diesel, but they said it got about 70 miles per gallon. Even so, I will gladly take the 41 mpg that the US versions offer. *and* even at premium prices, being able to drive 350 miles on a tank of gas, I will gladly pay the $30 that it will cost for that privilege.
The article even says ....
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.. interior space, passenger comfort and crash-test scores, for instance -- the Fortwo actually does quite well.
Which seems to be the biggest objection (crash test worthiness).
Overall, I'd say that Edmund's is SINGING ITS PRAISES. So it just confirms what I have thought all along.... thanks for the link!
now why would anyone buy that crap smart car let me guess because it's cute? hmmm won't be so cute when there arse is in a collision never mind all the mechical problems and only a 2 yr and 24000 mile warranty. and the fact preium fuel is it's diet and the mpg is pitiful. and the transmission lags between shifiting. what i find funny if they put paddle shifters on this darn thing LMAO. if someone really wants to be frugal and save fule go get a golf or jetta TDI atleast you'll have half a chance of surviving a crash and there gettint damm near 70 mpg on the freeway my neighbor is getting 67 mpg on the freeway in hers i get jelious when she tells me i'm happy with my 45 mpg on the freeway in my gl350 bluetech.
First of all, I have driven the smart and I did not find the statement....
to be true AT ALL. You could HEAR the engine shift, but so what?
The company I worked for (and ran all of their fleet operations) was officially the owner of the 5th, 12th, 17th and 18th Smart cars sold in the Philadelphia area and we had something like number 21 in the country. I've gotten a lot of wheel time in them.
The transmission has been revised several times and has improved a little bit. The 2008 versions were downright horrendous and you needed to basically drive and shift like it was a manual, lifting off the gas between shifts and manually selecting the next gear. The newer ones aren't as bad, but the 1-2 shift is still pretty harsh without lifting off.
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In fact, overall, the Edmund's review that you cite has more good things to say about the car than negative.
As for your statement that it would be suitable for a "city car" only, I am reminded of a very nice couple who drove one to Branson from Canada and said it was a wonderful experience. Granted, it was a diesel, but they said it got about 70 miles per gallon. Even so, I will gladly take the 41 mpg that the US versions offer. *and* even at premium prices, being able to drive 350 miles on a tank of gas, I will gladly pay the $30 that it will cost for that privilege.
It's not horrendous on the highway until you are trying to pull mountain grades at highway speeds or you are around a lot of large trucks where the crosswinds and buffeting toss it around pretty well. Outside of that, it is pretty capable until you start pushing higher speeds, like 80+. I would still say it is a better city car, than a highway car though.
The MPG is dismal given the severe sacrifices you make in terms of utility. There are several regular cars that match or beat the Smarts MPG rating including the Hyundai Elantra, Ford Focus, Ford Fiesta and Chevy Cruze. Some of those cars only cost a couple thousand more than a Smart, have an actual trunk and can take more than one person along for the ride. They also have extensive dealer networks for service, which is another Smart problem. If you break down, you may be looking at a really long tow just to get the car to a Smart center.
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The article even says .... Which seems to be the biggest objection (crash test worthiness).
The crash test numbers are BS, as they are for most cars. They don't take into account injuries to the occupants and use only the actual cars weight in the test. The assumption they are making is that Smart's will only hit other Smarts. The "star rating" crash tests are all done this way, but it is less of an issue with a traditional car. The reviewers just look up the "star rating" and say it's good, with no other thought. Real world is very different as evidenced by a couple of the photos I posted.
The one thing they are on the money with is the amount of driver/passenger space. I'm 6'4" and was absolutely amazed at the amount of room in the car, looks in that regard are deceiving.
Since it doesn't suit my needs, no. But if I lived in a city center with very crowded parking and very poor public transit, where something that small made sense, sure. Not every car has to be suitable for ALL drivers or ALL needs. Also the US version has disappointing mileage, I've driven European models that are MUCH better.
Although I'd probably be looking at something like the Honda Fit instead for a little more flexibility in being able to cram a few passengers in short-term or a full run of groceries. In a 2-seater I'd also be looking at a used older Honda CRX-HF hatchback as a good value and something simple enough to be kept running indefinitely. Both of those are a better value than a Smart Car.
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