I wouldn’t buy a car that’s best feature is that it’s easy to park. The Smartcar looks like it might be fun to drive around town but not great for much else.
On the other hand, I do know someone who owns one and he loves it.
And in spite of all of it’s flaws, Consumer Reports magazine does say that it has above average liability.
The bottom line is that you need to buy a car that suits your needs. Depending on what kind of driving you do, it may be fine for you and you might end up loving it.
In the areas of those cities where parking meters are used, the length of a parking space is strictly defined, and those who violate the boundaries of a space are usually ticketed. So, in those areas–essentially the ones with a lot of commercial use–the size of the parking spaces is not really an issue. However, in residential areas of those cities where parking meters are not used, the type of situation that you describe could certainly be true.
When you hit a wall at 70 in ANY vehicle, the “dummy” does NOT fare pretty well…
Recently, when Consumer Reports published their updated Frequency of Repair ratings, the Nissan Versa did poorly. If I was in the market for a small, very economical car, I would buy the Honda Fit. It has driving dynamics and braking that are far superior to the Yaris, and it is very reliable, unlike the Versa. Another possibility is the Hyundai Elantra, which has an excellent reliability rating.
Above-average liability? Or REliability??? Big difference…
They’re overpriced for what you get and you could do better with an older civic. That’s basically what the reviews are saying.
I recently acquired a 2001 Civic HX (coupe, not a hybrid, VTEC-e engine, manual). I have 10 months of mileage data that averages to 42 mpg (70% hwy, 30% city). If I got that in a Smart Car, I would be disappointed – I expect much better mileage for such a dramatic size concession.
Still, for some personal situations, the Smart Car might make perfect sense.
I’ve seen a Smart car and it doesn’t look like a good car for parking. Take it from this old geezer, a Nash Airflyte (with the seats that made a bed) of the late 1940’s and early 1950’s was much better for parking.
I, too, have trouble with the whole “wasted space” thing; the most I ever carry is ONE passenger and have no need for a backseat. Still, it’s nice to have that cargo room in the back on the rare occasions I do need to haul something. I usually just keep the seat flipped down; then it’s ready for the bike, the kayak, the groceries, etc. and I can think of it as a “two-seater,” LOL. Why did you want the Smart Car in particular? Size; style;gas mileage??? 60 mpg would be worth it, but 40 isn’t…
video here:
test ride:
My memory is fuzzy on this but in the C and D road test here in the OK Panhandle about 3 years ago it seems to me the car maker was claiming well in excess of 50 MPG (maybe 55?) and the best they could do with it here was 37 MPG; and keep in mind all of the highways are straight, flat, have very few stops, and little traffic.
I think one could buy a clean, low miles Honda Civic and have 10 times the car for far less money; and that includes maintenance and repairs.
If anyone lives in an area with a Smart dealer what they should do is price a transmission and post the cost back here. My feeling is that it would take a home equity loan to cover it.
As to the crash tests, look at the one between the Mercedes and the Smart and tell me which car you would want to be in. The Benz stopped dead in its tracks and while the Smart remained intact, it bounced backwards very severely and rolled.
My feeling is that the occupants (if real people instead of crash test dummies) would open the doors and walk away from the Benz. The occupants of the Smart, if not killed on the initial impact, are probably going to die of broken necks when the car rebounds llke a ping-pong ball.
This thing basically weighs as much as a Suzuki Swift/Geo Metro, and its mileage is about 20% worse, on premium fuel. I don’t see why it’s worth $12k. The first and last time I drove it, I wasn’t impressed. It was cramped with more hard plastic than it should at that price, and the automatic transmission(if you take a CDL test in anything with 2 pedals, you’re restricted to auto) really needs work–I can shift smoother than that. I’m sure that its structure can withstand impacts from larger vehicles and won’t crush the occupants. But for a vehicle this small, I don’t think the crumple zone, or lack thereof, would absorb enough energy.
My 04 xB can do 42 mpg on regular gas if I’m careful with it, and I can do IKEA trips. If I can have more than one car, the other would be a Miata, not the Smart. Unless, going back to Suzuki, it has a Hayabusa engine, with a 6 speed sequential manual.
cheering for Suzuki Swift
: D
More likely something like 8 or 9 feet. However your point should be considered. Just think of how safe you would be if you drive a Semi.
I have one. I love it.
one warning. if you don’t intend to get the convertible, don’t test drive it. I wasn’t going to get one, test drove it, and bought it. the joy of being able to put the top down at speed, like a sunroof, is intoxicating.
best case usage for it is probably a slightly longer than average generally highway bound commute. the in-city mileage is around 35mpg, which is not bad, but not great for the size of the car, I suspect the automatic shifter, it tends to shift a bit lower than I think is a good idea. apparently there are improvements in the 2009 model. (we’ll see, due to popularity and a snafu with my reservation, I’m due to have my first one repurchased by the dealership, (at sticker price,) when my actual reserved car shows up sometime in the next 2 months.)
highway mileage on the other hand is around 52 mpg. I drove from seattle to portland and back and measured the mileage from that trip.
the car is very comfortable, I have the comfort package, with the heated seats. I’m 6’1" and there is plenty of room for me and my various groceries. (and even one friend!) I have to move the seats forward a considerable amount. if someone is complaining about space or ergonomics I really have to wonder what shape that person is in (or perhaps what were they wearing…) I’m a reasonably large person and I have never felt cramped. four doors or seats are not one of my requirements, and I can’t see any major benefit to a roadster shaped 2 seater. I have in the past owned a Caprice Classic wagon and felt cramped by a front seat that would not go far enough back.
one of the greatest parts of owning one is the joy you get while parking, and to some degree at the gas station. the number of parking spaces that are open to you with one of these cars is fantastic. and the smug feeling you get pulling into the gas station next to an SUV driver giving you a dirty look is priceless.
the shifter takes a bit of practice, it is a manual transmission with an automatic clutch. if you time the pressure on the gas pedal with the shifting when it occurs, most if not all of the diving and lurching goes away. the wheel base is short, so any pitching motion is magnified to a degree. but that particular problem is completely avoidable. for the first month or so I used the manual shift option most of the time, though as time passed, I tended more towards the fully automatic usage. this issue is no more or less then first learning how to drive a stick. is there anyone here who did not lurch the first few times into first gear? second? eventually you get good at it. same applies here.
It is not what I would call a car for someone in a hurry. it accelerates well, but not spectacularly. the automatic shifting is not over active in my experience, I think it might up-shift a little earlier than I might prefer, but it does not go up and down a lot unless I spend a lot of time accelerating and braking hard. I tend to drive a bit more passively in traffic, so the issue doesn’t arise. like any different transmission, you the driver has to adjust to the new mechanics. most reviews that I have read that go after the transmission are by people that are getting into it expecting something completely different. the dealers and demonstrators go through a bit of explanation before you get in, starting with the question “you know the tip-tronic? this is not that!”
I have now had the thing for about 6 months and have never been happier with a car. bear in mind that these cars have been on the market and very popular in Europe for over 10 years. If they make sense to you, then it might be a good car. if it doesn’t make sense to you then it probably won’t be a good car for you. If you have kids, the 4 seats are probably an issue, (assuming you are still married.) one of the things that I noticed at the dealership was that there was a fair amount of dog hair in the demonstration models due to people bringing their dogs along to see if they fit. maybe eventually mercedes will import the forfour as well.
worth noting that in some of the cities that I have lived in recently, parking meters have been replaced with parking stickers. (for those who have not see this, it is a single meter per block, which dispenses a sticker with a time stamp. you apply this to the passenger window, and you can freely park around the city until the sticker expires.) so the length of the parking spot is no longer strictly governed.
seattle and portland both use this system now. san francisco could alleviate a lot of the parking problems there by offering a tax break for anyone who bought a sub-sub-compact car, (fit, smart, yaris etc.)
I think I responded to the wrong message. I don’t know what city you are in, but in seattle, much of the city parking is now governed by parking sticker dispensers and there is no restriction on parking space size. you can fit many more cars in spaces now that you are not governed by a space designed for a large station wagon.
the parking advantage here is very real.
most reviews that I have read that go after the transmission are by people that are getting into it expecting something completely different.
Is it the car maker’s job to conform to my expectations or is it my job to conform to theirs?
what an odd question… neither. it is the job of the car company to make a car that sells well enough to support the manufacture of the car and make a profit. you, as a particular individual, may not enter into the discussion at all…
What I was trying to indicate is along the lines of someone getting into a Lamborghini and complaining about the lack of luggage space. a Lamborghini is built for one type of person, a Volvo for another and a Smart for a third. If a smart does not satisfy your needs, look at a different car. that’s why there is the Fit, the Yaris, the Cadillac etc.
your “job” (such as it is in this example,) is to find a car maker who makes the car that satisfies your needs. by that same token it is the “job” of the various car makers to find a niche that is not currently being served and serve it. unfortunately, all too often, all car makers are going after the same niche, (frequently failing miserably.) happily, smart is making a car that rather perfectly fits my niche. if, however, you get into a Smart expecting a Porsche (or more appropriately Mercedes) transmission, you are getting into the wrong car. this was all I was getting at.