Overview & Reviews

The concept of the Smart car emerged in the early 1990s when the Swiss company Swatch, best known for its kitschy watches, sought to build an affordable city car that would fit into the smallest of parking spots and go easy on fuel. Not too long after, the company paired up with Mercedes-Benz to make the idea a reality. The car was later christened "Smart," an acronym for Swatch Mercedes Art.

The Smart Fortwo, originally dubbed the City Coupe, debuted at the 1997 Frankfurt Auto Show. Although the first generation never made it to the U.S., the tiny two-seater, which persevered through its parent company's financial troubles and an eventual buyout by Daimler-Benz, was later replaced by the slightly larger second-generation Fortwo. Not only is the reworked Fortwo newly available in the States, but an ambitious plan to launch several stand-alone dealerships in the U.S. makes it clear that the Smart brand is serious about competing in the American subcompact market. While its diminutive size and power entail certain on-road limitations, the Fortwo is a worthy candidate for urban commuters who want to maneuver through city congestion and save on gas without giving up the creature comforts of a car.

Current Smart Fortwo

At 8 feet, 10 inches long, the Smart Fortwo is a two-seat subcompact city car and is the smallest production car currently sold in North America. It comes in two body styles: the hatchback Coupe and the convertible Cabrio. The standard trim levels are Pure and the more well-equipped Passion. The Fortwo is powered by a 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine that produces 71 horsepower and 68 pound-feet of torque and sends its power to the rear wheels through an automated sequential-shift manual transmission.

There's also a limited-edition model from German tuner Brabus that upgrades the Smart with sportier wheels, a stiffer suspension, aerodynamic and cosmetic body cladding, a higher-performing exhaust and heated leather seats.

Because of its Lilliputian proportions (it's more than 3 feet shorter than a Mini Cooper), safety is at the core of the Fortwo design. The engine is in the rear of the car to increase front crumple-zone space, and the car is built around a cage of high-strength steel known as the Tridion safety cell, which helps the Fortwo post passable if unimpressive frontal crash-test scores. Side impact protection is enhanced by the closer placement of axles to the passenger compartment, and the Smart's scores in side-impact crash testing are top-notch. And although the car might look something like a golf cart, standard safety features like side airbags, antilock brakes, stability control and traction control combine to put that comparison to rest.

Fuel economy is another welcome asset of the Smart Fortwo; its EPA rating is 33 mpg in the city and 41 mpg on the highway. With its 8.7-gallon gas tank, that makes for a lot of driving between fill-ups, though it's worth noting that premium gasoline is recommended.

In our initial reviews, we found the Smart Fortwo surprisingly comfortable. The interior is roomier than it might appear from the outside -- especially in the passenger seat, which is set back 6 inches for increased legroom. (It also folds flat for extra cargo space.) On the road, however, the Smart's manner is less than graceful over rough pavement. Moreover, while the car is admirably stable at high speeds for such a small vehicle, its slablike side panels and upright posture conspire to make it unsettlingly vulnerable to crosswinds.

We aren't fans of the automated manual transmission either. Gearchanges are sluggish and somewhat jerky. The Fortwo is also one of the slowest vehicles for sale today (zero to 60 mph takes 14.1 seconds) and it has a particularly hard time keeping up with traffic on the highway. Still, the Smart Fortwo is great for tooling around city streets. Buyers who aren't looking to do much more than that will probably be quite satisfied with the Smart car.

Used Smart Fortwo Models

The current (second) generation Fortwo debuted for 2008 and was the first Smart model to go on sale in the U.S. There have been no major changes since, though the Brabus trim level wasn't available for its first year.

Designed primarily for urban cities in Europe, the first-generation Smart Fortwo was originally known as the City Coupe and not sold in North America. It debuted for the 1998 model year and it came with a turbocharged three-cylinder engine that was either gasoline-fueled (initially 599cc of displacement and later 698cc) or diesel-fueled (799cc). The first-generation Smart Fortwo was discontinued after the 2007 model year.

User Reviews:

• 

  Excelent Vehicle - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Chaka - February 27 - 2:00 pm

  Its the right car for me and my spouse to get around town and on the highway.

• 

  You cant be serious - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By allan - February 24 - 9:40 am

  Transmission is a disaster and you have to be nuts to take the car on the highway. Its cute, but for its size you ought get better mileage. Car is a disappointment and am getting rid of it. People like its looks, which is basically all it has, so its easy to resell.

• 

  I love this car! - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By maxelle - February 12 - 2:16 am

  I got my car 2 weeks ago and have loved every minute of it. Ive wanted a Smart for over a year and was so excited to finally get one. It is a lot of fun to drive around town. I am 6 and have plenty of room. The interior is beautiful. I feel like Im in a $60,000 car. Mine is fully loaded and everything appears to be made with quality products. I highly recommend this car if you have the patience to wait for it.

• 

  2008 Smart hatch - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By smartguy1 - January 18 - 10:30 am

  My wife and I purchased our smart in 2008, paid way to much. The original dealer dropped it,(like no one knew that was coming) and then went to Mercedes. Other then being treated like a red headed step child by the dealer, probably because this thing is so cheap the car is not bad. It took me a while to get the hang of the herky jerky response, and the A/C stop when you really stomp on the accelerator, which other cars I have had did, so no big deal. I now have 25K miles on it and drive it like you beat a rented mule. No real problems to speak of. I use Royal Purple in it and find that seems to work best for oil. I run with the big dogs on the highway and like it a lot.

• 

  Weekend transportation - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By cablvr - January 1 - 7:23 am

  It has been almost 2 weeks since I picked up the beast. Got about 42 MPG on the 1st tank, while showing a drop for the 2nd tank. Semi-auto tranny is somewhat abrupt. Engine is a bit noisy. Great highway stability at 50-65 MPH - did not feel any drift. Lots of questions about the make (manufacturer) from curiosity seekers. Wish I had handfuls of brochures to use as promotional tools.

• 

  The name says it all...... - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By autooracle - December 18 - 2:13 pm

  Great car. For the price point with regards to the safety features options etc. It is by far an excellent buy. I also love the fact that there isnt a socioeconomic boundary with buyers.

• 

  Wrecked passion - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By happy owner - December 16 - 12:10 am

  I have my passion for 5 weeks now. Two weeks ago while pulling through a green light we were hit in the left front (front end is gone) at approx 50 miles per hour. The car did what it was designed to do. We both walked away with a few bruises. Nothing serious. Damage is over 7,000.00. The police thought there were going to be serious injuries. Well built car.

• 

  Yes it is - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By mr. smart - December 6 - 12:43 pm

  The smart fortwo does everything I need it to. I am enjoying the excellent fuel economy and fun to drive factor.

• 

  Smart Right - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Kelly1st - December 4 - 1:43 pm

  The car was exactly as we had ordered, and the Sales Staff was terrific! They did not pressure us in any way shape or for, and were extremely knowledgeable regarding the car of its capabilities, and operation. We could not be more pleased with our Smart Car. It has performed as it was advertised and we are even more pleased with the Mileage per Gallon at 42 to 45 MPG. It drives like any other small car, and is a dream to drive. One would not know how small it is when sitting in it as it has plenty of room. The only time you are aware of its size is when you are not in it! Again

• 

  Two Months with the Passion ForTwo - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Robert C Shelton Jr - December 3 - 10:20 pm

  I first drove a SMART a few years ago from Vienna to Prague. I loved it, and it was much less powered and of less quality construction that my new 2008 model of 2 months and 2000 miles. Its a great little car for convenience, handling, economy and appearance. Just watch out out for potholes and speed bumps, and remember that it is a small, basically low powered car, that will still drive at 80 MPH if you want to - and maybe have to on the Interstates, where huge tractor-trailers often enjoy driving 5-10 feet behind you at that speed. Where are the cops when you need them?