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:

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  2009 Finally - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Robert - May 18 - 11:30 pm

  Well after 18 months I finally received my Fortwo the day before Christmas. Although I have only been driving it a few days, and the weather here in Chicago has been, shall we say, rotten, I find myself smiling and waving to all my fellow motorists. On my trip to the local mall for post-holiday shopping I encountered my first triumph when it came to parking. I found a "space" that no other car would ever fit into.

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  Fairly smart car - 2013 Smart fortwo
  By partymarty - May 9 - 1:31 am

  I just purchased a Passion coupe for my wife, as she has been very interested in this car ever since it was introduced to the US in 2008. She was driving a 2008 New Beetle Convertible, but reliability issues were making this car a real hassle to maintain. As has been pointed out in countless reviews, the smartfor2 is equipped with a rather bizarre 5-speed automatic transmission which can also be shifted manually via steering wheel mounted paddles or the floor shifter. My wife tends to keep the car in the auto mode and it seems to constantly be shifting; even on relatively small inclines. When I drive the car, I usually use the manual mode. It actually gets better than advertised mileage.

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  Two smart car family - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Jim - May 8 - 6:50 pm

  Took delivery 2 weeks ago of a passion after 13 month wait. Picking up second smart, a Cabrio this week. Never had a car that garnered so much attention. So far gas mileage has been better than government ratings. Going anywhere takes 15 minutes longer because of the crowds and questions.

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  Fun To drive With Some Compromise - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By FoxMajik - April 16 - 9:40 am

  I was a Smart reservation holder from the day the reservation program opened. Ive been anticipating buying my fortwo since 2006. Im glad I followed through with the purchase because now I own a highly exclusive car with features normally only found in luxury cars. Those heated leather seats are great for days where you need a little warm comfort but dont want to kick on the heater. Negotiating lane changes and jumping in between cars when switching lanes is virtually effortless -- the engine packs plenty of power for a car that size at the cost of lower fuel economy and higher emissions than a car its size should have.

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  Hello Smart Car - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Duchess10 - March 4 - 3:33 am

  I love driving my Lil Tic Tac. The hardest thing so far is getting out of parking lots. Everyone wants to talk about the car. Big SUVs seem determined to zip by, but I just wave at them as I pass them at gas stations. Ive had no problems on the freeways at 70 mph and still getting 40-42 mpg. All town driving is getting 33-35 mpg. It is fun to drive and while it doesnt ride like a Mercedes Benz, I didnt pay for a Mercedes Benz.

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  They are so good I purchased another one - 2009 Smart fortwo
  By JohnnyBones - February 26 - 11:30 am

  Let me be the first to sing praises of the BRABUS model. As a fairly fickle person when it comes to cars, I never had purchased the same make/model of car twice (let alone in a row). It all started with a very early delivery of my 2008 SMART Passion which I enjoyed for 20K miles plus. While debating to extend the warranty or trade to a different vehicle, I decided to take a BRABUS for a spin. The bigger rims, heated leather seats, the well sculpted body and the better suspension made it an easy decision and now my Black BRABUS hatch looks gorgeous in my driveway and it gets a lot of looks. For those who doubt the BRABUS magic need to test drive this car. Its a truly a SMART for the guys.

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  Convertible - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By av8rpvt - February 23 - 5:20 pm

  Awesome! Love the reactions, fell in love with the car in Europe, visited a dealer in Rome in 2006 and tried to get one to the USA. Dealer said coming in 2008. Ive been waiting breathlessly since 2006 to get this car. Worth the wait!

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  Cant be shy if you own a Smart Car - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Terry - February 2 - 8:03 am

  I awaited my Smart car with great anticipation. Ordered it online in late April of 2007 and took ownership May 1 2008. The room inside is amazing. This summer I drove all over Boston, usually 40-60 miles a day. I had a minimum of 5 full conversations with strangers about this cute little car. When in stop in go traffic I realized that using the car in manual provided a much smoother ride. I now prefer to drive that way and I find I get 10 more miles per gallon. Having the option of shifting on the stick or on the steering wheel is a great choice. Beware of potholes, railroad tracks and road work going over these too fast- scares the wits out of you. Easily driven at 70 mph with no problem.

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  Small Package Delivers the Goods - 2009 Smart fortwo
  By Mike - February 1 - 10:30 pm

  Bought this car for my wife to drive locally, but I find myself driving it most, mostly because its just FUN! For a great price, its loaded with features found on higher-end autos such as rain-sensing wipers, heated leather seats, I take it on the highway as often as I drive locally, and it is surprisingly capable. Keeps up with traffic, responsive, good stability. I cruise at 75 mph and dont feel the speed at all. Seats are extremely comfortable. Driving locally, it is a bit sluggish to get going from a standstill, but once its rolling it does OK. The shift changes in automatic mode are quite jerky. Manual mode allows for smoother shifting once you get the feel for it. Very good car.

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  Smart Car is the Best - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By OCDad - December 16 - 5:50 pm

  Best car ever for those who need something to drive back and forth to work with. Not good for family use.