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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  New Smart Car - 2009 Smart fortwo
  By Ron Valkenburg - February 5 - 3:10 am

  I just purchased my Smart car yesterday, so far I love it. I traded in my 2004 Toyota Prius with 190,000 miles. I loved the 2010 Prius but could not see spending $32k for a new one. After looking around, the Smart car was my answer, similar mileage as my Prius. I have to get used to some changes like no integrated GPS or Bluetooth but there are other options for that. So far I am loving my Smart, tomorrow will be my first highway commute and I am looking forward to it.

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  Amazing - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Smartie - February 2 - 5:46 am

  This car performs much better than it looks on paper. Its specifications indicate that it is the slowest car on the road in the US, however, I have no trouble accelerating and driving on the highways. My other cars are all either supercharged or turbocharged, and I do not feel at any loss in the smart. I feel that I have more interior room than in my Mini Cooper S, and the smarts trunk is far bigger. This is the most fun car I have ever owned.

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  2008 smart Passion - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By lock - January 25 - 4:40 pm

  The smart is definitely fun to drive, and has excellent mileage. My best tank so far, driving conservatively on the highway, has been 53 MPG. Realistically one should expect high 30s to mid 40 MPGs, depending on driving. Mileage suffers above 65 MPH as the drag increases. The quirky transmission is the cars greatest weak spot. It is neither as smooth as a traditional auto, nor as quick to change gears as a manual. It literally takes a certain learning curve to get used to it and get smoother. Nevertheless, the car is super fun to drive. If you dont want to wait a full year for a reservation, get on your local dealers "orphan" list for cars that have been turned down.

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  Love my LadyBug - 2009 Smart fortwo
  By Jacquiem - January 23 - 3:03 pm

  Just picked up my Cabriolet, after waiting a year. I love my new car, it is definitely a head turner, I have named her LadyBug, she is red with the black tridion. It is very comfortable and roomy in the inside, it keeps up with traffic on the highway, 65-70 feels pretty safe. I have not driven her in the snow yet, this will take some getting used to. Although I use the automatic driving option, you can feel the shifting, almost like a racing car. Cant wait for the good weather, so that her top can come off.

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  Its just Smart........ - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Mike O - January 14 - 4:43 am

  Great little car. Handles well, and that 4 star crash rating. Check most other cars, they are far less. Fun to drive. My other car is a Mini Cooper S. I like performance. For the best performance use manual mode. Shift up and immediately after let up on the accelerator and re-apply. Remember....The transmission is actually a manual.....

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  Smart fortwo is great! - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By DAVID WAYNE RUMPEL - January 11 - 11:50 am

  I was concerned that the smart car would be slow but if you have ever driven a stick shift than you know it is all in the wrist. I love my car and never believe the reviews of the test drivers, the consumer knows best. Best wishes to all and have a Smart day. David Wayne Rumpel, Dallas Texas.

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  Love My Smart Converitble - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Doublesmart - November 20 - 6:36 am

  I drive 8 miles to work and around town generally but have made long distance trips on the freeway and found it no different than my large volvo as far as feeling secure in the driving experience. For a 4 cylinder it has a lot of pick up. I tend to put the pedal to the metal and I am not disappointed in its take off from a stop at intersections. Of course, my driving style does mean that my fuel economy is not as good as what is advertised. I get about 30 to 32 in town but 40 on the freeway over long distances.

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  Smart review - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By mvukovich - November 3 - 7:46 am

  Gas is great after 1500 miles on the car gas mileage went from low 40s to low 50s. Love the paddle shifter on the country roads.

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  Finally theyre here... - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By SmartNAtl - September 19 - 7:20 am

  As a third car for commuting to work this thing rocks. Not a lot of power but once you learn to use the manual mode the highway isnt a problem. It looks cool, gets a lot of attention, and my gas mileage is excellent. Its a lot bigger on the inside than it looks and very fun to drive.

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  Smart 4 2 - 2009 Smart fortwo
  By Robert - September 16 - 1:13 pm

  The car is so small on the outside yet roomy on the inside. Took delivery and drove 120 miles that day on US 101. The car handles very well at freeway speeds with minimal wind buffeting despite weighing 1800lbs. I have 160miles on it and have used about 4 gallons. Storage room is ample, but I would recommend the optional luggage area divider to keep items from coming forward during braking. Shifting is sluggish for an automatic but if you think of it as a manual without a clutch it seems fine. After driving a V8 Mustang for years the car accerlates slowly but it keeps up with freeway traffic without difficulty. Other reviews said the car was noisy, but I didnt notice any excess noise.