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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  Great Car Price & Economy - 2009 Smart fortwo
  By MIKE - July 26 - 6:33 pm

  I have driven the car 80 miles each day and I love it. I drive in auto mode most days and average 39 MPG. I have driven it almost 5000 miles in 2- 1/2 months. There have been no problems or glitches at all. I am a big guy and I have plenty of interior room. I love the auto wipers and the safety in such a small car. Cold air and good heater. Great car.

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  08 Cabriolet - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Primo - July 20 - 11:33 am

  Fun to drive does not do justice to this little car, if you want attention, this is the car. Everywhere I go people stop and ask questions about this car. Some have even asked to sit in it or take pictures. I let my wife drive it sometimes and when shes leaving I am thinking "Boy that thing is small", but when you are inside, it seems much bigger, headroom and legroom is no problem, the ride is a bit bumpy, and the trans is something you either get used to or you dont like it. As far as power goes, I have no problem getting up to speed to enter the expressways, and I have had my car up to 85 mph with no problems. You do get tossed around abit when a semi-truck passes by though.

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  2 years and still loving my Smart - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Belva Hinthorn - July 13 - 2:43 pm

  I reviewed my Smart 2 years ago just after purchase. 2 years, 10,500 miles later I still love driving it and besides gas, 2 maintenance visits, an armrest I just had installed, and an accessory for the back "trunk" for covered storage, I havent put an extra dime into it. It still looks like new and is even more fun to drive. On my recent oil change visit, they made the upgrade on the transmission and installed a free battery (due to ? recall)so Im good for another 5000 miles.It is even peppier now than before the upgrade. I have never regretted buying my Smart and hope to keep it forever. It still gets smiles from other drivers. The only reason to trade it would be for an electric model.

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  WE WERE STUPID TO BUY A SMART!!! - 2015 Smart fortwo
  By RB - June 16 - 9:13 am

  We purchased the Smart fortwo thinking we will save money on gas and save on maintenance as the car is relatively simple compared with todays sophisticated vehicle standard. WRONG! The MPG is okay not comparable to other vehicles in the same or larger size range. The battery which is located under the passenger carpet died twice within the first 8K miles and by the time we accumulated 20K, we had to have the Smart towed to the dealer because it abruptly died in the middle of traffic and would not restart. The BIG SHOCK was the dealers $15,000.00 estimate of repair... If youre thinking that the engine or transmission failed, youd be wrong. According to the dealer, whoever replaced the battery the second time failed to properly ensure that a condensation hose that runs from the AC over the top on the battery and through the floor was reconnected properly. The condensation accumulated between the foam under the carpet and the metal floor, and shorted out the transmission module under the drivers seat and wiring harness. The carpet above never got wet so we had no clue this was occurring underneath. After further inspection, it was evident that the hose actually pops off by itself and it was more of a design failure than a battery installation error. Besides, is it SMART german engineering to run an AC condensation line with a pop off break directly over the battery? The $15,000.00 was a joke since you can almost buy a new Smart for that. So we called Mercedes/Smart customer service for assistance and after a one month run-around, they offered nothing! Not even an acknowledgement that they have a design problem even though its well documented on Smart Blogs. It is no wonder that the Smart Car made it on both Consumer Reports Worst new cars of 2014 list and Edmunds The 17 Worst Cars You Can Buy. In fact, Its No.1 on Edmunds list with the subcaption "Friends Dont Let Friends Buy These Vehicles" Save your money, dont be so dumb as to buy a Smart!

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  Incredibly fun but only a second car - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By George - May 26 - 9:16 pm

  This thing is way cute and very fun to drive--its my wifes car. She traded a 2 year old Beetle because of VW reliability problems. Want people to look at you and talk to you? Buy this car. Manual shifting is the only way to go and is easy and fun. This review is being written by a guy who just traded a 2005 Mercedes SLK 155 mph roadster for a 2008 BMW 335i convertible; yeah, this little car is that good and that fun to drive. Freeway driver it isnt -- its got the power but gets the twitches above 70 mph due to the 6 wheelbase. I cant imagine not having this car but be sure to have a real car for trips-- this is a city car.

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  had the rest and now the best - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By cathys smart - May 24 - 10:30 pm

  I purchased this car 5 days ago and just today had to fill it up. I had driven 290 miles this week and i cannot express how great this little car is. Jump in, jump out, uses very little gas, is fun and very spry driving around town. When you are in the car you do not fell like you are in a little car it is extremely spacious and cavernous. Best car i bought in along time

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  Most Fun on 4 Wheels! - 2009 Smart fortwo
  By nitro - May 20 - 6:46 pm

  I traded a Civic SI for this (hit a deer) and am thrilled with the experience. No it doesnt have the power of the Si or the handling, but its a ton more fun to drive! Puts a smile on my face everytime I walk up to it. Love opening the top as I approach the car...such a warm welcome! I had navigation and bluetooth installed, except for cruise this is really loaded. Great little run about, even took a refrigerator to work in the back, fit perfectly. Its bigger than you think! Drove to NYC from MD, no issues and 45 mpg in the first 2000 miles. Looking forward to getting over 50 soon!

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  Quirky, of course - 2013 Smart fortwo
  By rdown - April 29 - 7:02 am

  Im a teacher, and they reeled me in with the extra discount - and a generous trade-in on my 10-year old New Beetle. The car has been more fun than I thought it would be to drive, but I agree with other posters that leaving it in pure auto mode results in a lousy ride. Even in manual 1st to 2nd is a drag. The little engine does quickly lug out on hills and even slight inclines, but it drops seamlessly into 4th with an easy pull of the shift lever. Gas mileage so far better than advertised. Plenty of vertical room, but my legs end up jammed against the door and the shifter when it is in manual mode. Along with the seats being uncomfortable, I am not looking forward to long trips.

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  You will forever regret this! - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Robert_Kern - April 17 - 4:46 pm

  I have had my smart for just under 2 years now. At first it seemed perfect for New York. 150 Dollar Parking per month, fits in tight places, etc. Very quickly however did I find out what an unreliable, terrible little car this is. It has broken down multiple times due to computer errors, failing transmission, clutch, etc. It shakes everything lose on the car whenever you hit the slightest bump. Even a sewer lid produces a noisy thump and a jolt. The car shakes at highway speeds and now my roof is starting to crack. And where is smart? They dont want to have anything to do with the car, the service departments dont know very much about it, the customer service is horrific!

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  Love this car!!!!!!! - 2009 Smart fortwo
  By Murkey - February 13 - 3:33 pm

  I recently bought my Smart car from a dealer instead of ordering online. I really enjoy it.