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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  2008 smart fortwo passion - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Doug - November 12 - 10:26 am

  Picked up car last week, and way too much fun to drive. Gets lots of looks, and stares. Gas mileage is good as well. Be very careful driving fast over train tracks though.

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  Should cost more - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Pete - November 9 - 3:33 pm

  I drove the Smart 920 miles the first day I had it. Averaged 44 MPG. The fit and finish look more like cars costing twice the price. If you are in a hurry be careful where you stop. People just go crazy over this car and will delay you for sure wanting to know all about it!

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  Pros and Cons - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By KvFireman - October 21 - 12:20 am

  I purchased my Smart in October of 2009. Overall for what it is, the Smart is a good car. The Smart only holds approx 8 gallons of fuel. I have clocked the mileage at 48 mpg driving at around 55-60mph. 65-70 it drops considerably. A steady foot on the gas pedal helps. Try to avoid slowing down and speeding up frequently. This will decrease your mpg. It does not do well shifting on its own. It lugs a lot which I dont care what anybody says is not good for the engine!! The entire car also jolts when it shifts. You are better off shifting manually. There is no cruise control. The lumbar support is not very good. Other than those few issues, its really a great vehicle. Have no other complaints

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  What a Car - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Jimmy - September 27 - 7:00 am

  I bought this car in June. I dearly love the vehicle. It drives great and is a fun car. Gas mileage is great! Love my navigational system that is in it.

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  Smart Car Rocks - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Smarty - September 25 - 2:43 pm

  The car is amazing. Acceleration is a bit slow but plenty of power in gears 3-5. Recommend the manual drive feature, much smoother operation. Gears 1-2 a little jerky in traffic. Comfort and roominess is great. Most fun Ive ever had driving a car. Car still turning heads after a year. Heater is a little weak, cant wait to try A/C. Gas Mileage is excellent (38- 44)but dont expect miracles. Seating is comfortable. Car is a little jerky if wind is kicking hard. Ive had mine up to 101mph and still a little room left. Handled well at that speed with no wind. Nothing beats the drive though...had it for a year and still cant wait to get into it every day.

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  2009 Smart Passion Convertible - 2009 Smart fortwo
  By Andrea - September 8 - 12:50 pm

  I bought this car because it was so fun to drive and makes me smile every time I get in it. Ive found that shifting manually lends to a smoother ride than automatic mode. Ive driven the car on highways at 70+ mph speeds with and without tractor trailers and the drafts following the tractor trailers does create an environment that pushes the little car around, but honestly, even my Murano gets pushed around when traveling behind tractor trailers at high speeds. A majority of the driving I intend to use this car for doesnt involve highways anyway so I feel very safe and comfortable.

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  Smart is smart buy & A LOT of fun. - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By CCK - September 2 - 1:26 am

  I am so glad I decided to purchase this car. I love to get in it every morning and cant wait to drive it home. Pound for pound there isnt another car this fun to drive. I hope it is built to last. Only time will tell. Summary, buy it and enjoy driving.

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  I love my Smart Car - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By sdbigdog - August 31 - 9:36 am

  I bought this car as a fun backup car to my large SUV, but now I only drive Smart Car. I love it. At first the shifting seemed strange, but now Im used to it. Its fun to pass Porsches on the freeway at 85 mph. My only problem is every time I stop people always ask me questions about it. It gets too much attention.

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  Fun, but be careful - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By CyberSpiff - August 24 - 1:50 pm

  I drove the Smart for 14 miles each way to and from work for 6 months, enjoying the good mileage and fun handling. Parking was easy and it was a comfortable ride. The problem I ran into was a lack of stability in windy settings. I had a scary incident when I was blown into the lane next to me as a result of driving on a windy day and having a truck drive past me, which moved me over to the next lane. Thankfully there was no one in that lane, but it could have been a real problem. As a result I sold the car the next day. I dont think this is a typical situation and in no way blame the design. Its something to keep in mind when you are considering the Smart.

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  It is what it is - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Jim - August 8 - 12:53 am

  Averaging 36 MPG in heavy stop and go, bumper-to-bumper traffic. On the road I get mid-40s. With AC off I can average over 50 MPG at 55-60 MPH. If you currently enjoy driving / riding in a large luxury vehicle you will be disappointed. If you are looking for a fun to drive, small, easy to park, inexpensive, economical vehicle for mostly city driving and you have no need for more than 2 seats or a lot of storage, it will be difficult to beat the smart. This vehicle is not perfect - it is what it is!