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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  Shockingly good car - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By daimler - July 28 - 6:23 pm

  This car doesnt fit its specs: --it feels faster than its stated 0-60 time suggests --ESP is a *huge* safety issue that this car has alone for its price --It feels *much* bigger inside (coming from being 61" and 180# --Despite its price, the build quality is as good as cars 2x its price --The interior feel (quality and layout) again feels...well, if not luxurious, then at least not like a 25K car, let alone a 15K car. Really an amazing piece of work. Consumer reports panned the car and I completely dont get it. I find this car more fun to drive than my wifes old Miata because I actually fit in this car and this one is big enough to haul a few bags of groceries standing upright.

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  I love mine - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By redesert - July 20 - 1:50 am

  I have had my Smart for 2 months. A great commuter car. I am 64" and fit very well. (Not so well in the Yaris or Fit) It is actually a blast to drive.

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  Disapointed Owner - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Rob - July 18 - 12:13 pm

  The car is fun to drive with the exception of the transmission. You never know when it is going to hesitate, sometimes it take 3 to 5 seconds for the computer operated clutch to decide what it wants to do. This is dangerous when trying to pull out into traffic. The gas mileage in the city is only 25 to 30. The car has not lived up to my expectations.

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  This is the best car ever :) - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Tony Brancaleoni - July 14 - 3:03 pm

  This is the best car ever. I have owned a lot of car but this is my favorite. everywhere I go I feel like a moviestar. the ride is awesome for a small car. I love the auto wipers and HID lights & heated Seats. and I can put the top down at any speed on the highway how cool is that :). driving around town my milage has been 38 worst (ethanol gas) 44 best (pure gas). highway is around 49 as long as you drive under 70 MPH I think I could get 50 MPG If I drove the speed limit :) I wish It had Cruise Control and the trans takes some getting used to. the subwoofer under the seat doesnt seem to work. my dealer will look at it when I bring it in for service.

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  excellent car - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By kay - July 4 - 11:16 am

  I love the car. When your in it you feel like your in a normal size car. Your actually up higher than a lot of cars, which is one of the safety features. The mileage is much better than they advertise it. I find it to have great pick up. It feels like any other car going 80mph. I was pleased by how well it drives and feels.

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  What a great little car - 2015 Smart fortwo
  By snowyrivers - May 9 - 3:59 am

  After driving Class 8 trucks for over 20 years I wanted something small, fuel efficient and fun. Bought our Smart last fall and have no regrets. I wish these car bloggers had some idea about transmissions, as the Smart tranny is a sweet little gear box. Shifted manually it is as smooth as silk. Let it do things on its own and its not quite up to my standards of a smooth shift, but in the hands of a neophite that has never touched a real stick shift, it will get them from A TO B without grinding the gears or wasting the clutch. Benz got this right. At 2 million miles under my belt juggling big rigs, this little car is sweeeeeet. GREAT LITTLE RIDE. We get 34 city and have seen 60 hwy MPG

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  Great Fun - 2010 Smart fortwo
  By gwe - April 18 - 1:30 am

  Great commuter car! Dont think I would take it for a long trip,no cruise control available. Great upright seating not the low slung seats in other small cars. Ride is good but can rattle your teeth over rough streets. Above average road noise on highways. Experiencing 40 MPG give or take a couple miles. Surprisingly peppy performance. Much better shifting since dealer performed a free electronic systems update on the automatic transmission. Very fun to drive.

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  not so smart - 2009 Smart fortwo
  By Beata - March 13 - 3:46 am

  The transmission slipps, only one year warranty,very uneven ride, no handbook for the car, car makes a lot of noise,car is not good on Gas

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  Excellent Commuter Car City or Highway - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By John Brown - March 9 - 9:03 am

  A few days into ownership and it is a perfect work commuter car. Size and mass matters when it comes to build purpose, operational function, and safety. "It is what it is", and 700,000 sales around the world since 1998 speaks for itself.

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  Smiling in my Smart - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Smart in Naples - March 3 - 4:30 pm

  Although we had some reservations about buying a Smart car, now that we have owned it for 3 months there are no regrets. It is fun to drive, comfortable for two large people, and provides a reason for all of those who see it on the road a reason to smile. We can fit groceries for a week for two in the back compartment, as long as it isnt a Costco trip with large bundles of paper and cleaning supplies. The gas mileage is OK, 33-38 mpg with mostly in town driving, but it is so much fun to drive and pass the big land yachts that are so prevalent in Naples Florida.