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 Cabriolet - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Barbara Robinson - October 1 - 6:43 pm

  I love this car. Even though there is a jerky shift between 1st & 2nd gears, its not that bad. The gas mileage has been great (38-45 mph). Most of my driving is around town but I have traveled on the highway. The space inside is surprisingly roomy. My husband and I are both tall and I have to pull the seat forward. The convertible allows you to fold partially or totally down. I like that feature.

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  Smart to get a Smart - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By smartminixb - September 10 - 1:40 am

  I have my smart for over 4 months now and its nothing but a pleasure to drive. This car handles better than what I expected. It gets better gas mileage compared to my truck. Both interior and exterior styling is superb. Washing and waxing it takes less than hour. All in all I love this car. I will eventually get a second.

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  Like no other car! - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Gabe - September 6 - 10:00 am

  Very enjoyable, and great response from other drivers and people. Lots of smart fans around! I really enjoyed it. I sold it for a VW Golf, that feels like a cruise ship in comparison! The transmission is AWFUL and needs getting used to. Slow and heaving when it shifts gears. Also, it had a bunch of repairs, recalls, bulletins under warranty, that were marvelously and fully and competently addressed by Smart Center Portland. Very safe and fun on the freeway.

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  Great Little Car! - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Smart Car Wins! - August 28 - 7:46 pm

  Took delivery 2/2008. Car is averaging 45 MPG. Can find no faults at all. Fun to drive, easy to park, good all around car.

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  A quick comment about photos - 2009 Smart fortwo
  By Smartie - June 20 - 4:30 pm

  Love, love, love my car! I average about 38 mpg over my 30 mile round- trip commute, and Ive gotten 47 on the highway. I feel very safe (drove 80 mph this weekend). I have the upgraded stereo and it is great for me. I drive to work with a smile on my face every day.

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  Love my Smart Car - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Trace1979 - June 10 - 7:26 am

  I love my Smart Car. I have had mine for 3 months now and my husband just picked up his Smart Car 3 weeks ago. We love them !

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  Not for everyone, but perfect for some - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By franklambert - June 3 - 3:06 am

  The SMART is not the best car for some, but, if you understand what it offers, it may be the perfect car for you. It delivers great gas mileage, fits two tall people very comfortably, can be easily towed behind an RV and is a great around town car. Dont buy the smart if you are expecting the manual transmission it comes with to shift smoothly (it is not an automatic, but a manual that can be driven in automated mode). It shifts just fine if you drive it in manual mode. If you are a baby boomer with no kids at home, or someone looking for an around town car to go to work or run down to the grocery store, or even to commute a reasonable distance to work, this may be your car.

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  First smart delivered in Oklahoma - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Okie Boy - May 28 - 5:13 am

  The smart is a fun car to drive, it is roomy inside, power is good, and the automated five speed manual transmission works well but takes a little time to adjust to. The fuel econmy in mixed driving is about 38 mpg. Every where we go people want to know about the smart.

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  smarty pants - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By HGB - May 19 - 12:43 pm

  Have waited for this car for many years and am delighted to finally own one. Ordering a car online prevented me from test driving it, yet I am enjoying it everytime I get into it. Still dont know if I needed power steering or not. So I got it with heated seats too. I strongly suggest not to save on some options as I did. Get the $895 package and factory alarm. Its the better option. Enjoy the cabriolet if your climate is favourable. Mileage is pretty good. Accept the fact that you need hi-test, yet its only 7-8 gallons per refill. Transmission is quirky, yet its still fun to drive. The clutch has a limited life apparently. I resent the fact that the extended warranty is so expensive!

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  Meets and surpasses all expectations - 2009 Smart fortwo
  By Markos - May 16 - 7:40 am

  This is not a sports sedan. It is a small, efficient urban two passenger transport that has a small footprint but a spacious interior. Being a Daimler product it has the safety and quality expected. Having a small Mitsubishi engine, it is no surprise the performance and reliability it has. Being a European design, it has character and head turning style. Over all this little car has fulfilled and surpassed every design objective and it is fun to drive around town. It is priced well for the market.