Overview & Reviews

Usually, Italian exotic sports cars are best at getting other motorists' attention when driving down the road. But the diminutive "Smart car," as many people refer to it, turns just as many heads. But in this case, a Smart is about fuel economy and efficiency, not performance.

Smart began in 1993 as a joint venture between Daimler-Benz and Swiss watchmaker Swatch, creating a company known as Micro Compact Car AG headquartered in Biel, Switzerland. (It would later move to Germany and be known simply as Smart.) Its "city cars" would feature the build quality and engineering expertise of Mercedes-Benz, while Swatch would contribute its funky design philosophy. The resulting two-passenger Smart City-Coupe was designed for a European urban environment, with a specific emphasis placed on fuel economy and parking ease. The City-Coupe could theoretically be able to park perpendicular in a parallel-parking spot. (The wheelbase is the width of most other cars, after all.)

Because it was such a tiny car, Smart created the "tridion" safety cell (the silver or black portion of the body) to assure the City-Coupe could withstand impacts from exponentially bigger vehicles. Made from three layers of steel reinforced at strategic points, the cell was designed to absorb and redistribute crash energy away from the vehicle's occupants. Side impacts are shielded by steel door beams and reinforced axles.

Daimler-Benz bought Swatch out shortly after the City-Coupe's introduction just as the Smart started to generate hype around the world for its revolutionary take on personal transportation. Initial sales began in nine continental European countries in 1998, and the car proved popular with consumers.

This success led to an eventual expansion of the Smart car brand with the introduction of additional Smart models, including the Roadster and Roadster-Coupe in 2003 and the Forfour sedan in 2004. Reaction to these model lines was lukewarm at best, however, as consumers found them to be overpriced. This failure led to a dramatic downturn in Smart's fortunes, eventually putting it on DaimlerChrysler's chopping block before CEO Dieter Zetsche saved it with a new business model built exclusively around the City-Coupe, which had been renamed Fortwo.

More than 770,000 units and 36 countries later, the second-generation Fortwo debuted in 2006. With only a slight size increase, the general look of the iconic city car remained, but the interior and often-criticized automanual transmission received significant changes and safety was improved. The biggest news, however, was that Smart would be expanding into the United States, where rising gas prices had shifted the market toward smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles. While there is no mainstream vehicle that embodies those two criteria better than the Fortwo, only time will tell if Americans who once laughed at Smart will embrace it the way Europeans and others around the world have.

User Reviews:

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  2 year old smart passion - 2009 Smart fortwo
  By mech_pe - May 12 - 5:09 am

  Best car I have owned for commuting to work. Fun to drive like a go-cart. My wife loves to drive it on the weekend. Roomy with upright seating like a pickup. Flying rocks will not dent the car. 10,000 miles between oil changes. Gas mileage consistant 42 mpg in Minneapolis. Worst was 38 mpg in the deep slushy snow plus warming up in driveway. My commute is freeway at 80mph to downtown congestion at 60 miles per day. Easy to park and manuever. Some states allow straight into the curb (no parrallel) and sharing of parking spaces with a motorcycle or two smart cars. Plastic panels resist rust and you can change the cars color in about 4 hours. Very tough little car with good acceleration.

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  Fun To Drive - 2010 Smart fortwo
  By Jerry - May 1 - 10:00 am

  Purchased in El Paso Texas from individual who had won it and put it on E-Bay. Drove back to LA area in 18 hours..First tank averaged 43. Did wish it had cruise control but enjoyed the trip anyway. At 65 MPH car was fairly comfortable and enjoyable to drive..Hard to believe it is as small as it is when on the road. I am very happy I made the decision to purchase the Smart car. Love to drive it especially for running around town.

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  Brilliant design and practicality! - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By david wayne - April 28 - 2:16 pm

  Drives great on the highway. Gas economy and driving capacity is under rated on car reviews. Averaging 44 mpg in town and speeds up when needed for highway traffic. Comfortable and luxurious inside and much more space than I expected for storage. Brilliant and well thought out design. Love that I will never get a dent on the plastic panels too.

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  High on the fun meter - 2009 Smart fortwo
  By Ken - April 24 - 10:03 am

  Well, I have had many cars in my life and I can not think of any that is more fun to drive, including my wifes Z-4. It just cruises down the road at 70 to 80 with the big boys. My first tank of gas I averaged 37 MPG.

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  I love it on the highway! - 2009 Smart fortwo
  By Angela - March 31 - 3:26 am

  But it is the most fun in a city. I regularly drive my smart fortwo on the NY thruway, and the garden state parkway, up to the Catskills from Philly. Yes, the handling takes a while to get used too. But for the 2010 review to state it gets tossed around on the highway is ridiculous. Perhaps people need to learn how to drive again? Steering a huge SUV is different than driving a smart. I prefer the smart. Where it excels is when I am in my row home in Philadelphia. I have never had to hunt for a parking spot, maneuverable in the city, and awesome handling makes it easy to get out of tight situations. I save $200 a month on parking. Get smart!

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  Just good to say - 2009 Smart fortwo
  By Jody of N.Y. - March 24 - 9:26 am

  This car is really good to show off how big it is inside. People I know cant believe how big it is and feels when it drives. The only thing I would change or add is Cruise control. I had it added, that makes it complete for me. I have nothing but fun when I drive it.

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  Big Fun - Micro Car - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By shawna - March 23 - 5:20 pm

  This car handles well at any speed. Minimal noise and sturdy drive. Due to the lighter weight of this car, you may feel the wind during a VERY windy stormy day, but not while passing semis. Feels like an average size car, taller than most sedans. Plenty of power and fun to drive. And get ready to make some friends at every stop light and gas station, I picked up SmartCar brochures to hand out! I always have enough room in the trunk area for grocery shopping.

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  LOVE my Smart red convertible! - 2009 Smart fortwo
  By jtb9265 - March 2 - 3:33 am

  I have owned CRXs, Miatas, Mini Coopers, and other comparable cars. Theyve all been great, but theres just something about the Smart! Lets face it, its not a car for everyone - but if you do most of your driving by yourself (or with one other person), its a complete joy to own! I chuckle when people ask me, "So, can you take it on the freeway?" To set the record straight, YES you can - and not only does it drive like any other car, its a LOT more fun!

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  Bad Acceleration - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By Niles - March 1 - 2:30 pm

  Great car for commuting, Good gas millage, low emissions. Love that you can just park sideways in a parallel parking spot. Transmission has problems from 1st to 2nd, takes time for it to kick over which can be a problem when trying to accelerate quickly.

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  I hate this car so much... - 2008 Smart fortwo
  By foxmajik - February 22 - 2:24 pm

  Ive had to take this car in for work more than my used 92 Mazda Protege. For various reasons, from plastic pieces falling off the interior to the air dam in the front snapping off and dragging on the freeway. The gas mileage is atrocious for a car this small (around 25 mpg). The transmission is a confused and nervous little curmudgeon that cant decide what gear it wants to be in when youre under 15 mph and keeps jumping back and forth between 1st, 2nd and 3rd gear. Every time the gear shifts the car lurches back and lunges forward like Ive slammed on the brakes. And this is normal for smart cars, every one Ive been in does it, even after having the transmission firmware upgraded.