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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  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.