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Long-Term Road Tests

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe

July 1, 2009

Big List of Fuel Economy - June 2009

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Below are the fuel economy numbers for June 2009. We've listed the best, worst and overall average tanks.

As always, we were missing a few cars that were out of town or unavailable at the time of this writing. I'll continue to add them as they come in and let you know in the comments.

  Car
Best
Worst
Average
  2009 Audi A4 Avant
26.8
17.5
21.9
  2009 Audi S5
22.3
11.3
18.0
  2008 BMW 135i
27.7
13.9
19.8
  2009 BMW 750i
21.8
12.4
17.9
  2002 BMW M3
23.5
12.3
17.5
  2009 BMW M3
20.5
12.7
16.1
  2009 Ford Flex Limited
26.7
13.7
19.2
  2008 Ford Focus SES
40.6
16.6
26.7
  2007 Honda Civic GX
47.3
12.7
31.6
  2009 Honda Fit Sport
39.0
24.9
31.0
  2009 Hyundai Genesis
24.4
14.3
20.4
  2009 Infiniti FX50
21.8
10.7
16.9
  2009 Mazda 6
29.3
19.4
23.5
  2008 Mitsubishi Evo X GSR
22.6
11.0
17.0
  2009 Nissan 370Z
24.4
13.7
17.9
  2009 Nissan GT-R
21.8
11.5
16.4
  2008 Smart Fortwo Passion
43.4
23.5
33.6
  2009 Suzuki SX4
28.3
18.6
22.5
  2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI
43.0
28.0
34.6

After the jump you can see the list sorted by best average MPG.

Continue reading...

June 29, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo: Why My Vespa LX150 Is Better

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A couple of months ago our 2008 Smart Fortwo was compared to a 1995 BMW R1100RS but as a commenter had remarked, a comparison to a 150cc scooter would have made for a better debate.

This weekend, I really wanted to video a drag race between our 2008 Smart Fortwo and my 2009 Vespa LX150 but since the closed racetrack was booked, I didn't get to. (I highly suspect that since the Vespa has a continuously variable transmission, it could kick the Smart's ass in a 0-30.) So I'll have to content myself with comparing the two on paper.

Apart from the obvious differences of one being a car and the other a scooter, they share similar impracticalities. But when it comes to just around-town driving, I think my mini Italian ride is better.

Yes, both can park almost anywhere, with the Vespa having a slight edge over the Fortwo. I get to park for free in most garages! And even though the top speed of the LX150 is 59 mph vs. the Smart's 93 mph, in surface street traffic I can get to where I'm going faster thanks to lane-splitting.

Unfortunately, both take premium fuel but the Vespa gets a reported 70-75 mpg compared to the Smart's 33 city/40 highway mpg.

As for cargo, yes, the Smart has the obvious advantage as I can't lug a week's worth of groceries on my Vespa. But since I always eat out anyway, this point is moot.

However the Smart does ensure that my hair will look exactly the same way it did at the beginning of the ride, so there's that.

In any case, the Vespa is wayyy more fun to drive while the Smart can leave you cursing its existence.

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor @ 17,895 miles

June 26, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo: Not Sure I Like the Transmission Reprogram

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I've driven our 2008 Smart Fortwo Passion twice since it had its transmission reprogrammed in late May. Although the car doesn't feel radically different, I don't think I'd have this done on my own Smart. If I had a Smart.

During low-speed city travel, shifts feel smoother in "D." But I don't drive in "D." I refuse to drive a car this small and lightly powered in "D." I want as much control as possible over shift points.

And when I get on the freeway, I notice that shifts are also a litttlle smoother and less abrupt in manual mode. But I feel they are also just a touch slower. And I don't want slower in a Smart.

I'll go even further. It's pointless to try to make a transmission shift smoothly in a Smart, which, at least in LA, works best with a run-and-gun driving style (well, mostly run, since there's so little gun). I'll put up with all kinds of abruptness if I can get quicker shifts.

Erin Riches, Senior Editor @ 17,831 miles

June 24, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo: My Girl Friday

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Taking the whole fam on vacation next week, which means lots of last-minute errands. Airplane entertainment for the eight- and 15-year-olds dictates new coloring books and crayons, strawberry and chocolate Twizzlers, fresh batteries and replacment chargers all around, and a new DVD and DS game in my carry-on just to be safe.

Not enough hours left in the evening to check the items off my to-buy list, which results in daily lunchtime runs.

This week, the 2008 Smart Fortwo is my best friend. Say what you want about its herky-jerky drivetrain. When you need to hit four Santa Monica stores in one hour, three of which have only street parking, the Smart will be your BFF, too.

Kelly Toepke, News Editor @ 17,772 miles

June 2, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo: Greener Vehicles

 

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Here's a sneak peek at what the Obama Administration has planned for GM's new fleet of "Green Vehicles." I drove each one and I'm really liking Rody the bouncy horse - it's made in Italy, has excellent air suspension and a better 0-60 time than the Smart Fortwo. However, the lack of an iPod connection and ABS are deal breakers for me. On the other hand, the Smart has one touch down power windows - that's nice too. Which vehicle do you think is best?

Brian Moody, Automotive Editor @ 17,305 miles   

June 1, 2009

Big List of Fuel Economy - May Edition

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Here are the fuel economy numbers for 2009. We've listed the best, worst and overall average tanks.

As always, we were missing a few cars that were out of town or unavailable at the time of this writing. I'll add them as they come in and I'll let you know in the comments.

  Car
Best
Worst
Average
  2009 Audi A4 Avant
26.8
17.5
22.0
  2009 Audi S5
22.3
11.8
18.0
  2009 BMW 750i
21.8
12.4
18.2
  2002 BMW M3
23.5
12.3
17.5
  2009 BMW M3
18.8
9.6
15.4
  2008 Cadillac CTS
32.5
9.9
19.3
  2009 Dodge Challenger R/T
22.3
10.3
16.0
  2009 Ford Flex Limited
26.7
13.7
19.4
  2008 Ford Focus SES
40.6
16.6
26.7
  2007 Honda Civic GX
47.3
12.7
31.7
  2009 Honda Fit Sport
39.0
26.0
31.5
  2009 Hyundai Genesis
24.8
15.5
20.7
  2009 Infiniti FX50
21.8
10.7
17.0
  2009 Mazda 6
29.1
19.4
23.3
  2008 Mitsubishi Evo X MR
27.2
11.7
17.3
  2009 Nissan 370Z
24.4
13.7
18.2
  2009 Nissan GT-R
21.8
11.5
16.5
  2008 Pontiac G8 GT
24.0
12.0
17.5
  2008 Smart Fortwo Passion
43.4
23.5
33.4
  2009 Suzuki SX4
28.3
18.6
22.6
  2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI
43.0
28.7
35.0

After the jump you can see the list sorted by best average MPG.

Continue reading...

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe: Stereo Could Use An Upgrade

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On Sunday, an elderly woman cornered me as I was getting out of the Smart, to tell me how similar it was to a three-wheeled car that she owned back in the 1970s. Naturally, the conversation eventually got to the point where she asked me what I thought of the Smart. In the past, I haven't been shy about relating the coupe's numerous shortcomings and advising prospective buyers to avoid it like the plague. But yesterday, I was more charitable. I told her that the Smart was actually not a bad little city car, and in that moment, I meant it. Maybe I was having a good day. Or maybe the Smart is growing on me.

One Smart flaw that I'll never be able to get past, though, is its sound system. It is bad. Its sound quality reminds me of that of a dinky Casio synth that I had as a kid: tinny, buzzy and cheap. Our car has the base system; an upgrade is available, but I haven't heard it, so I can't say if it represents much of an improvement. 

Warren Clarke, Automotive Content Editor @ 17,167 miles    

May 26, 2009

2008 Smart ForTwo: David Coulthard Has Two

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Not Harleys. Smarts. CAR recently let a few of its readers submit questions to former F1 driver Coulthard, and naturally, someone asked what "normal cars" he owns. His reply:

A couple of Smarts, a Mercedes M-Class and G-Class, an Infiniti FX45 - I brought that in New York with Jenson Button about four years ago and shipped them to Monaco. What else? A 1971 280SL Pagoda roof - same age as me - and that's it. I don't have anything sporty because I drive F1 racing cars for a living.

CAR

Erin Riches, Senior Editor

May 23, 2009

Would I Buy One?

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Would I buy one? It's a question I ask myself whenever I slide behind the wheel of a car. Would I drop my hard earned money on one of these? Would I want to own it? Drive it for years? Look at it in my driveway? Tell people it's mine?

It's also the question you the reader ask me the most. So I've decided to go through all the cars we now have in our fleet and decide whether or not I would buy one. I also included a few recently departed vehicles. Seems appropriate since they just left us. 

Continue reading...

May 21, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe: Transmission reprogram

 

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It's no surprise to anyone out there who's been following along with Inside Line's long-term Smart Fortwo Passion that we're not thrilled with the transmission. And by "we're not thrilled with" I mean "we avoid the smart at all costs because of."

Well, it seems we're not the only ones. Recently Smart has issued a transmission and engine software upgrade (Campaign C0209002) for '08 model year cars to make the car slightly less useless. 2009 MY Smarts already have it.

Along with the trans/engine reprogram, our Smart also needed a new VIN label, a new owner's manual, and it required open campaign C0209007--shifter lubrication so we don't need to have ours towed away.

The service was performed at Beverly Hills Mercedes and took about 3 hours.

Results?

Well the transmission is still pretty terrible, but it's finally stopped fighting against the brake pedal when stopped and they've programmed some creep into the system; it's now possible to parallel park the damn thing without fear of unintended over-acceleration.

 The only other discernable change is the paddles. No, they haven't done the right thing and affixed them to the column (If a wheel has more than 360-degrees of rotation they should be fixed--and the wheel shouldn't have a flat spot!) the paddles now work when pressed, regardless of the position of the shifter. Previously you'd have to move the shift lever to the left to get some control over the gears. The new software lets you tap the paddle for instant results. Good idea, I guess. (but now after tapping the paddles while in D, you have to slide the lever over to manual and then back to D to return to normal drive. Cars that do this correctly revert to drive when you up-paddle through the top gear, this is wrong and irritating.)  EDIT: I completely forgot, until after posting of course, the OTHER way to disengage manual mode-- hold the upshift paddle for 2-3 seconds and the car switches from manual mode back to straight-up D. This technique does work in the Smart. Sorry for the confusion.

Midrange shifts are pretty much the same. They're slightly better--maybe-- nothing drastic. Full-throttle shifts are just as annoying, long and abrupt.

So it's free, you can park and it doesn't cause your braking leg undue stress. If you have an '08 Smart, it won't fix everything that's wrong with the Smart, but it's a solid attempt.

Mike Magrath, Vehicle Testing Assistant @ 16,754 miles

May 19, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe: Not Just Great For Parking

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I was headed to a restaurant for some takeout on Sunday, and I wound up overshooting the place by about two blocks (it was my first time at that particular restaurant). In other words, I had to make a u-turn. I can't think of a better vehicle in which to execute this maneuver than the Smart, with its teeny-tiny 28.7-foot turning circle. Doesn't get much better than that.

That experience underscores the thing I like most about the Smart: its nimbleness. I know it's not much, but there's so much to hate on with the Smart that you kinda have to give praise where praise is due.

Warren Clarke, Automotive Content Editor @ 16,717 miles  

May 7, 2009

2008 Smart ForTwo: Doesn't Seem Safe, She Says

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Although I'm not exactly keen on strapping my life's most precious cargo into the Smart's passenger seat, I have on occasion offered to take my eight-year-old daughter for a ride around the block just so she could see what the diminutive ForTwo feels like.

She vehemently refuses. Just doesn't seem safe, she says.

She's always happy to pose in the Smart Fortwo, just don't ask her to ride in it.

Kelly Toepke, News Editor @ 16,335 miles

May 4, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo: Smart vs. Nano

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So suppose you're looking at rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive runabouts, and you've narrowed it down to the Smart Fortwo and the Tata Nano (possibly the only two in existence, auto rickshaws aside), and you don't have to bother with troublesome details like the fact that the $3,000 Nano isn't available stateside.

If it's performance you're after...well, clearly it's not. But for what it's worth, the Nano does 0-50 mph in an unofficial 16.4 seconds, according to our first drive, while the Smart embarrasses it with a 14.1-second 0-60 sprint. Similarly, the Nano tops out at 65, whereas the Smart will do a rather harrowing 93. Smart owners now have a handy retort for whenever their rides are being ridiculed: "Dude. If you had a Nano, I would smoke you."

The Nano also doesn't come with a radio, and it lacks anything like the Tridion Safety Cell, which means the force of hitting that cow in the middle of the road won't be transferred solely to your internal organs, a la the Smart. To the Nano's credit, though, it has a proper manual transmission, it seats four rather than two, and its claimed 47 combined mpg on regular gas trounces the Smart's 36 mpg on premium.

Here's my question: How much more is the Smart worth than the Nano? Given its edge in safety and performance, and taking into account its inferior fuel economy and passenger capacity, I say about 100%. A $6,000-7,000 Smart car is something I could wholeheartedly recommend.

Josh Sadlier, Associate Editor

2008 Smart Fortwo: Suspension Walkaround

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Today we're peeking into the wheelwells of our Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe. This ought to be good.

Because this is an unconventional machine, we're changing things up by starting with the rear suspension, where all of the magic fails to happen.

 

Continue reading...

May 1, 2009

Big List of Fuel Economy - April Edition

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Here are the fuel economy figures for April 2009. As usual, we've listed the best and worst tanks and the average over the entire life of the vehicle.

We're missing a couple of cars that were out of town or unavailable at the time we took the readings.

Car
Best
Worst
Average
2009 Audi A4 Avant
26.8
17.5
22.3
2008 BMW 135i
27.7
9.5
19.8
2009 BMW 750i
21.8
14.6
19.1
2002 BMW M3
23.5
12.3
17.5
2009 BMW M3
16.8
9.6
14.8
2008 Cadillac CTS
32.5
9.9
19.2
2009 Dodge Challenger R/T
18.1
10.3
16.3
2009 Ford Flex Limited
26.7
13.7
19.6
2008 Ford Focus SES
40.6
16.6
26.7
2007 Honda Civic GX
47.3
12.7
31.7
2009 Honda Fit Sport
39.0
26.0
32.0
2009 Hyundai Genesis
24.8
15.5
20.7
2009 Infiniti FX50
21.8
10.7
17.1
2009 Mazda 6
29.1
19.5
23.5
2008 Mitsubishi Evo X GSR
22.6
11.0
17.2
2008 Mitsubishi Evo X MR
21.3
11.7
16.8
2009 Nissan GT-R
21.8
11.5
16.5
2008 Pontiac G8 GT
19.4
14.1
17.3
2008 Smart Fortwo Passion
43.4
23.5
33.7
2009 Suzuki SX4
25.0
18.6
22.5
2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI
43.0
28.7
35.3
2005 Volkswagen Jetta on Biodiesel
49.1
26.2
38.8

After the jump you can see the list sorted by best average MPG.

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

Continue reading...

April 27, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe: A Different Cloth

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When I first saw our Smart Fortwo, I thought, "Boy, that fabric on the door and the dash is a really bad idea." Didn't seem like it would be very durable. I could see the cloth getting soiled and perhaps even torn as the car shuttled from one manhandling editor to the next. Epic fail in the making.

The Smart's been in our possession for almost a year now, with over 16,000 miles under its belt. And guess what? I was wrong. The fabric looks as good as new. In fact, it seems to be almost magically impervious to dust and scuff marks. I grazed the door panel with my grimy sneaker as I was getting into the car this morning. No problem -- the cloth remained pristine. This incredibly resilient fabric is probably the most interesting and efficient thing about the little coupe.

Warren Clarke, Automotive Content Editor @ 16,113 miles

April 23, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo: Almost as Good as Walking

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 I count myself among the staffers who think the Smart is stupid. Pulling into my parking spot last night next to a Lotus Elise however, got me thinking about how much these two cars have in common. And no, this isn't the first time we posted a picture of these two cars together.

Continue reading...

April 14, 2009

Where's the Clipboard Damn It, I Need a Car!

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What's it like working at Inside Line?

I get this question almost daily from somebody, and my answer usually blows their mind. I say, "Well, everyday this guy Mike walks up to me with a clipboard that contains a list of 15 to 30 cars ranging from a Smart to a GT-R and he says, 'Scott, what do you want to drive home tonight.'"

It's true.   

Continue reading...

April 13, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo: Packs a Punch

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Don't be fooled by the unassuming 2008 Smart Fortwo. It actually gave me a fat lip this weekend. No, not because I was mouthing off.

Since the seatback lever is located on the inside of the seat and not by the door I had to reach across the seat to get at the lever. Unfortunately I had unwittingly put my mouth at level with the hard plastic seatbelt holder. Pulled the lever and...you know the rest. Right in the kisser. For new Smart owners out there, I did it so you wouldn't have to.

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor

April 10, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion: Our Favorite Caption

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Thanks to mazdaspeed_jon for this week's favorite caption.

These also made us smile, just like the Smart looks in this photo:

ATM thieves still smarting from their choice of getaway cars (mnorm1)
Where do I enter my pin number on this thing?!? (cts24)
Withdrawal Denied: Insufficient Fun(ds)! (TriSport) (and our Mike S.)
Annoyingly Trendy Motoring Machine (vwthing1)
Pay full price. Get half a car. (zoomzoom97)
World's Cutest ATM (abyss)

What was your favorite?

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion: You Write the Caption

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Deputy Caroline provided this photo of our little Smart at the car wash.

Doug, copy editor extraordinaire, came up with "Withdrawal Symptoms"

Can you do better?

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

April 9, 2009

2008 Smart ForTwo: Bad For Picking Up Sick People

The Smart Potted Plant -- Awesome Photo by James Riswick

This picture makes the Smart look like a potted plant. Or Sideshow Bob, or for the kiddies, Corbin Bleu. Just thought I'd point that out.

Any way, I had the chance to drive our beloved ForTwo home last night. But along the way, I had to pick up a deathly ill Magrath from the doctors (we think it's ebola). Of course, when you're going to be sitting with Typhoid Gary for 25 minutes, being in the smallest enclosed space on wheels is just a fantastic idea. Had we been in the Flex, I would've made him sit in the caboose seats. In the Smart, he's basically on my lap.

So there you have it: the Smart ForTwo is not the ideal vehicle for picking up sick people. Oh, and get better buddy -- these cars don't care for themselves, you know.

James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 15,790 miles

April 8, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo: Mr. Smart Goes Used Car Shopping

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So I've been looking for a used car this week in the $7,500 range -- you know, what the Smart should cost brand new. Appropriately enough, the Smart has been my steed, lurching me around the greater L.A. area in hot pursuit of low-mileage rides. Here's what I've looked at thus far, and how each one stacks up against our beloved creamsicle and its $15,305 MSRP.

1999 Lexus LS400, 74k miles, $10,500. A bit steep for a car I'll be driving about 500 miles a year, but what a beautiful V8 (290 hp), even 10 years later. One-owner car (old lady). Makes the Smart feel like something out of Oregon Trail, for 2/3 the price. A hilariously awesome value in relative terms.

1996 Lexus SC400, 82k miles, $7,800. Another one-owner old lady car. Fantastic interior design and craftsmanship. Super-smooth V8 (down 30 hp on the '99 LS400). Nakamichi stereo sounds so good it must have spent its whole life tuned in to talk radio. Usable backseat. Double-articulating industrial-grade door hinges. Yours for half a Smart.

2001 Honda Prelude (base), 68k miles, $7,900. Black, manual transmission, intake/exhaust only, clean title. If there's anyone out there who would take a new Smart over this car, I'd be genuinely interested to know why.

1953 M35 Deuce and a Half Military Monster Truck, $8,995. Hell, I could get the Deuce and a Half plus the 'Lude or Lexus SC for less than two grand over the Smart's MSRP. Now that's what I call value.

Josh Sadlier, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com @ 15,781 miles

April 6, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe: Shiftless

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You might remember that Jon Barrett, a vehicle data editor at Edmunds.com, has been driving a 2008 Smart Fortwo pretty extensively in the last few weeks. Here's his report of his latest adventures:

"Lately I've been spending a lot of time in a Smart that a friend of mine has bought for promotional purposes. The other weekend when I fired up the Smart and attempted to put it into gear, I couldn't get the brake interlock to disengage the shift lever. I tried turning the car on and off a few times, stepped on the brake pedal a bunch of times, and even smacked the top of the shifter. But all of this was to no avail; the button on the shift lever just wouldn't depress.

Continue reading...

2008 Smart ForTwo Coupe: Face Off Versus BMW Motorcycle

2008 Smart ForTwo Passion Coupe -- Photo by Scott Jacobs1995 BMW R1100RS -- Photo by John DiPietro

There are multiple ways to get around a crowded city. A car is usually the worst way, as traffic jams reduce your average speed to somewhere south of an 80-year-old geezer's motorized scooter. However, here in Los Angeles, and particularly on the west side, general urban sprawl and a lack of light rail conspire to reduce your commuting choices to the old-fashioned automobile and motorcycle.

Check out today's Face Off over on the Edmunds Daily blog where we face off those two choices to determine which is better for the daily slog. In one corner, the Smart ForTwo and in the other, a 1995 BMW R1100 RS.

James Riswick, Automotive Editor

April 1, 2009

Big List of Fuel Economy - March Edition

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Here are updated fuel economy figures for the month of March. We've listed the best, worst and average fuel economy numbers over the life of the vehicle. Keep in mind that some of these tanks may be based on a partial fill-up.

This is missing a few that were not available at the time I was compiling this list.

Car
Best
Worst
Average
2009 Audi A4 Avant
26.0
17.5
21.6
2002 BMW M3
23.5
12.3
17.6
2009 Dodge Challenger R/T
20.4
12.9
17.3
2008 Ford Focus
40.6
17.1
26.4
2007 Honda Civic GX
47.3
21.4
31.6
2009 Honda Fit Sport
39.0
28.0
32.1
2009 Hyundai Genesis
24.8
15.5
21.1
2009 Infiniti FX50
20.9
10.8
17.4
2009 Mazda 6
29.1
19.5
23.3
2008 Mitsubishi Evo X GSR
22.6
11.0
17.1
2008 Mitsubishi Evo X MR
24.7
15.0
16.8
2009 Nissan 370Z Touring
21.6
14.0
18.4
2008 Smart Fortwo
43.4
25.7
33.8
2009 Suzuki SX4
25.0
18.6
22.1
2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI
43.0
28.7
35.6
2005 Volkswagen Jetta on Biodiesel
43.9
35.5
39.3

After the jump you can see the list sorted by average MPG.

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

Continue reading...

March 25, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion: Separated at Birth?

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Smart Fortwo meet Big Wheel

OK, they don't look that much alike but they drive very similarly. I wish the Smart had the nifty blue hand brake.

March 24, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion: Don't Bother with the Power Steering Option

valenciatimesmartatlazydaisy.jpgOur long-term 2008 Smart Fortwo Passion has the $450 power steering option, which provides a small electric motor to power the car's steering. So far, this is one of the few things we haven't complained about on our Smart.

The Fortwo's EPS doesn't have much feel, but I don't think it's the worst of the lot in this price range. Perhaps, more importantly, effort levels are Prius-easy at low speeds and the steering is weighty enough at highway speeds that the car feels like it'll stay planted in its lane -- assuming there's no crosswind. Of course, it doesn't hurt a bit that the Smart's German engineers gave the Fortwo a big helping of caster, too.

Well, the Smart Fortwo Passion that Jon Barrett, an Edmunds.com vehicle data editor, is driving doesn't have the optional power steering. Today we took his Smart for a spin around the neighborhood. Jon had warned me that it takes a little extra muscle to coax the car into a turn from a stop -- and it did, but not much more. After all, this is a car that barely cracks 1,800 pounds soaking wet. Although, with the two of us aboard, we were past the 1-ton mark.

Once the blue Smart is up to 15-20 mph, the steering feels pretty similar to our Smart's. So, apparently, there's minimal EPS assist being provided once our long-term car has any kind of momentum going. Drop this option, and our 2008 long-termer drops from a $15,305 MSRP to $14,855. But I think I'd pay another $120 for the "additional gauges" option: I'm tired of living without a tach, dammit!

Erin Riches, Senior Editor

March 23, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe: It's Magnetic

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So one day, we come down into the depths of the parking garage and our Smart Fortwo seems to have found a friend. Jon Barrett, a vehicle data editor at Edmunds.com, reports the circumstances:

"I've been lucky enough to have been loaned a 2008 Smart Fortwo for the next couple months by a friend to help him advertise his designer watch store, Valencia Time Center. Driving the Smart around town is like driving a cute-looking magnet. Even friends of mine who maintain that they hate the Smart invariably ask the same question, "Can I take it for a drive?" And you know what? They usually come back with a grin, whether it's from enjoyment or just from laughing at how ridiculous the car is.

Continue reading...

March 19, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo: Road Trip to San Clemente

wouldyouratherbesmartorlucky.jpgI have a lot of LA freeway miles in our long-term 2008 Smart Fortwo under my belt. For reasons not entirely clear to me, I keep coming back to the challenge of driving this car. Perhaps it's because I don't value my own life as much as some of you do yours. Perhaps it's because I'm on the Penske payroll. Perhap it's because I'm simply dumb.

However, I tend to drive the same 25-mile stretch of freeway over and over (because it happens to lead to my boyfriend's house), so I know the traffic conditions and I know where all the ruts and joints are, and I plan accordingly to keep the engine its power band and the suspension relatively settled. Yesterday, I deviated from the plan and drove the car 70 miles from Santa Monica to San Clemente.

Because I am crazy, I found a way to enjoy the trip. The transmission, for example, works well when you call up a downshift at 70-80 mph. I tend to look very far ahead when I drive the Smart, so whenever I anticipated wanting to pass or could see an uphill grade coming, I maintained throttle position and pressed the paddle shifter for a 5-4 downshift. It was quick and smooth, and I didn't lose even 1 mph of speed.

In this one very specific situation, the Fortwo's automated single-clutch gearbox is preferrable to an automatic transmission.

Continue reading...

March 5, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe: Rain

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A city car like the Smart is all very cute when the sun is shining and you're motoring on city streets to the local bakery to pick up a load of baguettes. But what about when it's mid-winter and one of those big storms has come in off the Gulf of Alaska and you face a long drive home on the freeway where the water has puddled inches deep between the uneven concrete slabs?

Continue reading...

March 2, 2009

Big List of Fuel Economy

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Here is a list of most of our long-term vehicles with their best, worst and average fuel economy numbers over the life of the vehicle.

This list is missing a few that were not available at the time I was compiling this list.

Car
Best
Worst
Average
2008 Audi R8
20.3
11.7
15.3
2009 Audi A4 Avant
26.0
17.5
19.9
2008 BMW 135i
27.7
13.9
20.5
2002 BMW M3
23.5
12.3
17.5
2008 Dodge Grand Caravan
30.8
12.0
18.6
2009 Ford Flex
26.7
13.7
19.8
2008 Ford Focus
37.4
16.6
26.4
2007 Honda Civic GX
47.3
16.6
31.4
2009 Honda Fit Sport
37.1
28.0
32.1
2009 Hyundai Genesis
24.8
15.7
20.9
2009 Infiniti FX50
21.8
10.7
17.4
2009 Mazda 6
29.1
19.5
23.6
2008 Mitsubishi Evo X GSR
22.6
11.0
17.0
2008 Mitsubishi Evo X MR
24.7
11.7
16.8
2009 Nissan GT-R
21.8
11.5
16.6
2008 Pontiac G8 GT
24.0
12.0
17.4
2008 Smart Fortwo
43.2
29.7
33.7
2008 Subaru WRX STI
24.4
12.3
18.9
2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI
40.4
30.0
35.7
2005 Volkswagen Jetta Biodiesel
50.4
30.3
39.3

Follow the jump to see the list organized by average so you can see how they stack up against each other.

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

Continue reading...

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe: "Pull a U-Turn and Get Out of Here!"

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Saturday night I was on the way to dinner with a friend in the 2008 Smart Fortwo when the traffic on Pacific Coast Highway came to an abrupt stop.

Up ahead there was trouble but we couldn't see what was happening. The light turned green and we inched forward then came to a stop next to a wrecked car with tongues of fire flicking out from under the hood. As we waited for the light to turn the whole front of the car went up in flames.

Cop cars and fire equipment were pulling up all around us. I heard a frantic rapping on my window and rolled it down.

Continue reading...

February 18, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo: Little Big Car

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Something to appreciate about our 2008 Smart Fortwo: Even though it's a teeny-tiny car, it's still pretty tall. Driving it I've found myself riding higher than most other compact cars and even at nearly the same level as some crossovers. OK maybe that last part is just my imagination.

In any case, the Smart's unlikely height is why I don't get as intimidated by most cars as I am when I'm in my daily driver, a Corolla. In the Corolla, I fall below most people's line of sight and therefore it feels kinda scary. Can they see me? In the Smart, I can actually see over traffic a bit better on rush-hour crowded freeways.

Just for the heck of it, I thought I'd compare the height of our Smart to some of the other cars in our fleet.

Out of the following long-termers, which do you think is taller than the Smart (60.7 inches tall)?

2009 Audi A4 Avant?

2008 Ford Focus?

2009 Honda Fit?

2009 Mazda 6 i?

2008 Subaru Impreza WRX?

2009 Suzuki SX4?

2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI?

The answer after the jump.

Continue reading...

February 11, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo: Moving Paddle Shifters

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Some cars have this, too, but I'm not crazy about paddle shifters that move with the steering wheel, like they do in our 2008 Smart Fortwo. If I want to downshift/upshift at a turn, since my hands always go back to 10 and 2, I'm inevitably eyeballing or feeling around the wheel for the paddle shifters. Not good. I've since given up shifting with them at turns and just use the gearshifter.

I prefer paddle shifters fixed to the steering column because I don't have to search around for them and wait for them to come to me. Fixed, I know where they'll be every time. Not faulting the car, just letting you know that's how it is with the Smart. The R8 has traveling paddle shifters, too.

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor @ 13,807 miles

February 6, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo: You Want Cheesy Bread With That?

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With Obama's stimulus package hung up on the hill, I've taken matters into my own hands. Last week I started delivering pizzas at night in our long-term 2008 Smart Fortwo. Hey, times are tight, private school is killing me and that new 4-speed for my '55 Chevy is not going to pay for itself. 

So far so good, the money ain't bad and the Smart is accumulating the miles, but I'll tell you, taking that wrap off every morning and reinstalling it every night is getting old. Plus, everyone is wondering why the Smart smells like pepperoni.

Now remember, tips are appreciated.

Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief

February 2, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo: How It Gets More Power in a Hurry

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Last December I mentioned how our 2008 Smart Fortwo upshifts on its own, even when you're in manual mode. But another thing I found out that it does is downshift when you stomp on the throttle looking for more power in a hurry. Sure, automatic transmission cars do this anyway but I don't think I've ever seen an automanual car do it in manual mode.

This weekend when I was trying to follow a friend who was driving a Lexus SUV to a restaurant via the freeway, they jumped on the on-ramp and just gunned it. Since I was in the Smart (um, hello!), there was no way I could catch up with them but at the same time I didn't want to get lost. So I stomped on the throttle while in 4th gear. Wait for me!

Suddenly it seemed like the Smart was trying to muster all the strength it had and I saw that it downshifted to 3rd gear. Its little engine roared and strained. I thought for sure once it hit redline it would upshift itself to 4th as it had before. But nope. So I upshifted. Eventually I caught up with my friend...but that was just because when they realized they lost me they slowed down and waited for me in the slow lane.

Apparently the Audi R8 does this, too, in manual mode but the Nissan GT-R and Mitsubishi Evo X don't. Not that I'm saying the Smart in the same league as those cars. Pshaw! Just thought it was interesting and wondered which other cars do the same thing.

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor @ 13,471 miles

January 28, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo: Keeping the Pressure On

Last night I did what just about any driver does when they come to a red light. You've got nothing to do for the next 30 seconds, so you fidget with the radio, look at the people at the bus stop, adjust a vent, whatever to waste those 30 seconds.

But what I didn't realize is that while I was tuning the radio the car was slowly creeping forward. It was only when I looked up and saw a rear view mirror with a set of bug eyes staring at me in panic did I realize I didn't have enough pressure on the brake pedal.

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I tried it out a little later when I had another opportunity and I wasn't completely negligent. This sucker needs a lot more pressure than you might realize to keep it from moving. Almost to the point that if the light is a long one, your shin will start to burn.

Scott Jacobs, Senior Photographer

January 24, 2009

2008 smart fortwo, BMW X5, Audi R8: FMVSS 102 Transmission Shift Position Sequence

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In my last smart fortwo passion blog, the comments strayed away from the topic at hand (as is the point of the internet) and onto the shift pattern of the US model versus that of the European one. The statement from Bumby was "We didn't get the Euro shifter because the PRND layout is required by US law." EPBrown found an exception to this quickly "We're swimming in cars that use semi-auto gearboxes that use the N/R/+/- shifter. It's on every SMG-equipped BMW." That got me to thinking and then to researching exactly what is required by the NHTSA. And let me tell you now, it's not easy. The NHTSA only lists a "quick reference" guide to searching the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. In order to access the full text, one needs to go to http://www.gpoaccess.gov/ and search for "49 CFR 571." Obvious, right? Whatever, here it is:

FMVSS Rule 102 beings "Sec.571.102 Standard No. 102; Transmission shift position sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking effect. S1. Purpose and scope. This standard specifies the requirements for the transmission shift position sequence, a starter interlock, and for a braking effect of automatic transmissions, to reduce the likelihood of shifting errors, to prevent starter engagement by the driver when the transmission is in any drive position, and to provide supplemental braking at speeds below 40 kilometers per hour (25 miles per hour). " That sounds about what I was looking for.

The section that pertains to our question is S3.1.1: (S3.1, of course, being titled Automatic Transmissions.) "Location of transmission shift positions on passenger cars. A neutral position shall be located between forward drive and reverse drive positions." And S3.1.1.1: "Transmission shift levers. If a steering-column mounted transmission shift lever is used, movement from neutral position to forward drive position shall be clockwise. If the transmission shift lever sequence includes a park position, it shall be located at the end, adjacent to the reverse drive position."

Oh, but that only appears to deal with column-mounted shifters, not the nub of a shift lever the 2008 X5 uses,08.bmw.x5.shifter1.555.fmvss102.jpg let's try "S3.1.4 Identification of shift positions and of shift position sequence. S3.1.4.1 Except as specified in S3.1.4.3, if the transmission shift position sequence includes a park position, identification of shift positions, including the positions in relation to each other and the position selected, shall be displayed in view of the driver whenever any of the following conditions exist: (a) The ignition is in a position where the transmission can be shifted; or (b) the transmission is not in park." That would mean that the BMW's park button is legally acceptable, but still stupid.

But what about the R8 and BMWs with SMG? Well, S3.1.4.2 handles that:R8.555.fmvss102.jpg "Except as specified in S3.1.4.3, if the transmission shift position sequence does not include a park position, identification of shift positions, including the positions in relation to each other and the position selected, shall be displayed in view of the driver whenever the ignition is in a position in which the engine is capable of operation."

The rest of FMVSS 102 isn't nearly as exciting, but that seems to have settled the debate pretty thoroughly: PRND is not required, but N must be between D and R and, if applicable, Park must be labeled (as it is in the X5), and if there is no park (like the R8 and the 2008 M3 with DCT), gear position must be labeled and visible to the driver.

Here are quick links to FMVSS 102 and to the entirety of the Code of Federal Regulations Title 49: Transportation.

Mike Magrath, Vehicle Testing Assistant and unqualified legal researcher

Smart and X5 photos by Kurt Niebuhr, R8 photo by Bryan Moody

January 23, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion: Our Favorite Caption

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We got a good chuckle out of some of your captions. But there can only be one favorite.

Thanks, vwthing1.

There were some notable runners-up:

Car? Or motorized stroller for two?

Why is that jogger tailgating me?!

"One day when I grow up I'll be able to cross the street."

Guy in the sweeet C230 'Kompressor'- "Look, someone's dog left a big pile of crap on the sidewalk and they didn't pick it up. I can't stand that! Gross!"

Smart-a-Pottie

What was your favorite?

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion: You Write the Caption

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January 22, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe: Promotes Conservation

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There are a lot of negative things that can be said about our Long Term Smart: It's ugly. It's pointless. The transmission is lousy. The brake pedal is hinged in the wrong spot. It's uncomfortable. It's too hot because of the giant greenhouse and weak AC. You get the idea.

But what very few here have mentioned (or noticed) is that, when treated appropriately, the Smart can be fun to really drive.

What exactly is meant by "treated appropriately" ties directly into the title of this blog. And not in some lame tree-hugging eco way. Driving the Smart Fortwo teaches conservation of momentum-- A principle that allows Miatas and Elises to keep up on the track with cars running twice the horsepower. Driving the Smart requires the driver to be on the ball. Like a chess match, you need to be thinking ten steps ahead and be able to make decisive changes when that Camry drifts across three lanes with no blinkers and your entire game plan is shot.

In his second opinion of the 2009 BMW 335d, Josh Sadlier wrote: "Flat-foot the 335d at 10 mph and you, too, will be a convert to the Temple of Torque." That mentality is the opposite of the Smart and the opposite of smooth driving. (It is fun, though.) With cars like the 335d, GTR, or G8, thinking isn't always necessary. Get stuck behind some jerk going 15 under the speed limit? Wood it over to the next lane and you're clear. But the Smart's gas pedal is virtually useless, especially at freeway speed. As opposed to real cars where stomping on the throttle makes something happen, prodding the right-most pedal in the Smart is more like dropping a note in a suggestion box. Someone will get to it eventually. To keep pace in a Smart you must be constantly aware of your surroundings and must be constantly modulating the throttle inputs. Coast, half-throttle, 1/10th throttle, it doesn't matter. You do not, at any point in Smart driving, want to slam the brakes or be in a position where full throttle is necessary. If you do the world will pass you in a heartbeat.

Conservation of Momentum is a key to automobile racing not only because going faster is faster, but because it promotes smooth driving and smooth driving promotes longer tire life, better fuel economy and less stress upon vital brake and engine components.

A while ago at a track day I sat down with Chris Walton and asked him what I could do to get faster and be smoother. See, he had just set a lap record at Streets of Willow and I had spun harmlessly off the track. "Buy a motorcycle," he says, "it's all about throttle control, weight transfer, and intelligent braking." But I see another alternative; buy a Smart Fortwo Passion. It's as difficult to drive smoothly and quickly as anything on the market. Master that and the lessons learned are bound to transfer to simpler cars.

Mike Magrath, Vehicle Testing Assistant @ 13,060 miles

January 16, 2009

2008 Smart ForTwo: Rubber Mat is Dumb ForMe

Driver's All-Season Floor Mat where it Belongs

I've already bitched-a-plenty about the Smart's stupid floor-mounted brake pedal, but as I drove home last night I recognized one issue that exasperated the problem. The person who originally bought our ForTwo (we purchased it from him off eBay shortly after he took possession) ordered it with the accessory all-season floor mats. Naturally, they are rubber and have grooves in them. I noticed last night that my right shoe's rubber sole was constantly getting snagged by these rubber grooves. This, along with the added floor height made operating the wonky brake pedal even harder since I couldn't slide the bottom of my foot along the carpet.

Recognizing this, I immediately de-Velcroed the mat from the floor and chucked it into the trunk, or whatever that space behind the seats and over the engine is called. I noticed an immediate difference, with my foot now capable of sliding across the interior's carpet. The brake pedal design is still terrible, though, and it still takes concentration to not jam on the brakes and jerk the Smart to a stop.

Seeing as there's only 1 1/2 seasons here in SoCal, I'm thinking we can live without the all-season mats. I went ahead and left the driver's one in the trunkish area, so we'll see if it makes a difference for anyone else.

James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 12,573 miles 

January 13, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo: Spotted on the Freeway

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In another post on our 2008 Smart Fortwo I mentioned a theory I had about how Smart Car owners were avoiding the freeway since I had never seen one on our SoCal highways before, well, other than our own. But not only did I finally drive alongside and pass one going 50 mph in the No. 2 lane on the 10 East last weekend (sorry for the blurry photo above) but last night there was a police chase in L.A. involving a Smart.

You have to see it to believe it. Speeds were quoted as "often reaching 90 mph." The Smart's top speed is 93 mph. Were they able to catch him? Well, the cops only stopped chasing the driver when they confirmed his home address on the license and registration he had left behind when he was pulled over for speeding earlier. What a maroon.

And I swear it wasn't our Smart. The felonious Smart is blue.

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor

January 9, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo: Pirate Hat

Have you ever seen the movie Fast Times At Ridgemont High? Remember that part when Judge Reinhold is delivering food and a beautiful woman pulls up next to him and smiles? Then she laughs and takes off? It's only then that he notices he's wearing that stupid pirate hat?

Well, the same basic thing happened to me when I drove home from the office last night. Cute girl, giving me a look, then giggling and leaving.

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It was then I realized I'm driving a bright orange Smart. It's a giant pirate hat on wheels. She wasn't looking at me, but my car. Then laughing at the both of us.

That hurt the ego just a bit.

On a side note, driving into the office this morning I passed by a Mercedes dealership and saw the first Smart under $20k in a long time. It was fifteen and change, making a hell of a lot more sense that ridiculous $25k+ I'd seen earlier. If the price was a little lower still, the Smart would make a lot more sense to me.

Scott Jacobs, Senior Photographer

January 8, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion: One More Reason Not to Hate the Smart

plentyofroomtoopenthedoor.jpgOur 2008 Smart ForTwo is small and skinny, so when you park it, there's plenty of room to open its doors maximum-wide. That makes it easier to get in and out.

Our M3 is still on the DL, by the way, as it waits for a fresh set of tires.

Erin Riches, Senior Editor @ 12,639 miles

January 5, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo: There Is No Keyhole

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Following up on my post on Friday about the not-too-clear unlock/lock icons on the keyfob, a few of you (i.e. commenter fadetoblackii) may have wondered why I don't just use the actual key to unlock our 2008 Smart Fortwo, especially when in a hurry. As commenter epbronw pointed out, there is no keyhole.

There is, however, a key symbol to let you know where the keyhole is located. Unfortunately it's concealed by a plastic cover that appears to require implements to remove it. So no quick and easy entry for me.

I tried looking online how to remove that cover but no such luck. The user manual I downloaded makes no mention of it, just that if your keyfob doesn't work, you should replace the battery.

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor

January 2, 2009

2008 Smart Fortwo: Needs Clearer Lock/Unlock Symbols

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Something that always bugged me about our 2008 Smart Fortwo is the unlock/lock symbols on its keyfob. In the picture above you can easily tell the difference which symbol means to unlock or lock the car.

But....

Continue reading...

December 29, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe: Do it, Wall-E!

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For those of you who maybe haven't seen it, Wall-E, the eponymous title character of Disney-Pixar's doomsday flick, crushes the trash which has rendered earth uninhabitable into tidy cubes and then stacks them into neat skyscrapers. I parked here hoping the inflatable would do the same job to the smart. It didn't which I suppose is a good thing as in the last few months since this picture was taken I've come to respect and, in some instances, really like the silly little smart. But that's not the point. I took this picture in July and have yet to come up with a clever caption for it. Your turn.

Caption this photo.

Mike Magrath, Vehicle Testing Assistant

December 11, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion: My Favorite Candy

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December 10, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: Keeping Me Warm at Night

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This is the reason I chose to take our 2008 Smart Fortwo over the biodiesel Jetta last night. I don't know about you but 58 degrees is pretty chilly out and I wanted to keep warm on the drive home. OK, I use seat heaters even when it's 72 degrees out.

In any case, I kinda like the cloth seats with the seat heater, it makes the seat feel like I'm sitting on a heated blanket. And at the highest level -- the two bars -- I was comfortable, not scorched. The heating seems focused primarily on my lower back though and not so much my bottom. But I'm not complaining. Rush hour was nice and cozy.

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor

December 1, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: The Handless Manual Upshift

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During our long weekend I found out something interesting about our lil' 2008 Smart Fortwo: Even in manual mode it still upshifts on its own. I was jumping on the freeway, which was unusually empty due to most Angelenos being out of town for the holiday, and had the car in manual mode so that I could have more oomph to merge when I noticed this. When the car hit its limit loudly in 1st gear it automatically went to 2nd before I could flick the paddle shifter. I checked to make sure the gearshift was in fact moved over in the manual mode and it was.

Funny enough, "shifting" this way is a lot smoother than when you do it yourself or when you have it in automatic mode.

BTW, I also noticed while on the freeway that there aren't any other Smarts out there. I see Fortwos out and about on the city streets but have yet to see another one on the freeway. This leads me to wonder if Smart drivers are purposely avoiding the highways.

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor @ 11,495 miles

November 17, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: Anatomy Of A Smart

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Long-Term Blogophiles will recall that I've had some trouble with non-auto-off headlights. This morning I had an inconvenient case of deja vu. I hit the remote unlock button on the Smart's key...nothing. After popping the plastic cover off the door lock and manually unlocking the door, I confirmed that I'd left the lights on overnight -- and the battery was as dead as Marvin of Pulp Fiction fame.

What I needed was a trusty Magrath, and sure enough, he rolled up in the GT-R a few minutes later, jumper cables in hand.

"Huh," he mused aloud. "I wonder where the battery is in this thing."

Continue reading...

November 14, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: They Have a Hermes Edition?

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I was telling Inside Line editor Michael Jordan about how our 2008 Smart Fortwo caused a motorist distracted by it to crash into a concrete pillar in our parking garage the other day when he told me about the new Hermes edition of the Fortwo. Immediately I Googled it. It's so...pretty!

The Hermes "Fortwo edition Toile" Smart Car, created to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Smart Fortwo, is swathed in sumptuous Hermes leather and is available in 10 fashionable colors. However, it costs about $48,564. And I think that's just due to its luxurious interior materials; there was no mention of performance mods.

At least our $13,590 is an eye-catching, accident-causing Red Metallic. I saw a black Fortwo this morning. Bo-ring!

PS: Regarding the Smart maintenance invoice mentioned earlier, apparently it's not itemized so we're currently working on getting a more detailed listing. Look for a future post on the matter.

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor @ 10,919 miles

November 13, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: The Anti-Yaris

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The Smart is a blast to drive. Is there some reason we're keeping this a secret?

For all the comments recorded so far, you'd think that the Smart is some kind of high-fashion Trabant, a crude auto-troglodyte dressed up in a snappy marketing campaign. But instead it's a city car for people who like cars.

You can tell that you're in something good as soon as you take a seat. The whole cabin is a masterpiece of ergonomics and style -- expansive field of view, superior driving position, supportive seat, great steering wheel and simple, intuitive controls. The Smart shows you what a horror of bad manga animation the cockpit of the Nissan GT-R really is.

Yet it's the driving where the Smart really makes its point. The controls feel perfectly European -- direct, communicative and lively. And the Smart asks you to drive it. If you want to go fast, you must use the throttle pedal and then the triple behind you answers with a smooth, motorcycle-style growl, as if it's turbocharged.

You can also work the single-clutch automated manual transmission pretty effectively with the throttle pedal in Drive, without any thrashing about with the shift paddles on the steering wheel. The drivetrain gives you so much advance warning of its intention to shift a gear that it practically sends a semaphore signal, so it's simple to ease shift shock with a lift of the throttle at slow speed or instead just put your foot down to hold a gear for uninterrupted acceleration. Kickdowns are slow (although quicker than the Ford Edge's six-speed automatic), while upshifts are quicker than almost anybody (including many in this office) can work a clutch-type transmission.

As a result, you find yourself hurtling around town in the Smart at top speed without any thought to fuel economy, making a pest of yourself just like those early adopters in the 1950s who drove the VW Beetle. In fact, the Smart is the VW Beetle of the 21st century. It's a car with a simplicity that can be mistaken for crudeness, and it tests your attitudes about transportation as well as your driving skill.

If you like to drive, the Smart is your kind of car. If you like to be carried around in a coma-like state by some kind of transportation pod -- one of those sad little entry-level cars like the Toyota Yaris that begins to apologize for its cheapness as soon as you twist the ignition key -- well, good luck to you.

Michael Jordan, Executive Editor, Inside Line @ 10,844 miles

November 11, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: Please Don't Hit Me

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In Los Angeles, drivers have this habit of either not signaling when they want to switch lanes or signaling as they switch lanes, never mind if you back off and give them room or not. You just have to be on constant guard so that you don't get sideswiped.

I've gotten used to dealing with this in normal-size cars but when it's in our 2008 Smart Fortwo it's a terrifying experience. The front and rear ends are so close to where I'm sitting that I feel like these crazy drivers are going to take me out as they come across the front of me or come up behind me at fast speeds. I honk my horn to say "Please don't hit me" but it sounds so ridiculous that people just laugh.

However, I have found that this size is also handy for moving through slow-moving traffic. I just downshift and squirt in between cars as soon as I clear them, which takes no time at all. This morning I danced around a distracted G35 and shamefully slow Cayman. Ha! OH and I was able to make a three-point turn in my small one-car driveway so I could merge onto my street nose first.

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor @ 10,844 miles

November 6, 2008

2008 smart fortwo passion coupe: Service

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Smart of Beverly Hills couldn't schedule an appointment until next Wednesday. That is, except for one 7:00am appointment on Friday morning that would see our car returned "no earlier than 4pm". Forget that.

I made a quick call to the smart center of Universal City--closer to my house anyways-- and they could take me the same day. Funny how a change of only a few miles translates to vastly different realities...this dealership, as opposed to the ones here in Santa Monica, is selling smarts at MSRP.

The dealership is under construction and I drove by twice. When I finally got there the smart was whisked away almost immediately with a promised return time of 1-hour. I was waiting on this one so I really hoped they 'd stick to that. 45-minutes later I got the call that the service was complete and I could pick up the car.

The damage was $210.93 for an oil change and routine checks. This proves once again that the smart is in only an economy car in build quality. I want to like this car but it's getting harder every day.

Mike Magrath, Vehicle Testing Assistant @ 10,759 miles

November 5, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: Orange is the New Black

smart-shifter-555.jpgIt wasn't until I left my neighborhood this morning that I realized both the Smart Fortwo and I were wearing orange.

The car attracts enough attention on its own. Didn't need to be the dorky girl who dresses to match her car.

sweater-555.jpgKelly Toepke, News Editor @ 10,736 miles

2008 smart fortwo passion coupe: Better than the R8

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On more than a few occasions people have come back into the office after driving the smart and compared it with the R8: They both get a lot of attention from onlookers. Both cars seat only two and both cars have absolutely pathetic transmissions. They're also both pretty useless vehicles despite the Audi's claim to the 911's title of every-day supercar. Well guess what, every day people go grocery shopping. And for this type of thing the smart fortwo is clearly superior to the Audi R8 by one Whole Foods bag.

Mike Magrath, Vehicle Testing Assistant

November 3, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: A Mouse in the House?

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We've got a new one to add to the list of complaints about the Smart's brake pedal: it squeaks. Over the weekend, not only was I reminded of how much effort it requires to keep the Smart stopped while waiting at a light (I've just resorted these days to putting it in park), but it now emits a sound similar to that of a distressed rodent -- or a doggie squeeze toy.

Hopefully they'll take care of that when we finally take it in for service (we're T-minus 600 miles now, btw). Otherwise, I'm unleashing a can of WD-40 on that sucka.

Laura Burstein, Automotive Editor @ 10,557 miles

October 30, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: Time for Service? You Better Have Good Eyes.

tinysmartservicereminder.jpgOne convenience feature in our 2008 Smart Fortwo is an oil service reminder. But like the rest of the car, the reminder is tiny and easy to miss. It's an itty-bitty wrench that flashes for about 15 seconds at start-up. If you're busy with something else like buckling your seatbelt, you'll miss it.

That is why we're now at "-500" -- meaning we should have changed the oil 500 miles ago. The "-500" also only appears during the 15-second window; thereafter, you see the normal odometer display.

If you're wondering, we do take foolish pride in our lack of punctuality. However, at this point, it seems like the Smart's maintenance wrench should be staying on all the time to give the owner a necessary kick in the butt. But it doesn't.

A service appointment is being scheduled. We'll let you know how it goes.

Erin Riches, Inside Line Senior Editor @ 10,520 miles

October 29, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: Dumb Money

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As our man Jacobs reported recently, Angelenos just can't get enough of the Smart. Here's a shot of the local dealership mentioned in that post. Want your very own 2008 Fortwo Passion Coupe, same model as ours, with a pristine 21 miles on the clock? "Bring money," as Snake Doc likes to say -- $25,825, to be precise.

But here's what really got me. While I was staring incredulously at that price tag, another one caught my eye.

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I strolled over to take a look. It was a mint 1999 Porsche 911 Carrera, six-speed manual, with 59,835 miles. Yours for $574 more than the crappiest car on the market.

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I love L.A.

Josh Sadlier, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com 

October 27, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: Fuel Economy Update

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My reward for bad-mouthing the Smart on Friday? Keys for the weekend, of course. I bucked and droned my way down the 405 to Newport Beach yesterday and came up with a brilliant idea for a three-car comparo: Wrangler, Elise, Smart -- Cruising On The Highway Like It's 1923!

Anyway, fuel efficiency is supposed to be one of the Smart's strong points, right? So I figured it was time to update the fuel log and see how we're doing. Against an EPA combined estimate of 36 mpg, we're averaging a somewhat disappointing 33.4 mpg -- and I'm hesitant to blame our chronically leaden feet for this deficit, since wooding it in the Smart is about as pleasant as punching yourself in the face.

Moreover, that's 33.4 mpg on premium, which means the Smart will run you an extra 27 cents per gallon at current prices. If premium costs $3.27 and regular costs $3.00, then as far as your wallet's concerned, getting 33.4 mpg in the Smart is the same as getting 30.6 mpg in a car that runs on regular.

Josh Sadlier, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com @ 10,516 miles

October 24, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: Smarten Up

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Here's the biggest problem with our long-term Smart Fortwo:

It's priced like a real car.

Whenever someone asks me for my opinion of the Smart, I reply, "It might make some sense...if it cost eight or nine grand." But ours listed for over $15k. That's real-car money. Honda Fit money. Base Mazda 3 or Elantra or Civic or Corolla money. Hell, our Smart even makes the base Yaris looks like a bright idea at $12k and change, not to mention the Accent coupe at $11k.

Now, suppose the Smart got ridiculously good gas mileage. Say, 50 city/70 highway, something like that. In that case, it would be understandable that this thing is exceeding sales expectations, with the first two years of stateside Smarts already spoken for back in March. Fuel economy is sexy these days, so I could see why people would want to pony up real-car coin for a toy car with mega-MPGs. But the Smart's 36 mpg combined figure is frankly pathetic for something this small -- and that's using the required premium unleaded, of course.

So the Smart's sales success leaves me scratching my head. Lop $6 or $7k off the price of our Fortwo, and sure, I'd recommend it as an unrefined and impractical but affordable alternative to a real car. As it stands, though, this has got to be the worst $15k you could possibly spend on a new car today.

Josh Sadlier, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com @ 10,327 miles

October 1, 2008

2008 Smart ForTwo: Gas Gamble

Smart Gas Gauge on Empty

Whoever drove the Smart on Monday evening was kind enough to leave the next driver with an 1/8 of a tank of gas. Or rather, somewhere between an 1/8 of a tank or empty since the Smart features an annoying gas gauge that features only 8 digital bars rather than the more nuanced swinging dial or even the 13-bar digital gauge found in the Nissan Rogue Pumpkin Edition I drove this weekend.

Unfortunately, I didn't discover the Smart was drained until a split second after I had passed our nearby gas station. I could either get out of the line for the freeway and turn around somewhere, or I could risk it. I knew there was about 7 miles until the next gas station, so I gambled seeing as no gas light came on (that's if the Smart even had one. You'd think it should, but you never know with this thing).

I made it home with no gas light and the 1/8 bar was still in tact. Fine, I'll gamble again the next morning. Half-way in this morning, the gas pump logo started blinking and the trip meter was replaced by a gallon countdown. The latter is actually pretty useful. I made it to the gas station and pumped 7.875 gallons into the 8.7-gallon tank. When I looked into the fuel log, it turns out this was the second-most someone had gambled. Magrath put 7.953 gallons into her.

James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 9,793 miles

Fuel Mileage Update After the Jump

Continue reading...

September 26, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: Fashion = Money

With the Hummer limping out into oblivion, gas prices on the rise and a global economic downturn making freak out about money, the Smart has become a hot buy for the budget conscience. Well, a hot buy here in West LA. I see them zipping up and down Wilshire and Santa Monica boulevards all the time.

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Prices are commensurate with such trendy adulations. The dealership I drive past every day on my way to and from work has a lot filled with Smarts all priced at an affordable $22k. Wait, $22k?!? I thought this was supposed to be an economy car! Ours had an MSRP of $15,305 just six months ago. Supply and demand can really suck.

I drove our Smart for the first time last night and just kept thinking, "is this car worth it?" from a money and a "could I live with this" perspective.  The answer was simple: No.

I'd much rather have an alternative, like the 2009 Honda Fit. Priced just over $18k, you get more power, more room, four seats and a nav system. It might not be as fuel efficient as the Smart, but our observed 30mpg is pretty darn good. If you figure there is at least a $1,400 price difference between the two here in LA and gas at an overestimated $4 a gallon, that's 350 gallons of price difference!

Driving those 350 gallons, or roughly 10k+ miles through LA traffic highways and byways, I'd much rather have the comfort, the space, the power and the nav of the Fit.

Scott Jacobs, Senior Photographer

2008 Smart Fortwo: Help Us Help The Smart

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Our long-term Smart Fortwo needs help. The vitriol we've spewed in this thing's direction makes the Aura look like the M3, yet its year with us is barely halfway over. Every time I've driven the Smart in recent weeks, I've returned the keys with one thought on my mind:

What can we do to spice this car up?

I've got my own ideas, but I want to hear yours first. And no, this will not fit in our garage.

Josh Sadlier, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com @ 9,643 miles

September 24, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: See? It Can Carry Some Stuff

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Check out what I was able to do with our 2008 Smart Fortwo during the weekend of my big move. Fortunately I also had use of a rented U-Haul and a Dodge Ram pickup to move a one-bedroom apartment's worth of stuff but the Smart was good enough to tote four of my moving boxes at least, as well as serve as the go-fetch car when I just wanted to pick up food for my hungry friends who helped me move.

And since it helped a bit, I feel I have to say one more good thing about it. I like that it has bun warmers. Not something I'd normally expect of an "econocar" with cloth seats.

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor @ 9,633 miles

The Big List of Fuel Economy

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I was thinking the other day (always a dangerous proposition, I know) and wondering how all the current (or really, really recently departed) Edmunds/Inside Line long-term vehicles stack up against each other in fuel economy, at least the fuel economy we've been recording during their time with us. So I made a list. For you and for me. In case we were both wondering.

The only current vehicles missing from my list are the Audi R8 and the Dodge Grand Caravan, and that's because no one has entered any fuel data into the tracking spreadsheet for those vehicles yet. The very top and the very bottom of the list aren't going to surprise anybody (I don't think), but the middle is kinda interesting. Seeing the Rondo and the WRX so close to each other made me raise my eyebrows. Ditto the Ford GT's spot above the Veracruz. Ready to check it all out? Follow the jump with me.

Continue reading...

September 16, 2008

2008 Smart ForTwo: Proving it's not all bad

 

Smart side bins that are actually smart

Figuring that traffic wasn't going to be bad last night (Monday's are often free and easy), I opted for the Smart. Good move, because the Smart really is an excellent little city car when you're not herking and jerking around in gridlock. Like all small cars (and moreso), the Smart cuts through cars with ease and can fit through gaps like nothing else can. I once even hyphothetically dodged a stopped bus at an intersection by briefly buzzing up onto a sidewalk and through a gas station. Couldn't hypothetically do that in a Fit.

I also like that I fit comfortably in the thing. I wish the driver seat went as far back as the passenger seat does, but even without the extra inches of travel, I'm more comfortable in this itzy bitzy carlet than most other compact and subcompact cars.

Finally, I like the bins on either side of the steering column. It's a perfect place for leaving an iPod while driving, especially given the glovebox-mounted jack location that's useful when parking. It was also the perfect place to store a full-size walkie talkie during our Fuel Sipper Smackdown.

So there, it's not all bad. If they just fixed the damn brake pedal and transmission, I'd really like this little thing.

James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 9,861 miles

September 15, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: You're a Winner Just For Showing Up

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I have been going to the same car wash for 8 1/2 years (yes, I am old, and no, I don't like change). In that time, less than a dozen vehicles I've driven there have been special enough for the staff to park them out front while toweling them off. Most vehicles are banished to the side lot, which is only visible from a side street. Our 2008 Smart Fortwo is by far the slowest, least expensive car that has ever been bestowed the "out front" honor.

In other news, I continue to drive the Smart with abandon, even at the risk of upsetting freeway mates and blog participants. However, during 120 miles of driving over the weekend, the car averaged only 26 mpg, which is directly attributable to my driving habits. As seen in Edmunds' Gas Sipper Smackdown, in the right hands, the car is capable of much better numbers.

Continue reading...

September 9, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: Road Worry

smart.555.jpgOn the freeway this morning, I couldn't resist taking this photo over my shoulder of the massive Ford truck that kept riding up on the Smart Fortwo's stubby, little bumper.

After a few miles of him playing cat to my mouse, the camera flash seemed to encourage him to back the heck off.

It wasn't until I uploaded the photo to my computer that I realized there were actually three large trucks abreast right behind me.

Driving the Smart can be fun, but it often comes with a feeling of inadequacy. Especially in heavy traffic.

Kelly Toepke, News Editor @ 9,080 miles

September 8, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe: Aux in Box

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Last Friday I did the unthinkable. I drove the car I was assigned to, the Hyundai Veracruz, out of our office complex, turned immediately around and went back into the building to get the keys to the Smart. Now it's not that I don't like the Veracruz (save for the steering, I dislike that greatly) it's just that for my needs this weekend the Smart was the better option.

My needs you ask? Driving home Friday while listening to an audiobook on my iPod and then driving into work Monday while listening to the same tale. I planned on doing a lot of walking this weekend, I doubted I'd put 50 miles on whatever I took home.

Concealed conveniently in the glove box (where it should be to prevent wires snaking throughout the cockpit) of the Smart is an aux input. The Hyundai doesn't have one. Chalk one-- and just one-- win for the little red shoe.

Mike Magrath, Vehicle Testing Assistant @ 8,802 miles

September 3, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: My Turn

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Since I had some seat time in the Smart this weekend, I've finally got some first-hand impressions to share. In the spirit of the Smart, I'll keep my comments short - compact, even.

Continue reading...

August 29, 2008

2008 Smart ForTwo: Gridlock Car From Hell

Smart Brake Pedal

You'd think a car this small would be perfect for gridlock. It's tiny footprint should allow it to slice through tight spots and zip through traffic, and actually, it does that. Unfortunately, it's a still a nightmare. We've already gone over ad nauseum the automated manual transmission that jerks and jiggles you around at 5 mph speeds as if a teenage driver is slipping the clutch for you.

But for me, the biggest issue is the brake pedal. I don't know how other people drive (in particular weirdo Franco-German mini car designers), but I leave my heal on the floor and fan it from accelerator and brake. The Smart's floor-mounted brake pedal is at an angle like this / , but my foot is going at it like this \ . That means I usually have to lift my heel off the ground and push it with my toes. That's when the Smart's Mercedes-like modulation comes into play, with a lot of nebulous dead travel greeted by abrupt grab. So I often jerk to halt, or if I actually manage to be more gradual about it, then the transmission comes in and jiggles and jerks things.

I really wanted to like the Smart, but honestly, what a heap.

James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 8,526 miles 

August 28, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe: Tell Me Why I'm Wrong

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The Smart Fortwo is utterly pointless. It makes about as much sense as adding an instant replay rule in the middle of baseball season. OK, I can park it almost anywhere - when I live in the crowded Assemblie Nationale area of Paris, I'll get one. Until then, I'll just hang my head in sorrow each time I see someone who spent good money on a car that has almost no redeeming qualities. Even the Saturn Ion was better than this thing.

The added benefit of parking ease and slightly better fuel economy in NO WAY makes up for the compromises in ride comfort, handling, convenience, interior noise, flexibility and pride. Get a Ford Focus, Honda Civic or Mazda 3 instead.

Brian Moody, Road Test Editor @ 8,400 miles  

August 21, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: Checking the Oil is Kinda Easy, Kinda Not

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I realized this morning that the novelty (or more likely, my own lack of knowledge) of the Smart's rear-mounted 996cc three-cylinder engine was keeping me from checking the oil. So this morning, I went around the back of the car and ripped up the carpet, determined to engage in this gratifyingly simple act of basic car maintenance.

First order of business was to unscrew the metal panel over the engine compartment (shown above). There's only one screw, and there's a handy plastic tab on it, so no screwdriver needed.

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Then, I moved the panel out of the way, but still had to hold up the carpet and padding, which seems to be fairly permanently attached. Seeing the three-cylinder engine for the first time was a pretty unceremonious occasion. However, the engine looks exactly as I expected it to -- based on how it sounds and feels under hard acceleration.

Continue reading...

August 20, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: Editor Loses All Credibility in Tiny Car

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Last night I got on the freeway in our long-term 2008 Smart Fortwo, and I made the mistake of enjoying myself.

By any reasonable and modern standard, the Smart is not a good car. But I like driving not-good cars. Even downright bad cars are sometimes OK. And I can think of at least one way in which our Smart is better than my stepfather's '92 Civic VX hatch: It doesn't feel like it's going to shake itself apart at 85 mph -- in fact, with no crosswinds on a calm evening, the Fortwo feels relatively stable. Of course, it hops and crashes over expansion joints, but what do you expect from a car with a 73.5-inch wheelbase and rudimentary suspension?

The main reason I like driving the Smart at freeway speeds is that I feel like this car needs me. It's not a 3 Series or a Passat. In trite terms, it's not going to "drive itself." It needs me to pay attention and drive defensively.

Continue reading...

August 13, 2008

Nissan GT-R versus Audi R8 versus Smart: My Head Hurts

GT-R and R8 and Smart.jpgWhat's that old joke about the ultimate in mixed emotions?

"Your ex-wife going over a cliff in your new Porsche."

I remembered that joke when I walked through the garage today and saw these three cars parked together. I kept trying to tell myself how cool it was to see the R8 and GT-R in close proximity, but the Smart Fortwo kept trashing my "dream garage" fantasy.

Maybe it was actually a good thing. Having two such amazing vehicles right next to each other might cause some sort of "cool-car overload," creating a temporal anomaly, unraveling the time-space continuum and destroying the universe! Admittedly, that's a worst-case scenario; the destruction might be confined to our own galaxy.

Either way, the Smart does an effective job of equalizing the "cool car" energy that could otherwise risk our total annihilation.

Karl Brauer, Edmunds.com Editor in Chief  

August 7, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: Rose-Colored Glasses Are Off

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My best friend was visiting from San Francisco so I took a couple of days off and asked to borrow our 2008 Smart Fortwo. No, I wasn't trying to punish my friend. I figured since we were going to be driving all around Los Angeles it would be the perfect car to have since it can fit in nearly any size parking space. I also thought she'd get a kick out of its novelty.

I used to like the Smart...before I had to drive it two days straight in and around Los Angeles -- on freeways, crosstown, in rush-hour traffic, to the airport. I don't like it so much now. It seems to have gotten worse or maybe now that my rose-colored glasses have been thrown off I am more aware of its faults. But it vibrates a lot, even when stopped. When I press the brake (which you have to press firmly all the way down so the car doesn't creep) and am just sitting there, the Smart jerks as if someone has bumped it from behind. I don't know why it does that.

Continue reading...

August 4, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: I'll Take a Justy Instead.

 

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Remember that list we showed last week?  A staff survey on forms of transport we'd prefer to our Smart Fortwo?  Well, hop in Doc's Delorean -- we're going for a ride back to 1988...

Twenty years ago, I needed a second car, something for short money that was good on gas and good in the snow. I didn't want to use my nice '69 Firebird 350 Convertible (Blue with White top and interior) that I bought over the summer as a daily driver.  I ended up buying a new, leftover '87 Subaru Justy GL 5-speed.  

Okay...after you're done laughing follow the jump.  

 

Continue reading...

July 25, 2008

2008 smart fortwo: Perfunctory Praise And Brutal Honesty

smart parking blog.jpgThere's one way in which our long-term smart fortwo is by far my favorite car in the fleet: it makes my parking space at home seem adequately sized. Look at those concrete walls on either side -- not pleasant when I'm trying to squeeze a midsize sedan in there (anything larger than that gets parked on the street). But the smart's tiny turning circle and golf-cart length make quick work of tight spots like this one. And hey, it's even better than a golf cart -- it's got an enclosed cabin.

Alright, now for the brutal honesty. We have a whiteboard "Question of the Week" here in the editorial department, and this week's prompt was "Forms of transport I'd rather take than the smart." As you'll see after the jump, we're harboring a fair amount of bitterness toward our creamsicle-colored cruiser. (Note: regarding item #7, please direct all vitriol to M. Magrath, Vehicle Testing Assistant.)   

Josh Sadlier, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com @ 7,265 miles

Continue reading...

2008 Smart Fortwo: Tall and Skinny

 

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I couldn't resist taking a cellphone pic yesterday of the visual dichotomy presented when I parked the lightest car sold in America next to the second-lightest car sold in America.

2008 Smart Fortwo: 1,808 pounds, 106.1 inches long, 60.7 inches tall

2008 Lotus Elise: 1,984 pounds, 149 inches long, 44 inches tall

Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor

July 22, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: Audio Controls

 

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The 2008 Smart Fortwo is all about efficiency of space. But that idea didn't quite make it to the audio controls. If anything, the "head unit" is wasted space.

The prominent "SRC" button cycles just two things: the CD player and AUX input. There's a "Mute" button, but it effectively does the same thing as the power button. The "Menu" button is hardly a menu as there's just one function listed: Loud, which is a bit ironic given that our car has just two speakers.

IMG_6750-1.JPGMeanwhile, you're left with a plain-looking display, presets with poor tactile feel, a small volume knob and tedious tune/seek buttons.

Here's a photo with a representation of a traditional double-DIN head unit. Smart, if it were smart, would have consolidated a lot of the audio buttons and made the whole thing smaller or more efficient.

Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor @ 7,221 miles

July 14, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: Five Reasons To Buy

 

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Everything you've read in the blog posts so far is true. This car has issues. But having driven our Fortwo around for the past few days, I can see why somebody would still want to own one. Here's why:

1) It's cute. When it comes to car-buying, this isn't a factor to be ignored. Remember how popular the VW New Beetle was when it first came out?

2) It's efficient. Yes, you'd hope it'd do better. But it still gets 33 mpg city and 41 mpg highway, which is better than just about every other car out there.

3) It's inexpensive. Yes, the value equation is pretty poor for a Smart Fortwo. But a base Passion coupe like ours lists at $13,590. That's not a whole lot of cash for a new car.

4) It draws lots of attention. I've had more people come up to me in this car asking questions than anything else in recent memory. People notice Ferraris and such, but there's an aura of elitism that keeps them away. Because of reasons one through three, people feel comfortable talking to you. Guys want to know about it. Girls smile at you.

5) It can be fun. This is mostly a combination of all the elements above. A Corolla is a better car, but buying a car is rarely just about functionality.

Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor @ 7,073 miles

July 11, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: Passion at the Laundromat

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Things were looking up as I drove our 2008 Smart Fortwo to the laundromat: I got a longing look from a guy in a yellow Pontiac Aztek. It was a first-year Aztek, black cladding and all, so he's hard-core.

On a more practical note, the Smart's clamshell-type hatch makes it easy to slide a laundry basket in and out.

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As with perhaps too many things on this little car, though, the hatch has one major design flaw that's guaranteed to drive you crazy if you own the car.

Continue reading...

July 9, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe: Parking Problem

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Even with the jerky transmission and the brakes which get a little touchy at low speed, the Smart is remarkably easy to park. Easier still is finding spaces to park in. Well, easy until you have to deal with the local parking enforcement drones. It's not fun.

"Leave it there I'm gonna ticket it."

"Why?"

"Can't park two cars in the same spot. And it's facing the wrong way."

"How do you know that guy didn't steal my spot? It's not in the road, and it's not backwards, what's the problem? Would you ticket a motorcycle parked like this?"

"No, but that's a car. You leave it and there'll be a ticket when you get back."

Being a native of an eastern seaport town whose roads were planned and carved 100-years before the Model-T and parking is an art form as much as it is a guessing game, I was a fan of the Smart before I ever had a chance to drive one. But now, having driven one a LOT, the disappointment is overwhelming. It's not good in the city, and thanks to needlessly rigid parking jerks it's no easier to park than a Mini, Fit, Aveo or Yaris. It's sort of a let down.

But hey, it's cute, right?

Mike Magrath, Vehicle Testing Assistant @ 8,010 miles.

July 8, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe: Thing Runs On Premium

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Ummm. Talk about ironical. Last night I drove home in our long term 2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe. Don't worry, I scooted down in the seat so nobody I know would see me. The zany part is that this little car runs on premium fuel. There it is in black and white on the fuel filler door. I couldn't believe my eyes. Reminds me of the time I was forced to listen to the musical stylings of the Bacon Brothers. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

What's next in this mad, mad world, a car with a gasoline burning engine and the added efficiency of an electric motor. The world needs a vacation.

Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief @ 6,801 miles

July 7, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe: Things are as close as they appear.

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Has this ever happened to you? Upon leaving the filling station you're met with a strange new clunk and then, upon visual inspection out the side view mirror you notice you've forgotten to shut the fuel door. And to screw-in the filler-cap.

Well, in just about every other car on the market, to remedy this you'd have to pull over, get out of the car and fix it. What a pain!

But if you were to be driving the smart fortwo, and had a nearly six-foot passenger with moderate levels of flexibility, all would not be lost. Just ask him to reach out and screw it back in while you continue to drive as normal. No time lost. No unnecessary stopping.

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Mike Magrath, Vehicle Testing Assistant @ 6,785 miles.

June 30, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion: Less to Love

After reading the blog comments about the 2008 Smart Fortwo's track testing I realized that if you say anything good about our Smart you better run for cover.

So, just to establish my masculinity right up front I'll weigh in first with a typical jab of the Smart: "The acceleration is a joke!" Now, with that out of the way, let me point out something that's pretty convenient about the Smart.

You never have to take it to the car wash.

After driving it out of our dungeon -- er, parking garage -- I woke up Saturday morning and found the nose covered in weird white stuff, like it had been driven through a blizzard of moths. I knew the car wash would be packed so I decided to give it a hobo bath...

Continue reading...

June 20, 2008

2008 Smart fortwo passion coupe: Track Testing!

The day you've all been waiting for has finally arrived, kids, the track test results for our 1.0L, 70 horsepower Long Term Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe!

As you can plainly see on the face of Senior Road Test Editor Josh Jacquot, we were on the edge of our seats for this one.

Follow the jump for the full results...

Continue reading...

June 19, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: Little Car, Big Noise

Photo by Caroline Pardilla

The days are getting warmer here in Santa Monica so yesterday, I decided to drive our 2008 Smart Fortwo with the windows down since it was so beautiful out and I wanted the fresh air, not the A/C. Thing is, I came to realize that our funny little econocar sounds like an old beater truck when it accelerates. I hadn't noticed how loud it was until I drove with the windows down. "Day-um!" my passenger exclaimed as the Smart roared loudly from the stoplight...

Continue reading...

June 16, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion: They Like Me! They Really Like Me!

Everyone loves you if you drive a Smart car.  At least that's what I found this past weekend.  Wherever I went, the grocery, the post office, people would descend with questions, lots and lots and lots of questions, like the firefighters pictured here.

I don't have a ton of new news to report.  Like everyone says, the ride is awful.  If you are a head-banging punk-rocker, the Smart provides great training, but if you are a normal human being with no aspirations to be the next Sid Vicious, the constant lurch-a-thon that is driving the Smart is kind of a drag.  The gear shifts take a full second, which can suck the fun out of driving.  Driving on the highway wasn't quite as bad as everyone said.  Though if the surface is groovy, the ride is not so groovy.  The small tires try to follow the grooves and that makes for an unpleasant sensation; but hey, at least you're not lurching!

Despite what it looks like, it is roomy enough for two non-munchkins to drive in comfortably.  I'm 6'4" and I fit just fine.  The even bigger surprise was cargo.  As pictured here, I could fit a grocery bag or two, an laptop bag, AND  a portable refrigerator that I was selling. 

Would I buy one myself?  Um, no.  But it was perfectly fine as a weekend driving experiment.

Glenn McClanan, Video Producer @ 5,767 miles

June 13, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion: Yabba Dabba Do!

Flintstones car

Driving home in the Smart Fortwo last night, I noticed there are three distinct kinds of Smart spectators on the road.

1. Over Interested - This crowd was way too happy to see the Smart and kept either driving next to me smiling and waving as if they just spotted some kind of cartoon character come to life, or kept slightly behind in my blind spot with camera phones out. I'd much rather they paid attention to the road instead of me...

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2008 Smart Fortwo: Men on Film

I took my chances the other night and rolled out in our long term Smart. My overall reaction borrows from my favorite movie reviewers, Blaine Edwards and Antoine Marryweather, from "In Living Color": Hated it! What exactly did I hate? Well - almost everything. I'll save you from a snooze fest and discuss just two topics.

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June 12, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion: Seeing Red

Armed with the advice given by many of my colleagues to shift our long-term Smart fortwo’s gears myself for an improved driving experience, I ventured forth. And I have to say that it is much, much better that way. Shifting the automated manual myself, I actually was able to enjoy myself in the little thing and relax enough to realize that I really like the Smart fortwo Passion’s bold orange-red interior, particularly the slightly nubby fabric that covers much of the dash. The little nubs catch the light and give it a bit of a sparkle, which just adds to the fun factor and suits the car’s personality...

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June 9, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: Fears No Parking Space

Since this weekend had bee-oo-tiful weather, EVERYone was out and about. But fortunately, finding street parking was never an issue since I was driving our 2008 Smart Fortwo around. In fact, I had a lot of fun finding spots that no one else could possibly fit into and cramming the Smart in there. Then I'd stand back and admire my parking job...

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June 2, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe: The Friendliest Little Car in the U.S. of A

Smart Fortwo - by Warren Clarke

Feeling overlooked and unloved? Don't get therapy; get a Smart Fortwo. The Smart is a shiny, cute popularity pill that can help you win friends and influence people. Here's the proof:

1) Some guy all but flung himself across the car's hood as I was driving in the hills this weekend, gurgling words of affection for the crafty little people magnet. 

2) A neighbor whom I'd never spoken to previously knocked on my front door on Saturday morning to tell me how smitten he is with the Smart, after seeing it parked in the driveway...

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May 29, 2008

2008 smart fortwo passion: Repair Part III: The waiting game.



Spared from certain death by the Tridium Safety Cell, Associate Editor Josh Sadlier was able to explain pre-posthumously his experience of sitting inside of a smart fortwo passion being struck by a careless SUV. Part II of our smart story had us paying $25 to get numerical data that backed up what our eyes had been telling us; the damage to the smart was more than cosmetic. At the very least there was an alignment issue caused by a bent control arm.

In this installment we begin on the phones...

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May 28, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: Highway Adventure

Photo by Caroline Pardilla

First things first, doesn't this face look like that of a Japanese anime character's? Kawaii!

OK, due to my propensity for cute cars, I was eager to try out our 2008 Smart Fortwo. And instead of just driving it around Santa Monica, I drove it clear across town about 20 miles away to Los Feliz to visit my friend Beth, an avid toy collector. I knew she'd get a kick out of this toy box vehicle...

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May 19, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: Damage Repair, Part 1

We drove the Smart Fortwo back to our garage folowing the crash. Turns out we couldn't just crawl underneath it to diagnose the damage as hoped. We dusted off our backs, went to the local tire shop and put it on a lift.

We were in for a surprise.

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May 17, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo: The L.A. Welcome



Seasoned L.A. drivers really know how to welcome new arrivals into the fold. For example, a few days after I moved to L.A. I took my personal car to the drugstore, went in to buy some toothpaste, and returned to find a sizable dent in my passenger door along with a shattered passenger-side mirror...

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May 13, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion: Make Your Own Armrest



Let's be clear: I like driving the Smart Fortwo, and I'll have the next 11 months to expound on that. It's not that I think the car's automated manual transmission is great. It's just that a liberal dose of throttle followed by a prudent lift will get around many a minor inconvenience... and surprise unsuspecting 3 Series drivers...

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May 12, 2008

2008 Smart Fortwo Passion: (Re)Learning to Drive

Photo by Doug Lloyd

The 2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe is, well, it's cute. That's what everyone told me this weekend. A few people asked if it was electric, one guy even called it sporty. I didn't have the heart to tell them that  there's nothing I like about it. Except it's easy to park. Yeah, yeah.

The most utterly confounding part of this car is its godawful transmission. If you have anything resembling a weak stomach, stay away, because this car evokes the first-time driver learning how to shift. And not getting the hang of it. The shifts are really that awful. It jerks and stutters like a punch-drunk boxer if left to its own devices, so the real answer is to self-shift, using the handy-dandy shift paddles (as seen above).

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May 9, 2008

2008 Smart ForTwo: Blown Away

Smart ForTwo before a gale-force wind blew it into a ravine

Welcome to a year of grievances, where we explore the oxymoronic nature of badging this car the Smart. For those on staff who have nothing but 95 octane running through their veins, the ForTwo was never even going to be approached. However, some of us (such as myself) like little cars and wanted to give the Smart an honest chance. You'll see how well that went.

Read the Long-Term Introduction

I've already had several adventures in our red ForTwo Passion Coupe, but my favorite occurred during the first leg of our recent four-car fuel sipper smackdown. This was the Fontana to Death Valley stretch on a two-lane road with a very heavy cross wind. I wasn't so much driving the Smart as I was sailing it. For a good chunk of the drive I had the wheel positioned at 30 degrees to port as if I was on a huge skidpad. Problem with that is, when one or several big rigs drove by, that cross wind would stop and I'd find myself steering right for impending doom. It was like driving the plastic bag from "American Beauty."

For the guys in our support truck (aka Buick Enclave), it wasn't the most beautiful thing they'd ever seen, but it was certainly one of the funniest. Luckily, our trip videographer Seth Compton managed to get some footage of me Smart surfing (see below). And really, it was more hilarious for me. At one point, I couldn't help but laugh hysterically as the winds whacked the Smart all over the road. It's one of the few enjoyable moments I've had behind its tiny wheel.

James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 4,315 miles

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