Shifting is just fine, I got used to it in 5 miles. And it has no problems at all on the freeway. Excellent car!

It doesn't feel that small when you're in it. It's a joy to drive.

who needs 325 hp in city traffic? It is a perfect car for the heavy everyday city traffic, you easily find a parking spot, actually two Smarts fit into one parking spot. I already drove the Smart on the Autobahn (you know that thing with no speed limit on many parts) and I actually felt quite comfortable

I love how two guys have different opinions on the Smart, and yet it is entertaining as can be. I can say that the Smart is truly a fun car to drive and one huge conversation piece and a half. I have a pure and enjoy it to the full.

I don't care about the mpg or whatever. I just love this car PERIOD!

We're glad your a fan of our show!. Yes, Todd didn't like this car as he has an enthusiast bent - however, if you've watched much of our work you know that he likes the Mini and was pleasantly surprised by the CRZ in spite of its flaws. Plus, in our FAQs you'll hear about the guys favorite cars, and they don't have the be Ferrari or Porsche, to be included - just fun to drive. The Smart succeeds as a city commute, but that's obviously not our focus. Thanks for watching!

@Neonspinnazz30 - We really appreciate your commentary. You are absolutely right about Smart Car of America - a mistype on my part! And we agree that the Smart is not about 0-60. Most people want to know that stat, but it misses the point of the SmartCar. No matter what, the transmission is the achilles heel of the car, (as your comments confirm) and that's too bad. Thanks very much for engaging... and we hope you'll watch our other reviews!

its a great commuter car especially in a urban area, i love mine besides a few things, the jerky transmission, getting blown around on the highway and streets when its windy

This guy is NOT the guy to advertise this car! Right off the bat he said he didn't like the Smart car. He really must not know much because I get great gas mileage Hwy and City. Oh and there is nothing that scares me driving my Smart on Hwy. semi goes by and I don't feel nothing. I LOVE my Smart. Car and love the compact feature a lot. I also own a 2006 Jeep Liberty for pulling a boat, using during snow and driving dirt roads. I bought my Smart Car for all the Doctor visits for my Mother as well as myself. Love this Cute and Smart Car!

Thanks, dudes. Really good job.

I purchased a smart passion fortwo yesterday after months of test driving everything under the sun in the economy class...and while I was at the dealership yesterday, I saw a couple purchasing one. the car does offer two seats. I guess by your definition, a miata, honda s2000, anyone with a motorcycle, a caymen or a boxster, 2 door single cap pick up trucks, tesla roadsters/lotus elieses, Ariel atom are all clearly single.

As a smart fortwo owner i likedcyou video an honest pov naming pro & con like that is academic basis i suspect..a new fan

@MegaZombieland1234 - Actually, the reason the guys pointed out the engine sounding like a diesel is because it ran on Unleaded. This was 1 liter 3 cylinder engine running on gasoline and not getting great gas mileage - at least in the variation we drove. It is available with other engines etc.

@Neonspinnazz30 - MotorTrend clocked it in the 12s range. Edmunds clocked the Smart at 14.1 seconds. Popular Mechanics claims 14 seconds. And even the Smart Car Club of America acknowledges the slow 0-60 time.

Great question, and the answer is two-fold. Notice how long ago the guys did this review - it was in the very early days of the show. It was much harder to get cars to review in the beginning, and we were still establishing our style and brand, thus we had to take what we could get. Also, around this time the Smart was just being introduced in the US and many people had asked us about the car. So, the guys got a hold of one. Hope that helps a bit. Thanks again!

The best and coolest small car in the world!

Too funny! Way to go guys! Thanks for the laugh!

Love mine. Fun to drive, great gas mileage and always fun to find creative spots to park. Only complaint is the clunky gear box from 1st to 2nd gear, but I'm use to that.

I really comes down to your needs. I have a 2013 Smart and I love it. Super cheap, extremely practical even though the suspension is a bit rough, and I can make my own parking spaces. It's not too shabby on road trips either, although I wish the seats were a bit more comfortable; but you get what you pay for. I'm extremely pleased with mine. And it honestly hauls ass if it weren't for the single clutch transmission it has no trouble keeping up on the freeway

@nbatalkz6635

2 жыл бұрын

U still have it ? Are they reliable?

Hey z28com. I've had mine for almost a year. Paddle shifting makes it more fun, but I've learned how to control the shifting through driving 12,000 plus miles in the full automatic mode and am very comfortable with the results. I also have a fully automatic American Made car that seats 5 with a hatch trunk. My MPG's in that one are about 24 avg. I only drive it when I know I need to haul big stuff or more than 2 people. Crash Safety results played a huge role in my choosing the Smart.

Você está certo! Eles são maravilhosos carros pequenos. Extremamente confiável também.

Y'all can say whatever yall want , I get 90mpg in my smart and the price of parts and labor is , for me, 45% cheaper than avg sized vehicles. The only real con I have about it is potholes, if u drive right into a pothole you are in for a sudden jerk that has a big impact on your tires.

@Lincolnator721

5 жыл бұрын

@Bob Smithereens with premium it can get 40+ highway

smart is very cute

They became a much better car in the years after this video. I have 2015 and the transmission is pretty good. The worst gas mileage mine ever got was 34.5 MPG average when brand new, when the engine broke-in the mileage went up to 40 MPG average. I don't baby it either. It's a lot fun to drive!

It's a great car to drive. You wouldn't regret it.

the Smart originally was not designed as fuel sipper but as a micro to serve congested urban areas. It currently is among the highest MPG of all gas, nonhybrids available in the US. the Golf and Polo you are talking about are diesels, so if you look at the diesel sold in Canada, it achieves over 70 mpg.Thanks to the US EPA, they wont allow them in the US yet.

"I LOVE the Smart!" - gives 2 out of 4.

Right on dude....like the Elio 84 MPG

I ♥ those smarts :)

This car is beast

My favourite car :D

*Belezinha este carro !!! :)

This car is badass.

I run min up and down between San Diego and San Francisco all teh time. It is not a problem . For its size the car is very comfortable.

LMFAO when Todd did a perpendicular parking loooooool

0-60 in............... 14 secs lol. I'm amazed it can hit 60 mph!

@T0198

8 жыл бұрын

+Mark Keller It does 90 mph which is more than you're allowed to do.

@watchdogs295

6 жыл бұрын

t04844 Lol 90 is dangerously slow on the German Autobahn.

@VnmPhnthm

6 жыл бұрын

90 Miles per hour is 150 kilometer per hour, more then enough for Germany. Most people on the "autobahn" do 130 on average anyway. About 5 kilometer per hour slower then the top speed of a Smart with the factory limiter enabled. They still drive Trabants in Germany too which do about 110-115 with wind in the back downhill while laying flat behind the wheel hahaha. All jokes aside though with some tuning (chip, bigger turbo and intercooler change) you can get up to about 190 kmph and there is the Brabus tuned one which will get close to that with just the limiter disabled and new fuel/air program.

@joeysalazar98

6 жыл бұрын

WatchDogs29 TRUE SHIT MAN

Have had my 2009 for 3 years, and I have never had more people talk to me at gas stations and stop lights and get thumbs up going down the road. A real ice-breaker. I have been getting 40-45 mpg in my mixed city/highway daily commute.Love the ease of parking and the convertible top. The transmission is a flaw, but you deal with it and adjust.

I like it.

Yes it does.

Premium is recommended by the Factory. In actual practice, if you are not climbing long steep hills regularly, and not flogging it at every stop light, you can use regular fuel. I do it all the time and it doesn't hurt the smart at all.

My current car is a lexus IS 350 but I love this smart car. small and beautiful is what it is.I have been pushing my wife to get this car especially the Brabus version. it's like a little swiss army knife. Of course I really want to drive this car. My wife dosen't seem so thrilled though about it . She loves the Suzuki Kizashi and we both love the fiat 500..Oh I don't know..I am in love with all small cars now.

@bottomlayer If you look at the shift pattern on a Euro smart it's much like a manual is. Middle is Neutral, right & down is reverse, and left up & down is to upshift and downshift. There is not "P" symbol... So the euro smart is really a manual with an automatic clutch (minus the 1-5 shift pattern)... And a simple remapping (which is real cheap BTW) will remove the speed limiter and decrease shift time. After remap the smart should be able to reach about 120mph...

@nnconner You have the Pure model, the Passion model has the paddle shifters. With yours, just put it in D and it will shift it self, but if you want more control, use the shifter. If you have any more questions, please join us at smartcarofamerica

My car only has semi-automatic transmission, so I've no clue what the heck is he talking about... I love my smart car! It feels very roomy inside, but I always drive it alone or with the person I love next to me. If you drive it with a person that you don´t know very well as a passenger It feels like the he/she is very close to you, kinda awkward. It has very sufficient acceleration, and a good top speed. It's a good car to avoid speeding tickets :-). The A/C is very good, and so doe's the stereo.ooh almost forgot, and it has very good looks.

@xinic5

8 жыл бұрын

+t04844 " It's a good car to avoid speeding tickets :-). " Not for me, if i don't watch, I end up going 90 down the highway on my way to work...

My DRZ400 gets 40 in town. I also have a Subaru I drive when it rains (which is rare where I live). I save more money with a bike and a car than I would with a smart car.

Wich cars are you talking about? Are they as easy to park as well? And can you personalize them as much? I'm curious to discover new cars with the same advantages for that price. Please enlighten me

@00MrPanda00 In many US cities it is...In Europe it's legal everywhere...

@EverydayDriver This is also because of those who are inexperienced with the smartshift. The thing shifts slow already so if you don't nail it exactly right, you're just asking for seconds added. The best way to shift include: 1. Not using auto mode 2. Lifting foot off pedal during shift 3. Hitting the sweet spot Now considering how many reviewing groups wouldn't know something that a true owner would, then of course their times will suffer. I bet you just floored it...

I'm gonna get a smart for my first car, a used one because it's cheap and pretty efficient. As long as it gets me to A to B

The base Pure trim starts around $11,000, but a hardtop Passion model with the options every normal person wants will run you about $16,000-$17,000.

@sunny342 Okay, you got me there. And yes, in terms of value, the Corolla gets the prize. 1. Less accessories = less things to break 2. Good reliability 3. Good MSRP 4. Good MPG And I also agree if you're looking for an economy car, Hyundai or Toyota should get your first considerations. Now that I think about it, the smart isn't an economy car, it's a city car. And as of now there's nothing that justifies how much a city car should cost (think Aston Cygnet city car = 70k+ USD)...

Hey Sleek, how many other aspects of your life do you have this cautious attitude with? Do you fly, leave the ground floor of a building... I'd truley like to know what you use for your risk analysis as you move forward every day. I'm curious if you have compared side by side subcompacts and MICROS to see exactly how each handles the crashes you are so concerned with? Maybe there are other Makers you might want to also channel your energy. Be Fairly Critical.

So tell me what was your cost of smart? Does it have all the standard features that other cars have?

The only 3 big complaints I can give you is this: the Equity (value) of this car and all other smarts is very poor . I have a 2009 passion I paid 15 grand for and its only with $2,500 , secondly is the Wheels/Tires : when you hit potholes even small ones it can cause tire damage quick with these small tires on this small profile car. I had to replace 2 rims and 3 tires the past 3 years owning it. And lastly is the automated manual drive comfort . Yes the gear box is slow but I'm a patient person so it doesn't bother me. Good luck if your thinking about buying it . I would only suggest buying their convertible version which is the cabriolet version only because you would have better equity in it than my coupe passion

@TheTxturtlelytiger

8 жыл бұрын

*worth not with

The Premium (Passion) version starts at $14,000. Also, it gets 41 MPG HWY EPA.

@CPUOverclocker64 You have to convert 70mpg to US and then subtract 8% for mhd...Anhiiya keeps on quoting the Euro spec mhd smart (that gets 70mpg imp.)...

I get 42 mpg in town or on the road whether I'm driving 75 or 90 (yes is will do 90 easily). I bought it because I can put it in my toy hauler trailer just like I do my Harley FXDWG and take it wherever I go so I don't have to drive my big gas hog pickup truck when I get to my destination. It's all been good for me....

@Neonspinnazz30 I think we have finally reached an agreement. Your right about the city car. Look at 0:19 of the video. About the gas, I think the issue is not that the mpg is low, but that a consumer after buying such a small car (it is a sacrifice of space) expects the mpg to be much higher. Changing the hood/bumper cost are probably low for the corolla. However if u compare that to the smart its much less. The smart if in an accident would always have full body damage due to its design.

two years ago i was in a car accident, with one of these, i was driving my 98 toyota lancrusier with a ram/bull bar, the other driver in the smart pulled out in front of me, the smart was totaled, the driver had a few cracked rips, broken arm, concussion, i was fine, my crusier was still running no damage to the car except the ram bar that just need to be unbent a little oh and my $1000 spot lights were fucked , the smart flew like crazy when i hit it, they are safe for the size though

you are right. The funny thing is that people that dislike the smart feel like anyone who does drive a smart is intellectually inferior. I completely disagree. Therein lies the battle. I like my car. If I didnt, I would not have it.

I expect that more sub/subcompacts will flood the market by Mid-Decade, without all of the issues that the Smart Has. I also expect the price of such a vehicle to be about 13 grand, fully loaded.

@Armornone Geez, you must have great memory to remember something that happened back then...

It's a hopped up golf cart!!! But for me it might be the only car I could drive.

@ashbranson more efficient compacts ? its the most fuel efficient non-hybrid in america

For the price of a Prius in America, you could buy a smart Cabrio with everything on it, and pay for at least 100,000 to 150,000 miles of fuel before you paid for your first dollar of fuel. If you add a $7,000 Battery set for the Prius which you will buy in that 100,000 miles, that will buy you another 70,000 miles of fuel. So for the average cost difference the smart will take you 170,000 to 220,000 miles without paying anything for fuel. Something to think about.

I just bought a 2009 smart forwo. Used and low milegage. The car does not have paddle shifters. There is a PRND on the gear shifter as well as a plus and minus sign on the left side of the shifter. I think it is called a slap shift. I know how to drive a regular manual car(shifting and cluch). I have not used this slap shift as I am afraid to mess the car up. I now need to take the car in because the engine gets hot and smells like it is burning. Do I have to shift this car when I drive?

cool. who needs a garage, just put it on the front porch. I saw a guy that puts his in a utility shed where he also puts his rake and lawn mower. Epic.

@louderpowder Mileage ratings from "mercedes" are 41 highway - and since I own 2 mercedes I should know (unlike GM) they underestimate those numbers. I own an s500 and a dodge 2500 cummins turbo diesel. I just bought a smart car today - so I cannot speak on the entire aspect of the ownership of the car, however - I am very pleased right now. I think it is possible to get in the 50s as in MPG, I have been doing research. I will still use my dodge often but still save $500 a month on gas.

I get about 50mpg in mine, because it's only used to drive a short distance

Wow, my 2002 TransAm Firehawk gets 27 mpg on the highway. LS1 350hp.

@sunny342 But I do have just one last rebuttal. According to cars(.)com the smart is the cheapest (gas) car for your money in the long term (only beat by hybrids & diesels). Even Top Gear rated the smart 18/20 for costs because they don't depreciate bad and the only true cost is that MSRP, not even the maintenance costs. And on the topic of value, if you were to lose your hood & front bumper on your Corolla, how much would it cost you to replace them new? The only hurdle is purchase price.

For a first car(I will be driving highways semi often) is it a good choice?

@chieftp

8 жыл бұрын

+Naadar Vebb I have one and I drive a tractor trailer for a living!

@naadarvebb7697

8 жыл бұрын

+chieftp would you recommend it for what I would be doing?

@chieftp

8 жыл бұрын

Naadar Vebb yes. you can drive it anywhere.

whats the towing capacity?

the little car that could

27.5 mpg! I've never gotten less than 49 mpg from my 2006 Passion CDI coupe

what smart car is that?

as soon as thats repaird, err doen away wiht, then well see what is the better car. i like this smart because of its size, ( tight streets/turns garages/hallways whatnot) again that also scares me. its size or lack thereof

I woud love to get this car. Its only me, so I dont need a 5 seater car, you know. Can this car handle driving 40 mins in the freeway 5 days a week?

Fuel economy is not a simple game of size and weight, just the car is small and weighs little doesn't directly correlate to fuel economy. 1. The engine is a tad underpowered 2. It lacks a 6th gear for highway economy 1. first gear is a tall gear, making launches a bit more work for the engine.

The same way I did in my SL500

I respect your opinion. I'm a little confused when I see other German cars like the polo or golf that get over 50mpg. Those cars can even have 4 doors. It just boggles my mind that the smart isn't as ecological as it looks.

Looking at the toyota web site. Corrolla 26/35 MPG Base Price $15,450... smart 33/41 base price $11,500. If you buy your corolla for any reason, it will cost you more over the life of the car in maintenance, fuel, and likely even higher insurance premiums. Your opinion is just that yours. With the introduction in 2011 of the Fiat 500 and the Scion IQ into the US market and the return of the Honda Insight, its proof buying habits have changed by US consumers.

The lowest i ever gotten on my Smart was 33.3 which is the epa the most was 45.3 and that was going downhill a lot in the mountains. Those two knuckleheads must have been driving it really hard to only get 27.3 MPG, and for the record you cannot compare apples to oranges, and whenever you compare the MPG of a Smart and a Toyota Prius that is what you are doing. Different technologies my friends.

I WANT ONE

@PuppetKing ok, but there are a lot of other diesel good cars. i have an opel astra diesel from 2001 and it's never gone wrong

And it's a good question. Those who need back seats shouldn't consider the Smart ForTwo, or at least shouldn't have it as their main vehicle. My previous car was a 4-door sedan. In my 3-year ownership of that car, I didn't use the rear seats not even once. I also wouldn't recommend the Smart car for those who drive on highways too often. It should be strictly used as a city car in places like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, or Philadelphia.

@Neonspinnazz30 Well thats a different story. I believe we were talking about mpg and value not how fun a car is. Corolla (mpg, value) > Smart (mpg, value).

@sunny342 The Smart diesel gets 75mpg+

I can vouch for these numbers. Smart Fortwo: More MPG than a Prius . . . 1/3 the cost!

at 2:27 which car am I supposed to be looking at?

27.5mg is great gas mileage?

whats that knocking noise

@paulhojda but a golf diesel have bad reliability ratings. I don't wanna break down in the middle of traffic.

-> Please review the Scion iQ next. Or even better, why not compare the two! :)

A perfect circus car!

Obviously you have to compensate for something by wanting a bigger engine and vehicle.

Now the new smart is $12500

@nemracfiftyto6206

9 жыл бұрын

Better yet you can buy a 2 or 3 yr old smart for less than 10,000.

Thank you for the response. My intent was not to bag on Todd in as much as pointing out the moronic response of the person whom I replied to. Todd was caught in the cross fire of my explanation. However, I do have to question why the Smart was reviewed in the first place if " The Smart succeeds as a city commute, but that's obviously not our focus". My point being, some people WILL take your commentary seriously without the understanding of some vehicles being out of your "focus".

@sunny342 It actually starts at 11,990. Anyway, what cars get you get at 13k that's bigger with the same mileage with the same safety rating? There is NO new car in this price that has more MPG. 1. Aveo - crap safety, crap build quality, mid 30s MPG 2. Civic - good car, significantly lower MPG 3. Fit - Good competitor, less mpg, less roomy 4. Accent - terrible safety rating, really cheap, mid 30s mpg Did I mention that the smart is the cheapest convertible in America?

@xgelmirx Soooo true