Smart fortwo

2007 smart fortwo

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The Fortwo isn't exactly a new model; it's been seen on the streets of Europe since the late 1990s and was originally the product of a partnership between Mercedes-Benz and Swatch (yes, the watch company). A number of gray-market imports of the Smart were brought over to the U.S. in 2006 and 2007—those with the Fortwo's most popular European powertrain, a 61-horsepower, 698-cc turbocharged Mercedes-Benz three-cylinder engine and six-speed automated manual transmission.

The official U.S. version instead followed a year later with a 70-hp, 1.0-liter Mitsubishi three-cylinder engine and five-speed automated manual. Though the dimensions were very slightly different, and there were other changes in materials, trims, and switchgear, these cars maintained the same driving feel and the same rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive configuration. Performance overall isn't so impressive though, if you go by specs; 0-60 times are around 13 seconds.

In town—especially in a tight urban environment such as Manhattan—piloting the Fortwo is a joy. The powertrain is reasonably responsive, almost downright zippy at low speeds; quick, stable steering allows impressive opportunities to dart through gaps in traffic when time is of the essence, and the high seating position afford a great view around. When you're gently driving and not zipping, the transmission can be a little obstinate, lurching between gears in indecision.

All the attributes that make the Fortwo so appealing in the city conspire to make it less so—and in some cases even a little scary—on the highway. While the Smart will cruise at 70 or even 80 mph, you won't want to be there for long. The short wheelbase and rather tight suspension calibration that helps make it feel so responsive, albeit a little jittery, in the city make it bouncy and busy at higher speeds—and you especially feel crosswinds and tramlines. Engine and road noise are also excessive at freeway speeds, and one surprise is that fuel economy, at an EPA 33 mpg city, 41 highway, isn't much better than other larger small cars.

Packaging in the Smart is a little odd at first, but you'll soon likely agree that this is a brilliantly space-efficient car. The driver's footwell goes basically all the way to the nose of the car, there's cargo stowage under the seats, and just behind the seats is more cargo space, large enough for several large grocery bags. The engine itself is hidden away under the cargo floor, under the panel where you'd find the spare tire in most cars and right up next to the rear wheels.

Overall, you feel like you're sitting in a small, exceptionally narrow pickup cab, though a quick look ahead and behind can evoke a sense of vulnerability, the Fortwo has actually done quite well in crash tests—for its size—and comes with stability control, side airbags, and ABS.

A sportier BRABUS version of the Fortwo is offered, with a quicker shift calibration for the transmission, slightly lowered suspension, and sportier-sounding exhaust tuning, along with leather trim for the steering wheel, shift knob, and handbrake lever. Two body styles of the Fortwo are offered: the standard Coupe, and the Cabrio, which is actually more of a targa, offering a removable roof panel.

Looking ahead to 2011, Smart will introduce the Smart ED (Electric Drive) model in select cities. The model promises a range of about 80 miles from a lithium-ion battery pack and performance that's otherwise on par or better than the gasoline Smart.

2009 Smart fortwo Brabus

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