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2008 Smart fortwo Quality Review

August 1, 2008

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 4 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

offers a surprising amount of space for two people
Edmunds

Overall ambiance is budget, with lots of hard plastic
ConsumerGuide

Maybe the storage space (eight cubic feet) of a supermarket grocery cart
Car and Driver

The 2008 Smart Fortwo offers the build quality one would expect from a Mercedes-Benz offshoot, as well as a surprising amount of passenger space. The lack of any significant cargo room, however, is a major drawback.

The Smart Fortwo can, as its name suggests, seat two inside its tall cabin. Edmunds reviewers write that although the interior is "certainly snug, the Smart Fortwo offers a surprising amount of space for two people." Other reviews read by TheCarConnection.com rave about the ample occupant space, and Cars.com reviewers find that "headroom and legroom are entirely adequate." ConsumerGuide, which is typically very conservative with their praise, says that the "seats are supportive, with good side bolstering," but the "narrow cabin means two adults ride almost shoulder-to-shoulder." They also point out that the "lack of a tilt steering column may compromise comfort for some drivers."

While the interior of the Smart Fortwo may be spacious for passengers, that certainly isn't the case when it comes to cargo. In this important category, especially for a car designed for urban driving, Cars.com finds that "cargo room in back measures just 7.8 cubic feet, less than a third the space the Cooper offers behind its front seats." ConsumerGuide also rates the 2008 Smart Fortwo well below the class average for cargo room, saying that it is "meager overall" and claiming that the "tiny glovebox offers barely enough space for an owner's manual." Kelley Blue Book reviewers feel that the "open space where you'd expect a center console" helps contribute to the "less confined interior," but the lack of a console for storing small items might prove annoying.

Build and materials quality on the 2008 Smart Fortwo is a bit of a mixed bag. While Cars.com writes that "build quality is respectable," and most reviews read by TheCarConnection.com agree--the materials left some reviewers wanting something a bit more upscale. Like the Cars.com reviewers, ConsumerGuide feels that the "cabin materials are solid and well-assembled," but they also say that the "overall ambiance is budget, with lots of hard plastic and very few padded surfaces." The 2008 Smart Fortwo also features "standard cloth upholstery," according to Edmunds, which certainly doesn't offer any upscale pretense.

Aside from some materials issues, the 2008 Smart Fortwo is plagued by excessive road noise. ConsumerGuide says that the ride is "never serene," and while "road noise is relatively well-muffled," the "wind rush is pronounced at highway speeds." They also add that the tiny engine produces quite a bit of noise, and "engine note is always audible and rises to a loud groan under acceleration."

Conclusion

Despite being hailed as an urban alternative, the 2008 Smart Fortwo offers little in the way of functional storage space.

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 4 out of 10Expert Quotes:offers a surprising amount of space for two peopleEdmundsOverall ambiance is budget, with lots of hard plasticConsumerGuideMaybe the storage space (eight cubic feet) of a supermarket grocery cartCar and Driver The 2008 Smart Fortwo offers the build quality one would expect from a Mercedes-Benz offshoot, as well as a surprising amount of passenger space. The lack of any significant cargo room, however, is a major drawback. The Smart Fortwo can, as its name suggests, seat two inside its tall cabin. Edmunds reviewers write that although the interior is "certainly snug, the Smart Fortwo offers a surprising amount of space for two people." Other reviews read by TheCarConnection.com rave about the ample occupant space, and Cars.com reviewers find that "headroom and legroom are entirely adequate." ConsumerGuide, which is typically very conservative with their praise, says that the "seats are supportive, with good side bolstering," but the "narrow cabin means two adults ride almost shoulder-to-shoulder." They also point out that the "lack of a tilt steering column may compromise comfort for some drivers." While the interior of the Smart Fortwo may be spacious for passengers, that certainly isn't the case when it comes to cargo. In this important category, especially for a car designed for urban driving, Cars.com finds that "cargo room in back measures just 7.8 cubic feet, less than a third the space the Cooper offers behind its front seats." ConsumerGuide also rates the 2008 Smart Fortwo well below the class average for cargo room, saying that it is "meager overall" and claiming that the "tiny glovebox offers barely enough space for an owner's manual." Kelley Blue Book reviewers feel that the "open space where you'd expect a center console" helps contribute to the "less confined interior," but the lack of a console for storing small items might prove annoying. Build and materials quality on the 2008 Smart Fortwo is a bit of a mixed bag. While Cars.com writes that "build quality is respectable," and most reviews read by TheCarConnection.com agree--the materials left some reviewers wanting something a bit more upscale. Like the Cars.com reviewers, ConsumerGuide feels that the "cabin materials are solid and well-assembled," but they also say that the "overall ambiance is budget, with lots of hard plastic and very few padded surfaces." The 2008 Smart Fortwo also features "standard cloth upholstery," according to Edmunds, which certainly doesn't offer any upscale pretense. Aside from some materials issues, the 2008 Smart Fortwo is plagued by excessive road noise. ConsumerGuide says that the ride is "never serene," and while "road noise is relatively well-muffled," the "wind rush is pronounced at highway speeds." They also add that the tiny engine produces quite a bit of noise, and "engine note is always audible and rises to a loud groan under acceleration." ConclusionDespite being hailed as an urban alternative, the 2008 Smart Fortwo offers little in the way of functional storage space.  2008 SMART FORTWO STYLING | [7 out of 10] Cars.com: "fuses wraparound panels and extended fenders in an extroverted, ultra-chic package" ConsumerGuide: "Controls are simple and well laid out" Automobile: "this street-legal Tonka toy is again very tall, very narrow, and very short" ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The Smart Fortwo is more fun to drive on tight, congested city streets at low speed than even the MINI Cooper. But as soon as the traffic thins out and the roads open up to the beltways and interstates, the Fortwo's cons--a hard ride, a noisy interior, the lack of power, and tense roadholding--become more serious drawbacks. Factor in the middling fuel economy of only 33 mpg city, and the "wow" factor is quickly muted. The Toyota Yaris, the most fuel-efficient small hatchback, with ratings of 29 mpg city, 36 mpg highway, feels downright substantial next to the Fortwo, with a real backseat and the legs for occasional distance driving, and the sprightly MINI Cooper is just as good, at 28 mpg city, 37 mpg highway. Hybrids like Toyota's Prius and the Honda Civic Hybrid get substantially better fuel economy than the Smart, in a much larger package, albeit at a much higher price.

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See the Smart fortwo in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008

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