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2009 Smart fortwo Quality Review

April 17, 2009

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

Despite being hailed as an urban alternative, the 2009 Smart Fortwo offers little in the way of functional storage space. 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 2009 Smart Fortwo well below the class average for cargo room, saying it is "meager overall" and claiming the "tiny glovebox offers barely enough space for an owner's manual." Kelley Blue Book reviewers feel 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.

When it comes to driver and passenger room, however, reviews read by TheCarConnection.com rave about the ample occupant space. Cars.com reviewers find that "headroom and legroom are entirely adequate." ConsumerGuide, which is typically very conservative with their praise, says 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." As its name suggests, the Smart Fortwo can seat two inside its tall cabin and Edmunds reviewers note that although the interior is "certainly snug, the Smart Fortwo offers a surprising amount of space for two people."

ConsumerGuide feels that the "cabin materials are solid and well-assembled," but the "overall ambiance is budget, with lots of hard plastic and very few padded surfaces." The 2009 Smart Fortwo also features "standard cloth upholstery," according to Edmunds, which certainly doesn't offer any upscale pretense. Cars.com states that "build quality is respectable," and most reviews read by TheCarConnection.com agree—the materials left some reviewers wanting something a bit more upscale.

When it comes to excessive road noise, the 2009 Smart Fortwo is plagued with it. 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 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

The 2009 Smart Fortwo has a surprising amount of passenger space—for two—but cargo room is almost nonexistent.

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 Despite being hailed as an urban alternative, the 2009 Smart Fortwo offers little in the way of functional storage space. 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 2009 Smart Fortwo well below the class average for cargo room, saying it is "meager overall" and claiming the "tiny glovebox offers barely enough space for an owner's manual." Kelley Blue Book reviewers feel 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. When it comes to driver and passenger room, however, reviews read by TheCarConnection.com rave about the ample occupant space. Cars.com reviewers find that "headroom and legroom are entirely adequate." ConsumerGuide, which is typically very conservative with their praise, says 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." As its name suggests, the Smart Fortwo can seat two inside its tall cabin and Edmunds reviewers note that although the interior is "certainly snug, the Smart Fortwo offers a surprising amount of space for two people." ConsumerGuide feels that the "cabin materials are solid and well-assembled," but the "overall ambiance is budget, with lots of hard plastic and very few padded surfaces." The 2009 Smart Fortwo also features "standard cloth upholstery," according to Edmunds, which certainly doesn't offer any upscale pretense. Cars.com states that "build quality is respectable," and most reviews read by TheCarConnection.com agree—the materials left some reviewers wanting something a bit more upscale. When it comes to excessive road noise, the 2009 Smart Fortwo is plagued with it. 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 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." ConclusionThe 2009 Smart Fortwo has a surprising amount of passenger space—for two—but cargo room is almost nonexistent. 2009 SMART FORTWO STYLING | [7 out of 10] Kelley Blue Book: “not as quirky as the car's exterior design might lead you to expect" Automobile: "this street-legal Tonka toy is again very tall, very narrow, and very short" ConsumerGuide: "Controls are simple and well laid out" No other ...

Read More of this Review:

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

Other Choices:

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. 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. 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.

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See the Smart fortwo in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008

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