2008 Smart fortwo

What Edmunds.com says The 2008 Smart Fortwo is a tiny, fuel-sipping city car for those whose daily driving limits them to congested downtown streets. As a second, commuting-only car, it's wonderful, but those with room for only one vehicle in the garage may want to consider a larger subcompact or compact car. Pros Sips fuel, can be parked almost anywhere, zippy around-town handling, surprisingly...

Overview The Smart Fortwo is an all-new entry in the U.S. car market. At less than nine feet long, it is the smallest car sold in the United States. As its name suggests, it is a two-seater. It comes in coupe and convertible versions, both two-door models. It's powered by a tiny 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine, and the transmission is a five-speed automated manual. The Smart Fortwo is rear-wheel...

Highs: Seats two quite comfortably, cheerful interior, adequate power, no room for the mother-in-law, 32 mpg. Lows: Requires effort to drive properly, clunky tip-in, bummer of a transmission, 32 mpg. The Verdict: The car as errand boy. You’ll recall Monet telling Manet that for a painting to be successful it must have a “long life.” That means owners must be able to stomach looking at the...

KBB Editors' Overview Americans don't like small cars. That's an over-generalization, of course, but there's little doubt our country's is the biggest, heaviest vehicle fleet in the world. Record gas prices and increasing environmental awareness, though, have combined to create a bona fide boom in sales of compact cars. In some respects, Mercedes-Benz couldn't have chosen a better time to...