
The 2016 Smart ForTwo is the shortest car sold in the U.S.
Even the Mitsubishi Mirage and Chevrolet Spark minicars offer four seats and five doors, as does the tiny electric Mitsubishi i-MiEV.
But with the departure of the little Scion iQ, its closest competitor, Smart has the two-seat city car market pretty much to itself now.
The new Spark is a far better car than the underpowered Mirage, though the latter wins out on purchase price, and its 40-mpg combined fuel-economy rating will keep it inexpensive to run.
You have to be willing to live with an electric car rated at only 62 miles of range to consider the i-MiEV, and few buyers have.
Then, moving up a size, the Hyundai Accent and Honda Fit represent the inexpensive and the clever and flexible ends of the subcompact segment, respectively.
We like the Honda Fit, which was brand-new last year, a lot--and its base model may come in no more expensive than a mid-level Smart.
But if ease of parking is your main criterion for purchase, no other vehicle comes close to the new Smart.
Get FREE Dealer Quotes
![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
---|---|---|---|---|
Quick Specs | ||||
The 2016 Smart ForTwo promises parking ease—and this time, maybe better fuel economy and handling. |
The 2016 Chevrolet Spark is an all-new version of the minicar that actually seats four adults; its more "adult" styling, higher-quality materials, and optional active-safety features may make it the best of the tiny cars. |
The 2016 Honda Fit isn't as entertaining to drive as it once was, but it's unmatched in safety and space, thanks to the Magic Seat. |
The 2016 Mitsubishi i-MiEV is nimble around town, can carry four adults, and has the lowest price tag of any electric car sold in the U.S.--but both its range and performance are only marginal at highway speeds. |
The 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage smaller than a subcompact and larger than a minicar, but offers five-door hatchback versatility on the cheap–and the best fuel economy you'll find in a non-hybrid car. That comes at a price in performance, though. |
MSRP From | ||||
$14,650 | $12,660 | $15,890 | $22,995 | $12,995 |
Gas Mileage | ||||
32 MPG City / 39 MPG Hwy | 30 MPG City / 39 MPG Hwy | 29 MPG City / 41 MPG Hwy | 34 MPG City / 44 MPG Hwy | |
Engine | ||||
Premium Unleaded I-3 | Gas I4 | Regular Unleaded I-4 | Electric | Regular Unleaded I-3 |
EPA Class | ||||
Two-Seaters | Subcompact Car | Small Station Wagon | Subcompact Cars | Compact Cars |
Style Name | ||||
2-Door Coupe Pure | 5-Door HB Manual LS | 5-Door HB Manual LX | 4-Door HB ES | 4-Door HB Manual DE |
Drivetrain | ||||
Rear Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
Passenger Capacity | ||||
2 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
Passenger Doors | ||||
N/A | 4 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Body Style | ||||
Coupe | Hatchback | Hatchback | Hatchback | Hatchback |
Transmission | ||||
Manual w/OD | Manual | Manual w/OD | Automatic | Manual w/OD |
Detailed Spec Comparison | ||||
2016 smart fortwo vs. 2016 Chevrolet Spark | 2016 smart fortwo vs. 2016 Honda Fit | 2016 smart fortwo vs. 2016 Mitsubishi i-MiEV | 2016 smart fortwo vs. 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage |