With few exceptions, I don't think the issue is whether this population loves their cars. You get the same sort of response, relative to the car of choice, on the mini sites, the MG Midget sites, the Healey sites, the Edsel sites (yeah, I know, but there HAS to be someone out there with both a computer and an Edsel). Heck, at one time or another, I have belonged to numerous car-related communities, all for the love of the car-du-jour (I know, I am a bit in-discriminant)
The point, though, is whether a smart is right for any given person, to the point of exclusion of another car, and that can only be decided by some careful thought.
I could go on and on, but no one wants to hear that. But for the cost of a new car (unless you are wealthy, and visiting India, where you can get a Tata nano for less than a decent moped here), any car decision should be well-thought-out.
</Soapbox off>