Consumer Reports still doesn't like us

[Old SGM]

I have both, a Smart Passion and a 2007 Honda Fit. We came back from a 1200 + mile round trip from Virginia to up state NY. We used the Fit because we had lots of stuff to take up to the grandkids, with the Fit's seat folded down and fully loaded, 2 Adults and with AC on all the time, running the speed limit plus 5 MPH we averaged 42 MPG.

If you are going to have only 1 car, we have 5, the Fit is an excellant choice.

Now about my Smart, I currently have about 2500 miles on it. Normally around town I get 38-40 MPG, the best so far is 45 MPG. I go with the traffic flow, no hypermiler driving for me. I frequently go 70 + when that is the traffic flow. I am very satisfied with the Smart, I am glad I ordered it and waited. It is a different car from the Fit and does different things better. I have recommended both the Smart and the Fit to several of my friends.

To each his own, I like both cars.

[MPrice2984]

In 2011 all cars sold in the US will be required to have ESC as standard equipment.

[xcrew229x]

As far as ESC goes, welcome to generations of drivers who have NO idea how to really handle their cars. This is good???????

[Fowvay]

I'm not a huge fan of stability control but that doesn't make me like the Fit more just because it doesn't have it. I do like some of the clever little bits of the Fit such as the neat folding rear seat. However because I am in the upper 5% percentile (6'5" 400lbs) I don't fit in a Fit (kind of ironic I'd say). Actually I don't fit in any current Honda (I've tried). I do however fit very nicely in the all too narrow, confining, punishing, slow, joyless smart fortwo. While I find the faster Fit to be slow and boring I find the smart zippy and fun. A real giggle in suburban/country traffic that I am most often in.

Consumer Reports has also lambasted several other vehicles I have owned over the years that I've found to be wonderful cars. So either I am so completely out of the norm or CR has their head up their A$$. You pick which it is as it doesn't really matter to me. What matters to me is my opinion. Am I comfortable? Do I have room? Is it fun for me to drive? Does it have enough storage for my needs? Do I like the way it looks? Do I like the way it feels? Do I think it's good value for money?

I know that does seem all a bit selfish and mecentric but hey it is my car after all so I should be happy. Not some Consumer magazine.

[MichaelJ]

Originally Posted by xcrew229x

As far as ESC goes, welcome to generations of drivers who have NO idea how to really handle their cars. This is good???????

In case you haven't been looking, we've been there for decades in the US.

[Karl Roth]

A few of the owners here don't like the car very much. Thank goodness we are not all the same. Go with what makes you happy. Some folks will never be, it is just the nature of the beast.
karl

[mmmeat]

Originally Posted by vwW12

Your chances of not getting killed in an automobile have increased dramatically roughly as follows:

1970s - 3 point seat belts
1980s - Airbags
1990s - ABS
2000s - Electronic Stability Control

International research has shown that single vehicle crashes can be reduced by 35 per cent in passenger vehicles and 67 per cent in four wheel drive and sports utility vehicles fitted with ESC —source: government of Australia

A piece of advice: do not buy any car has does not have ESC as you would not buy any car without seat belts.

I don't know that I necessarily agree with any of that - other than the seatbelts being a good idea.

Airbags, ABS and ESC have lulled drivers into a false sense of security as far as I'm concerned. Back in the bad ol' days when drivers actually knew how to drive there were some pertty severe accidents.

Some.

Nowadays, EVERY accident is a car ripped in two, flipped over, mangled beyond recognition and they all look like just so much crumpled up paper. The only benefit to the new devices is that - when the driver dies in the car - the airbag usually neatly covers them so the gawkers don't get a peek as who's dead.

On a wet or icy road I can safely haul my 1965 Mustang fastback down to a complete stop without having to rely on any of those modern conveniences. In virtually every case, the SUV - equipped with all the fun stuff - will only come to a complete stop when it rams into the back end of my car.

Maybe I'm an outdated relic from a bygone era: a driver who knows the limits of his machine.

Nowadays, when I'm driving my big SUV down from Big Bear and I use the short left-turn passing lane that ends 50 yards from a right hand turn (that, if you'd go straight, would smack you into the mountain) I end up fighting with the ESC because it has decided that I do not need my brakes to slow the car down before I apex the turn. I used to make that turn with no problems in my 1988 Wrangler (which had a fairly high center of gravity), but now I'm having to jiggle the steering wheel to get the ESC to disengage before it kills me.

The smarter cars get, the stupider they are. The number of accidents that result in death are only going to increase as we add more 'systems' to protect drivers that shouldn't be driving in the first place.

Your pal,
Meat.

[jwight]

In a perfect world we'd all be able to drive with the skill of a Schumacher or an Alonso. Unfortunately, we don't live in a perfect world and even those of us, who like to think we can drive at that level, actually can't. So the car companies design for the 95% percentile drivers, the ones that get the terrible drivers training in high school (maybe it would be better if we chose to provide more funding?) and the old folks who keep driving no matter what.

ESC, ABS, airbags, seatbelts all do their jobs and are saving lives, the usual Internet chatter to the contrary. Save the hot shoe stuff for the track and just be glad smart chose to include those things in the base price.

[NOTE: this post was not meant to defame, demean or insult anyone.]

[Smart Enuf]

Originally Posted by jwight

[NOTE: this post was not meant to defame, demean or insult anyone.]

Are we going to need to put this disclaimer on every post from now on? And if we don't put the disclaimer, would that imply we meant to defame, demean, or insult someone?

[vwW12]

Originally Posted by mmmeat

but now I'm having to jiggle the steering wheel to get the ESC to disengage before it kills me

I see.

I didn't know one could get the ESC to disengage by jiggling the wheel: this could be very useful knowledge! Does it work in all cars?

I have a big ESP OFF button smack in the center of my console in the other car, but frankly I had not focused until today on the fact that this button seems to be missing from my smart!