Smart little cars no exercise in austerity

[angel]

First Look: Smart little cars no exercise in austerity

Daimler-Chrysler's Smart car has been sellling out all over the country.

The guffaws started as soon as I pulled up in my blue and silver Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe.

"Lord, have mercy. Look at you, honey! What is it? A car?" teased a neighbor, tossing her head back with a laugh.

"Are you in the doghouse with somebody? Are your editors mad at you?" a friend asked me.

"Finally. You got your comeuppance, Hammonds. I've been waiting for this. Where's your Bentley now?" said another friend.

Laugh on. But Smart, and its enthusiastic band of dealers, are having the last laugh all the way to bank as their cars sell out all over the country

Smart is the diminutive car that looks like a luxurious golf cart to some eyes. But change is in the air, and before long, cars the size of Smart could be the rule, not the exception.

Speculators and rising demand for gasoline from places such as China and India mean that fuel prices probably will remain high. Americans are none too pleased with paying $4 or more a gallon for gasoline. The answer could be relocating to inner-ring suburbs or city neighborhoods with shorter commutes.

And that's where the Smart car -- and the many smaller cars soon to arrive from Nissan, Honda, Chevrolet, Ford and countless other companies -- come in. We soon will find ourselves inundated with perfect little cars for short commutes.

If those commuters choose to buy Smart cars, they'll find that driving one isn't exactly an exercise in austerity. Smart cars actually are equipped better than many larger cars. That holds true with other smaller cars as well -- Scions, Mini Coopers, Honda Fits, Nissan Versas, etc.

Standard equipment on the Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe that I drove included alloy wheels, paddle shifters, halogen headlights, a sunroof, AM/FM CD and MP3 accessible audio system, an electronic stability program with hill start assist, and anti-lock brakes. Air conditioning, power windows, heated side mirrors and a host of other items also are standard. All at a starting price of $13,590. (There even are cheaper Smart models, starting around $11,590).

The Smart Fortwo has a safety cage made of high strength steel that is not unlike what you find on Nascar racers. And it handled well on the highway, even when big trucks were passing me.

It's surprisingly peppy and fun to drive. It has more luggage space than the Mini Cooper convertible and tons of personality.

I loved the airy interior, with its unusual shapes and easy controls, such as the climate control system that worked via some simple sliding knobs. The seats are comfortable, and I've heard from several 6-foot tall drivers who have had absolutely no problem with comfort.

But there are some things about the Smart Fortwo that may not make it a smart buy for you.

Because of the size of this car, most people assume the gasoline mileage must be well into the 50s. It isn't. Mileage on the Smart is rated at 33 mpg in the city and 41 on the highway -- good, but no class winner. You can get that much or better on a good hybrid or even some conventional subcompacts that seat more people. Smart officials say, however, that only one or two hybrids get better mileage.

Another issue may be price. With options, some Smarts can run $15,000 or $16,000.

Third, the automated five-speed manual transmission has no clutch pedal. When it changes gears, the car goes into a soft dive, which makes it seem as if the car is shutting down. The effect of shifting is softened somewhat when you use the paddles. Still, a lot of people may find the transmission to be disconcerting.

Engaging the brake pedal also feels different because it isn't anchored from above, but from the floorboard. And the trunk area drops off somewhat behind the seats, allowing for a perfect trap into which grocery bags and all kinds of things can disappear.

Another problem I had was that my driver's mirror seemed to be distorted. The car behind looked much closer in the rearview mirror than it did from the driver's mirror.

On the whole, I think Smart's day isn't just coming -- it's here.
Don Hammonds can be reached at dhammonds@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1435.
First published on June 19, 2008 at 12:00 am

[NCC1701]

He failed to mention: no cruise, no spare, long waiting list, and under reported the top end configuration price by several thousand dollars. But, he seems to love the car ... like most other owners do.

My DDE says 6/11/2008 to 9/9/2008, so I could take delivery as soon as a week ago.

[MichaelJ]

Originally Posted by NCC1701

He failed to mention: no cruise, no spare,

It's designed for the inner city and immediate environs - cruise control would be a niche accessory for most of its marketing area (look beyond the USofA). As far as no spare - none of my motorcycles have one, either. I suppose you could rig up a "Continental Kit" - hmmm - wonder what that would look like?

[jonnysan]

deleted response...not worth responding to.

[letsgoskatepool]

cruise control is a lot more than a niche in most communities. Especially in the smart where it is very easy to get carried away speed wise.

[stevenvillatoro]

Originally Posted by MichaelJ

It's designed for the inner city and immediate environs...

Your smart may have been designed for the inner city, but my smart was designed to go anywhere there's a road and any distance I want to go.

[rawlus®]

cruise is for lazy people.

[Dunerunner]

Originally Posted by MichaelJ

I suppose you could rig up a "Continental Kit" - hmmm - wonder what that would look like?

Like this!!

[dcrooks]

Originally Posted by Dunerunner

Like this!!

Where do I get one?

[Dunerunner]

This is for the 450, don't know if it fits the 451. It does restrict the rear hatch!

Info at the Canadian site Tow & Stow : SmartieParts, Smart Parts for Smart Cars