It seems to me that there are a growing number of threads and posts indicating dissatisfaction with the design and engeneering of the US smart 451. Some of which have gone so far as to refer to the designers as idiots.
It makes me wonder if some of us didn't understand what these cars were from the start and didn't do our homework before ordering.
The car was designed as an urban commuter! The 1000s of us that first saw the cars in Europe saw them in London, Paris, Rome, Frankfurt etc. In exactly the environments for which they were designed.
Cruise control, spare tires, a larger fuel tank and more side space between the seats weren't issues that were a problem in that environment. The fact that we choose to use these cars in ways they were not designed to be used is not a design flaw it's a problem with our understanding of what the cars are all about.
This is not to say that there are no issues. The radio's could be better, the sunshade needs to be improved etc and communicating our desires to the company surely makes sense. I would like cruise control but don't consider it's absence a design flaw, i'm using the car in a different way than it was designed for so cruise would be nice.
We should also keep in mind that the cars were designed to be low cost and that precludes certain things we might otherwise desire. Remember that the American car companies have never made money on small cars while smart is trying to keep costs low and make money at the same time with essentially a single model.
The bottom line is that although I can make up a list of changes and options I would like to have on my smart it has exceeded my expectations as it is because I very clearly understood what I was buying through the advance research I had done.
Finally it is the first year for US sales and I am sure that some changes will come with time. Just don't be shocked if those changes result in incremental increases in the price.
The best hamburger I ever ate was not as good as a good Ribeye steak. But if I wanted steak I could have ordered it. If I ordered a burger I shouldn't have expected steak.
I don't think there are any idiots involved in this process at any point but if there are it's not likely the designers it's likely those of us that didn't understand what it was we were buying.
Exactly what you said! 'Nuff of the naysayers - if you don't like it, why'd you buy it? Why'd you wait so long for it to arrive?
And if you still don't like it - why is it still in your driveway? They're pretty easy to sell, ya' know. . . just my $.02.
It seems to me ... likely those of us that didn't understand what it was we were buying. ... Just my opinion.
Got that right. There are a few foibles attributable to the engineers, but many more attributable to the marketeers on behalf of the potential US sales area. Lots of (our) people have reserved/bought smarts that really shouldn't have, mostly because smartUSA declined to warn off in-appropriate use or expectations.
That said, for me and in practical terms, my smart it is exactly what I need.
The best hamburger I ever ate was not as good as a good Ribeye steak. But if I wanted steak I could have ordered it. If I ordered a burger I shouldn't have expected steak.
Just my opinion.
I couldn't have said it better, although, I might have said, the best tofudog I ever ate was not as good as a good gardenburger.
Yanno? I'd love to have cruise control. I've come to depend on it over the years to keep me out of speeding ticket troubles. Without it though I've found I actually pay more attention to driving. Yeah. I'd still like to have it. But I knew when ordering that it wasn't available and I've been hunky dorey without it.
Hmmm, I guess that I'm one of those that didn't know that there were appropriate uses for a Smart Car. I just thought that it was a car! I use it every day. I sometimes think up errands just so I can drive it. I like it for my 35 mile commute to work, I like it on my 400 mile drive to Buffalo!
The first one I ever saw passed me on the Autobahn going about 85mpg, so I don't see any reason for just using it for city/local driving.
Before the "US Market" got involved, life for the Smart was simpler: It was a bit smaller and had an actual Mercedes Benz turbocharged three cylinder dual ignition engine and came with a very nice Grundig radio/CD player. The shifter didn't have to say 'D' for idiots and there was no separate 'Park'; we park our 450s in reverse and use the parking brake. We don't have knee knockers or side airbags and our sunshades never jamb up or fall down; they just slide. Of course there is no cruise control; the car is for driving! Oh yes, we paid $13,787 delivered to our door by the dealer, taxes included. Financing? Of course not; Mexico lives by cash, not debt. Of course, now, the falling dollar is really hurting us as the poor greenback buys fewer and fewer pesos every day. Just my thoughts; I love my 450 just the way it is.
Yes the smart is a city car, but even in the city you still need to see OUT of the car. Perhaps there is even more need than in the country or on the freeway, that's why it is so puzzling that the windshield is so cluttered. The mirror is fairly large and the hockey puck is much bigger than it needs to be for it's function.
I also find the lack of a cruise control baffling since IIRC the previous generation had one and this car has a drive-by-wire throttle making it a simple addition. Even city cars have to go on the autostrada/autoroute/autobahn.
I am looking ahead to the 3rd generation for these and other issues to be addressed. Competition from the other European and Japanese manufacturers will also provide alternative microcars as well as an incentive for product improvement. We as consumers can only win.
But, won't all these extra gadgets, options and quirky stuff just for the US Market defeat the purpose of the Smart and only drive up prices while slowing down delivery? That is already happening with the introduction of the Pure and options. We're seeing slower deliver here in Mexico and that just isn't fair. Had the USA adopted Smarts way back when everyone else did, there wouldn't be this upset in the normal scheme of things.
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
Today
Linear Mode
