STEEP HILL experience in a smart? San Franciscan wonders...

[anthony94114]

I'm so eager for my reservation to come due.. but the only thing I haven't got a grip on from the forums and my test experience (in flat SF and flat LA) is what it's like going up a really steep hill.

Does anyone have experience (even with the earlier iteration/450) climbing significant inclines? I know it won't be like my Saab 9-5 turbo with über power, but my former MINI Cooper was hard pressed to climb a real steep one. I hope the smart with hill-hold and that tiny turbo won't be too weak to make it.

[Smartster]

Here in my city we have a lot of hills like San Fran, while the smart 451 can get up the hills at city speeds without issue I did have performance drop off when trying to climb larger hills at highway speeds.

The engine has a lot of torque or at least enough to make city speed hill climbing easy, won't be an issue, but you will have a "shifty" experience as the smart will have a an up shift then a two downshifts or you can keep it manual mode and control the shifts a little better.

[JRyan]

I hope you are aware that there is no turbo planned for the US smart. My guess is if you have issues with the Cooper, you will not be happy with the smart. As the MINI has an advantage in power-to-weight ratio, 22 lb/hp vs. 26 lb/hp in the smart. Plus it has 62% more torque for only 40% more weight.

Hill start assist prevents you from rolling backward on a hill, but it won't make you go up the hill any faster.

If you want something tiny and with power to spare to go up hills, you should look into the new Cooper S.

[nevis]

Thats right, there is no turbo on US 451 Smarts. There may be an aftermarket way to add one which would take care of your concerns, as the same engine has a turbo in some markets. Just not North American markets.

[JanetMermaid]

I'm glad I'm married to a guy who races -- he can put an after-market turbo on my Smart for me!

[anthony94114]

Jeepers. How did I miss the turbo thing? Duh. How I spent all those hours on-line reading about this car and missed that, I don't know. (I could swear I read early on that the pure would have 71 and Passion would be 84.. but y'all are definitely right... 71 it is.) At least I know the hill start is just an anti-roll-back feature, so that's no surprise. I'm still hopeful given that my old Volvo 122 only had 85hp @ 2400lbs -and got up just fine.. maybe I'll be fine. I was craving that turbo though.

[Fredvon4]

While I was in Germany this year I got to play with a 450 version all day long. IN the area I was I got to try it out on all sorts of terrain. One area had several relatively steep hills similar to much of San Frans bigger streets but not quite as steep as some of the areas I remember in the city. The take off action of the clutch and first gear was authoritative and predictable. I was able to limit the car to first and second gear and have plenty of power to maintain speed with the traffic in the area...

The one I drove was turbocharged 64? or 61?HP version with a 6 speed... the motor was not screaming and I thought it had more then enough power and gearing to navigate any areas I have even driven. That is not to say that at 9000 feet on a Colorado mountain pass like Vail or Eisenhower Tunnel it would not have to struggle to maintain 60~70 MPH on the very long steep sections but I had the distinct impression that I could take one way up there if needed and not be a hazard to self or others...

Out on the Autobahns there are some long steep grades... I saw Smart cars every where and no one seemed to struggle to maintain speed or even pass at will in the little cars...

My impression is that they got the minuscule power mated to the right gears and tire diameters to manage very competitively with all the typical European roads and Passes.... We see them every where in Switzerland and Italy when we travel...

[anthony94114]

Thanks Fredvon4. I'm feeling more optimistic!