Comments on: Smart ForTwo Now Available in Any Color You Want

By: getagrip42

getagrip42 — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:49:26 +0000

@Charles: Wow, I didn’t realize an Insight was only $18K. Not… Compared with the mid-level smart at $14K, the base Inisght LX is $6K more and the LX doesn’t include standard safety items like ESP (stability control) or traction control which are standard even on the $12K base model smart. Of course, the Insight offers other features like more seats if you need them, but since I average over 43 MPG (see Fuelly.com) on my 70 mile a day commute, my $14K smart works for me and my wife just fine. I have a truck for the other 5% of the time I need to haul something or more than 2 people. Oh, and the transmission is just fine for anyone who knows anything about a manual. Since it is a manual sans the clutch, I drive it in manual mode 99% of the time and can shift as smooth as any other manual transmission car I’ve owned. It’s different, but by no means a showstopper.

By: Chill

Chill — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:15:20 +0000

Scott Z has it right. Maybe Smart isn’t for you. I’ve driven one and appreciate how intelligently designed it is. Once you know the wisdom of the design you see why it’s quite appropriately named. The transmission fools you, until you realize it’s a manual that operates without a clutch. So drive it like a manual. And the roll cage design makes it safer than something like 12 out of 13 SUVs in terms of roof strength, which maybe isn’t all that big a deal unless you have an SUV, I mean, a car prone to rolling over. It may not be all the car you need for all the time, but it makes sense more sense when you know more about it.

By: alice1234

alice1234 — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 07:20:00 +0000

hi, I think that is what I was saying. I was just trying to be as positive as I could

By: JT

JT — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:28:31 +0000

Wait, they still sell Smart cars here? I haven’t seen any advertising from them in like a year or two. Like most Americans I assumed they folded up when gas prices went back down and stayed down.

By: Dom

Dom — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:40:01 +0000

They should have brought the diesel version with a proper manual transmission. Much better MPG. Canada got that version for awhile I believe…

By: FamilyGuy

FamilyGuy — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 11:49:38 +0000

I went to Paris in 2002 and the Smart Car was everywhere. Tiny, little streets, even smaller parking spaces and the Smart Car seemed like great fit. As a matter of a fact, about the largest car that I saw was an occasional Accord. Otherwise, all of the cars were tiny. Great for the confines of an old city like Paris. So, they jumped across the Pond when gas prices were high and now sales are sluggish with gas being low. Is anyone surprised by this? When I saw that car in Paris, I never thought it would sell here in America because of its size (compared to all of the SUV's on the roads around here).

Hey, you think it's ugly or not safe. Don't pay it. Pretty simple. Remember, beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

By: Carl

Carl — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 02:04:07 +0000

Scott Z,
I don't live my life by what they say but when Consumers reports says that the Smart car is the worst car in every category, that they have ever tested......
Ya got to listen.
That car fails on so many levels, it's a Stupid Car

I understand that some people choose to drive old, unreliable, slow, dangerous, cramped or just plain ugly cars. That's personal freedom. That's why I ride a motorcycle, drive a Miata AND a full sized pickup truck.

By: Scott Z

Scott Z — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 17:21:31 +0000

Crappy car! No it’s actually very nice. Try drving one. I also disagree with the whole safty thing. I drive a motorcycle when I can. Does that make my motorcycle crap? How about those people motoring around in old classic cars? I agree that I can think of many models I would choose before it but that does not make it a bad car. One of the main selling points is the small size. If you don’t need more it can be the perfect car. Cartainly you can consider it the perfect comuter car. Also for people trying to have less impact on the planet it is one of the cars that uses the least matirials to build. To each his/her own I always say.

By: ex-EV1 driver

ex-EV1 driver — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 16:16:45 +0000

Carl,
I think that is what I was saying. I was just trying to be as positive as I could

By: Carl

Carl — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 11:40:20 +0000

Ahh, nobody mentioned, it’s just a crappy car and should die a natural death.