Smart ForTwo
Sponsored links:
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FUEL ECONOMY:
33 / 41 MPG 7.18 / 5.73 L/100km
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BODY TYPE:
Coupe
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TECHNOLOGY:
Small Car
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BASE MSRP:
$15,000
Compared to the European-only first generation Smart Car, the U.S.-bound Smart ForTwo is vastly superior on all fronts. But the original was so dreadful on so many levels (handling, noise, mileage, power, you name it), the question that now lurks is: Are the improvements implemented in the new ForTwo significant enough to meet the demands of American roadways?
Still miniscule from stem to stern, the two-door hatchback is beyond sub-compact. It’s hyper-compact. Even though Daimler has increased the size and wheelbase over the original, this street-legal toy wears the same basic proportions as before: very short, very narrow, and quite tall. Taking up such little pavement certainly makes finding unmetered street parking a simple task, but you have to wonder how the ForTwo will fare on streets that are so heavily populated with big pickups and oversized SUVs. The wind from larger automobiles passing by at higher speeds actually buffets the tiny ForTwo, challenging the car’s directional stability and forcing the driver to course-correct almost every time. It’s hard to believe that a car this feathery can be passenger safe when it’s sharing pavement with so many large vehicles.
On top of its lack of size, the ForTwo suffers from a serious lack of power. The one-liter engine produces just 71 horsepower, a real handicap when it comes to merging into higher-speed traffic or even getting out of the way with a sudden emergency maneuver, which sometimes can be the difference between a narrow escape and an outright collision. The ForTwo’s zero to sixty time of thirteen seconds just seems entirely too slow for fast-paced traffic.
Of course, small dimensions and a modest engine do equate to excellence in terms of efficiency. EPA combined fuel-economy ratings of 36 miles per gallon. That will obviously be the Fortwo’s biggest draw.
That, and its adorable, head-turning looks, of course. City dwellers and particularly, women, are the target market. It has a cute, citified presence with chic European roots. And to boot, it has “green” and “socially responsible” written all over it. Progressively conscious urbanites that don’t mind getting a little bit of attention from onlookers will think the world of this automobile.
The Fortwo’s most promising habitat is most probably the smaller, secondary metropolitan areas (think Berkeley, California; Madison, Wisconsin; Providence, Rhode Island), where mid-size and compact vehicles roam in abundance, the driving style is less aggressive, and the mindset favors the liberal side.
In Europe, Smart has made quite a name for itself, and that reputation has spread worldwide. Even though few here in the States have actually seen one, everyone seems to know the brand. The Smart has proven its smarts in many parts of the Old World, but whether the ForTwo is a good fit for America remains yet to be seen.
In 2008, the Smart ForTwo will be offered in approximately 70 dealerships in 34 states from coast-to-coast. Most of these outlets will be “store-in-store” concepts within existing Mercedes-Benz dealerships. Expect a long wait between "pre-ordering" and picking up you Smart ForTwo.
