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Sunday, Nov 8, 2009
Here in Belfast (Ireland) the Smart car has been around for a few years - so let me tell you that it stops attracting attention from passer-bys very quickly.
I have to agree with a few other posters - the Honda Fit (or Jazz as it's called in Ireland and the UK) makes much more sense.
It comfortably seats five people (lots of head room both front and back); is cheaper that the Smart (here anyway); has an unfeasibly large trunk (the petrol tank sits under the front seats to add space); holds its value; and is a *Honda* - so will never, ever break down - unless we drive it off the Giant's Causeway...
We can park it easily anywhere in Belfast's tiny, narrow streets; and we can get 55 miles to the gallon from it with very careful driving (it has a mpg readout).
Ok, so that's Imperial Gallons - but that's still around 44 mpg US stylee.
To reiterate the sentiment from a number of comments here, Machinist is completely out of its element, more so than usual, in this automotive 'review'. This column has become one of the most tedious on Salon.
For anyone that actually cares about the umwelt of the Smart 2.0, there are plenty of much better reviews, experiences, and insightful commentary out there than Farhad's typical gushing fanboi-ism and shallow analysis.
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/smart/
http://www.topgear.com/blogs/drives/016-smart-fortwo/
Sweet baby Jesus, my Audi A4 gets 32-34 when driven sanely (2.0T, 6spd standard trans, AWD).
I have the first model (in Europe) with manual transmission and the 62HP engine.
It gets consistent 44mpg in town and 50mpg on the open road. It has about 62,200 miles on the clock. Oh it doesn't have AC.
So either the anti-pollution system for the US market is doing just what it shouldn't be doing - increasing carbon pollution by raising consumption. Or you don't know how to drive...
I have a Yaris and I get 38 to 45 mpgs. Other people say they have coaxed up to 60 out of it but I don't check my mileage much. I can say that we filled up in Mill Valley and drove all the way to L.A. before we had to fill again. That's really good I think! It's a four seater too and it doesn't have the problems with braking and shifting in the automatic that the smart has. Why is no-one talking about this car? It handles like a dream, it's roomy enough inside to seat four people comfortably, the mileage is great and it parks anywhere easily and it is totally cute....
amazing to me that Salon can't figure how to post a video that can play all the way through. Yikes!
[since almost all cars in Germany have manual transmission, this isn't an issue. Germans prefer direct control and turn their noses up at wimps who can't handle shifting gears
-- Saint Fnordius ]
I don't get it, St. Fnordius. How can you Germans work the gear shift while simultaneously holding onto the steering wheel and holding a cell phone to your ear? Do you guys have extra arms or something?
Hehe, you rail against "shallow analysis," but then point to this? You're a funny guy.
http://www.topgear.com/blogs/drives/016-smart-fortwo/
For every occasion that you squeeze into a tiny gap or revel in the reverse sexual psychology that a tiny three-cylinder engine affords you, there are a dozen times when you want a six-cylinder manual penis extension with a proper boot and a wheelbase that's long enough to cope with a speed bump.
Enter the second generation Smart. Bigger (but not by too much), safer, quicker, smoother. So they say anyhoo, and on the whole they're right.
It feels spacious, it feels faster, the transmission has improved (a bit), and there's a full 70-litres more boot back there. Daimler Chrysler is a tad skint these days, so it's tricky to keep niche brands afloat.
Someone's done sterling work here however, maturing the ForTwo without ageing it. Interior quality is far more impressive, as is the high-speed ride. I like this car more than ever.
But I'm still not sure I could live with one.
Yes, actually- I find the TG blog post a much more concise analysis than the trite attempt at empty pop journalism you attempt to pass off in that embarrassing video or overwrought prose of yours. Also, kudos to you for not mentioning the other source link provided.
Jeez, guys, chill the fsck out on the Farhad hating.
However, I will make this point: The future of driving is not the Smart. The future of driving is no driving.
Being a Malaysian, I've often thought it funny how Americans find the Smart ForTwo to be as odd as an Alien Spacecraft. From Dan Brown to Travel Channel program hosts. And now that it has actually landed on American shores, the oddity perception persists. I guess Asians have never really had a problem with driving tiny cars, because we have always had them on our roads. That and the fact that we don't earn quite as much as North Americans, makes it quite normal for us to buy them. On the other hand, I guess Americans instinctively deem them to be unsafe and too small for ordinary use, due to the tradition for big cars with big engines.
Since they won't send the obviously superior diesel version to the U.S. market, maybe we're better off waiting for this (from Wiki):
"Hybrid Technologies" plans to sell an electric version of the Smart vehicle in the U.S. starting at US$35,000. It is being called a hybrid car even though the vehicle is all-electric. The electric Smart car will have a range of 120 miles (190 km) to 150 miles (240 km), a top speed of 80 mph (129 km/h), and charge in 5 to 6 hours using a standard 110V AC outlet. An electric Smart is currently undergoing testing in the UK and will only be offered to commercial clients as a trial for the time being.
Really? sounds like a great deal
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