The original smart was a tiny, two-seat car developed by Mercedes working with Swatch, the watch maker. Powered by a rear-mounted 600cc engine, It was designed for Europe's congested cities, where it could be parked nose to the curb. Figuring there wasn't a market for such a car in the U.S., the manufacturer never offered it here.

The second-generation fortwo is larger--but still tiny--with a larger--but still tiny--engine. Combine the size increases with higher gas prices, and we get this one. And, what do you know, the waiting list is over a year long.

Even though the North American HQ is 15 minutes from my house, I wasn't immediately able to drive one and see what all the fuss is about. You see, you have to make an appointment first. After playing a bit of email tag, I gave up. Then the other day just stopped at the HQ/dealer and said, "Well, I tried to make an appointment." They graciously bent the rules and gave me a test drive.

Styling

The fortwo, only 106 inches long and only 61 inches wide yet nearly 61 inches tall, has the proportions and appearance of a cartoon car. The plastic body panels are one color, while the steel "safety cage" is silver. Stylish and very cute, this appearance in among the major selling points of the car.

In another fortwo review, toolguy1963 relates that the original fortwo had an interior as fun and colorful as the exterior. Well, not the new one. The interior of the car I drove was oppressively dark and dour. There are a few bits of silver plastic, but they fail to either lighten the place up or make it seem less cheap. Some interior surfaces have a fabric covering to them that looked worn and dirty in the demo I drove.

During the test drive the salesperson noted that the demo was fitted with the Comfort Package. I now see that this package includes leather upholstery as well as power steering and automatic headlights. I didn't notice the leather during the test drive.

Accommodations

As its name and size suggest, the smart fortwo seats only two. The view forward is very open. To the rear, not so much in the convertible--and that's with the top up. With the top down, the view directly rearward is almost entirely obstructed. Still, the car is easy to park. Upon returning to the dealer the salesperson asked me to back the car up a few more feet. Only then did I realize that the rear window not far behind my head was also the back end of the car--there was no trunk to allow for.

The convertible isn't a full convertible, as the entire safety cage remains up when the top goes down. So it's more like a full-length sunroof. But, like a sunroof, you can open and close the soft top while driving.

The seats didn't suit me well. Just a few miles into the test drive I had a sore spot in my lower back. They also cannot recline much, as there's a package shelf behind them.

Behind the seats you'll find just enough room to squeeze in a row of grocery bags.

On the Road

The upside of driving a smart fortwo is that it drives like nothing else. But there's also a reason nothing else drive this way.

With a 70-horsepower 1.0-liter three to motivate 1,800 pounds (plus occupants), acceleration isn't strong. But it's not entirely inadequate, either. For getting around town, it'll do. Highway driviing--not so well.

I was surprised to find that the engine didn't feel rough, as I expected a three to, and that it sounds like a larger engine when revved. How high did I rev it? I can't say, as the fortwo I drove lacked a tach.

The transmission is an automated five-speed manual with no clutch pedal. It can be left in fully automatic mode. But shifts in this mode are very slow, and the computer works the throttle much like someone just learning to use a manual. We're talking long pauses between when the throttle is relaxed--tipping occupants forward in their seats--and when it is reapplied. Also, the transmission when left to its own devices runs through the gears quickly, lugging the engine in fifth by 35.

So put it in manual mode, and use either the shifter or the paddles attached to the steering wheel to shift. Work the throttle like you would with a conventional manual, and shifts are reasonably quick and smooth. Like most, the shift paddles are attached to the steering wheel, and move with it in turns. I much prefer paddles attached to the steering column, because I always know where to find them.

With gas around four dollars, many people will think fuel economy when the see the smart. So, how good does it do? Respondents to TrueDelta's Fuel Economy Survey report high 30s in mixed driving:

http://www.truedelta.com/fuel_economy.php

So very good, but not much better than a larger, more powerful, and more comfortable Civic or Corolla.

The optional power steering is fairly firm and sufficiently responsive. It doesn't feel overly light at low speeds. The fortwo feels agile, but not as much as I expected it to given its diminutive size. This is probably intentional, to discourage abrupt steering inputs, since a car of these proportions is inherently unstable. (Standard electronic stability control keeps the fortwo on four wheels.) Similarly, even moderately hard cornering produces an unsettling amount of body lean. I never felt the car was unsafe, but I clearly wasn't supposed to push it very hard.

The ride is somewhat choppy--no surprise given the ultra-short wheelbase--and more than somewhat noisy. Still, fine for around town, just not for the highway.

smart fortwo Price Comparisons and Pricing

Like much else about the car, the prices aren't high, but are higher than might be expected. This is a car with three quarters the mass and parts of a conventional compact, but for about the same price. With the coupe, at least. The convertible, though $3,000 more than the coupe, is arguably the better value. Where else can you get a convertible with leather seats for $18,000?

The closest competitor to the smart fortwo convertible is perhaps the MINI Cooper. Even after a $1,600 adjustment for its extra features, the MINI Cabrio is about $7,200 more than the smart.

Compared to a Volkswagen New Beetle, the price gap starts out about the same, but the feature adjustment cuts it to about $5,500.

So, the fortwo Cabriolet is much less than other small convertibles. But it's also much less car.

Prices change frequently, and differences will vary based on feature level. To quickly generate these and other comparisons with the specific features you want, visit my Web site, TrueDelta.com. (It's the only site that provides true "apples-to-apples" price comparisons.)

TrueDelta's page for the smart fortwo:

truedelta.com/models/ForTwo.php

Last Words

So, the driving experience sounds mostly bad, right? By just about any objective measure, yes. But in these days of hyper-refined automobiles, it's refreshing to drive something so clearly mechanical, with more than a little character to it. Driving the smart, you're constantly aware that you're not driving a normal, run of the mill transportation appliance. And the price is much lower than most cars bought as toys. So, despite all of the drawbacks, I can see why the waiting list is so long.

A Note on smart fortwo Reliability

The fortwo's standard warranty is only two year's long, which is short by today's standards. No doubt they'll sell you an extended warranty. But especially without one, reliability will be a larger concern than usual. European cars can be troublesome, after all.

I cannot practically cover reliability within the context of this review. However, many people are interested in such information, so I've started collecting my own data. Results are posted to my site, TrueDelta.com, with updates every three months. Initially, the repair rate for the fortwo has been a bit under a repair trip per year, which is worse than today's low average.

Unlike other sources, TrueDelta will clearly identify what difference it will make if you buy a fortwo rather than another vehicle by providing "times in the shop" and "days in the shop" stats (among others). You will be able to specify the number of years, annual miles, and types of repairs to include in smart fortwo reliability comparisons.

To report results, I need reliability data on all cars--not just the fortwo--from people like you. To encourage participation, those who help provide the data will receive free access to the site's reliability information. Non-participants will have to pay an access fee.

For the details, and to sign up, click here.

Alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.

Amount Paid (US$): 18,000
Model and Options: Cabriolet with Comfort Package