ABG First drive impression: 2008 Smart ForTwo
Click the Smart for a high-res gallery from the Ann Arbor stop of the roadshow
By now we all know that SmartUSA is touring the country to introduce Americans to the new second-generation Smart ForTwo. The 2008 model will be the first one officially imported to the US market although small numbers of the first model were imported by individuals after being purchased in Canada or Europe including at least one here in the Ann Arbor. There were also abortive attempts by companies like Zap to import them as well.
But now it's officially official. Smart dealerships will begin opening up in the first quarter of 2008 but potential customers have the chance to drive the cars during the summer roadshow. Smart had five drivable cars setup during the Ann Arbor Art Fair along with a static display consisting of one complete car and a cutaway chassis.
Continue reading my impressions of the new Smart after the jump.
Gallery: 2008 smart fortwo roadshow
Earlier in the same week I was able to spend a day with a diesel equipped 2006 model and the new version is instantly recognizable as a Smart. One the outside the changes are subtle with the overall length increased by eight inches to a total of 8.8 feet. Width and height are also increased by a couple inches each and the weight is up by about 100lbs. The biggest visible difference is in the nose with changes made to meet the new EU pedestrian protection standards. The rear crash protection was also improved.
Much more noticeable is the all new interior. Interior volume feels about the same but the dash board design that now includes a locking glove box. The center mounted tachometer and clock are optional but the LCD display under the speedometer now incorporates an up-shift signal that is more useful than having the tach in the middle. On the safety side front and side airbags as well as automatic seatbelt pre-tensioners are standard.
The automated manual gearbox is now much improved compared to the older model. In automatic mode the shifts are much smoother without the vehicle pitching that was present before. In manual mode the response is much quicker than the leisurely shifts of the 2006 model. Initially, SmartUSA will only be offering a gas engine and according to the Smart rep they have been averaging mileage in the mid-40mpg range during the roadshow.
The drive loop in downtown Ann Arbor provided about ten minutes behind the wheel and lines were steady with people waiting up to an hour for a turn. About 800 people went through during the first two days of the Art Fair most people are coming away very enthusiastic about the prospect of owning a Smart.
The Smart will be available in three trim levels with the base pure starting at under $12,000. The mid-level passion adds a panoramic glass roof and other features at under $14,000 and the passion cabriolet coming in at $17,000. Smart is projecting first year sales of about 20,000 units.
Having now driven the original and the new version it's apparent that they probably made the right decision in waiting for the new model before bringing it to this market. As it is this car will probably do well in urban areas where potential drivers don't need to spend much time at freeway speeds. Parking and maneuverability are outstanding and mileage is also excellent. If they bring over the micro-hybrid and diesel versions it will be even better. If you're interested in checking out the Smart for yourself check out the roadshow schedule at the SmartUSA website.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
hodad66 12:07PM (7/23/2007)
I'm one of the 20K waiting with my $99 deposit. I would love the diesel but will get this one & wait to see if the pure plug-in will become available.
For me it's not budget considerations but the promotion of a move FROM petroleum addiction. May more Americans that don't actually need that SUV begin to get SMART!!
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Don 2:13PM (7/23/2007)
Buy a Yaris and get better gas mileage.
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hodad66 3:24PM (7/23/2007)
I have a Scion xA and it gets an honest 31 mpg's average. This new Smart will probably get 45 and gets much more attention.
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stevejust 4:05PM (7/23/2007)
The price point is all wrong. I paid $18,600 for my brand new 2004 Honda Civic hybrid, it averages about 46-48 mpg in real world driving and has 4 doors. The smart is half the car that my civic is, and costs almost as much. The base price should be about 9,000, and maybe the convertible could go for 12k. Otherwise, aside from it's gimmicky size, it's kinda a stupid way to spend money.
I agree with the poster who says by a Yaris in terms of price/performance ratios.
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Charles S 4:42PM (7/23/2007)
I don't think a car should be priced based on its size. Yes, the fortwo *COULD* be priced at $9,000, but then it would have to be a no frills car. That may sound ok on paper, but in reality it doesn't work. If cheap sells, Yugos should have been a success.
The fortwo may not be the most practical car, but it fits a niche. When I used to live in San Francisco, such a car would have been a godsend when it comes to street parking. I think it would work well with rentals such as Zipcar and the likes.
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jdunham 5:59PM (7/23/2007)
For anyone consider buying a Prius here is my suggestion. Buy a base SmartForTwo for about $12000 and a ZAP Xebra SD (Sedan) for $10,000. Total cost before taxes is about $22,000 or about the same price as a Prius. The benefit of owning a SmartForTwo + Xebra SD is that you have one vehicle that gets about the milage of a Prius and is almost as clean, see MSN greenest vehicles in UK. Plus, you have an all-electric that is a Zero Emission Vehicle. Even compared to hybrids electric vehicles are much cleaner. Tesla, for example, claims that their all-electric roadster that goes from zero-sixty MPH in 4 seconds and has a top speed of 130 MPH is more than twice as efficient as a hybrid. I would imagine that a Xebra has to be even more efficient than a Tesla Roadster.
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hodad66 6:29PM (7/23/2007)
I might have thought about a Civic Hybrid but milquetoast is not to my liking.. :( Four doors and butt ugly to boot. The Prius looks like an exotic masterpiece compared to what they did with the hybrid Civic.
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Joe P 6:57AM (7/24/2007)
I own a Honda Fit Sport with a 5MT. I paid $15k for it. Driven carefully I get high 30's-low 40's MPG. Recently I took my lawn mower, weed wacker, seven bags of mulch plus all sorts of gardening equipment to my girlfriend's house. Except for the hey-look-at-me factor why would anyone buy this over a Fit/Yaris/Versa?
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calebe 7:37AM (7/25/2007)
I think they are cool but, the mpg is way to low for this size car with a 3 cylinder.
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Gregg 9:13AM (7/24/2007)
Lots of reasons. The smart is shorter...takes up less space than all of them. Most cars only have a driver at any given time. Saves materials, and is more environmentally friendly than a hybrid with those batteries and the manufacturing they require.
In addition to that, try to find any other subcompact/economy car that offers automatic climate control, electronic stability program, brake force distribution, ABS, acceleration skid control, ABS, traction control, side airbags, and steering wheel shift paddles all standard on a $14,000 car.
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Peter 9:15AM (7/24/2007)
Also it doesn't seem to be a good "look at me", I always look because I am wondering what kind of freak drives these things.
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jeffzekas 11:56AM (7/24/2007)
My neighbor has a Honda Civic Hybrid, and his car averages 30 mpg... so the 46 to 48 claimed by stevejust is either unusual, or else, he works for Honda Motor Corporation! The Smart truly does get forty mpg, is cute, stylish and well-built. I looked at the previous, Canadian version of the fortwo, and thought, "Gee, all those mom's, driving alone in their Escalades, could save a LOT of gas with a Smart car!". As for Scion and Yaris: both are ugly, more expensive, larger, and get worse gas mileage. The Smart car is stylish AND economical-- much like its predecessors, the Fiat 500, Citroen 2CV and the original Morris/ Austin Mini 850. As for "what kind of freak drives these things"-- a freak who knows that gasoline in a finite resource; a freak who believes that "small is beautiful"; a freak who knows that the world changes, one action, one person at a time. As we used to say in the sixties, "God bless the freaks!".
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UH2L 2:21PM (7/24/2007)
test
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UH2L 2:50PM (7/24/2007)
Sure, the higher fuel economy of a Smart car is better, but it's impractical for most people, unless it's a 2nd vehicle. We don't all have to drive micro-cars. Even if most drivers of guzzler SUVs traded their vehicles in for mid-sized wagons, we'd save tons of fuel as a nation. A full-size Chevy Impala sedan gets 32 mpg on the highway (using 2007 ratings). A wagon version of this would hold tons of stuff. I say more stationwagons in place of SUV's and crossover vehicles are the answer.
I drive a Saab 9-3 SportCombi and it gets 28 mpg combined with 32+ on the highway, (close to real world numbers I've seen for the Versa and many of the smaller Hyundais and KIAs), and is safer against large vehicles, fits more stuff than a Fit or a Prius, has more cargo volume than the Ford Edge. It's somewhat expensive, but with rebates, not much more than a Prius, and a used one is a bargain. It's also fun to drive, unlike many of the vehicles mentioned earlier.
Atul
http://www.thingsivenoticed.com
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john riley 4:41PM (7/24/2007)
Re the "get a Civic" logic: If car buyers were completely logical, there would be a lot of SUV drivers in wagons - or Civics. If people can be emotional on the big side, why can't they be emotional on the small side. It can be a statement car.
OTOH on my block in Toronto, there are two smarts parked in driveway spaces where there would not be room for anything larger.
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Azrael4h 5:02PM (7/24/2007)
The problem with the Smart is it's just to impractical to be anything more than a niche player. 2 seaters have never been big sellers here, and the Smart adds love-it-or-hate-it styling to the mix on top of that.
Most C segment cars can exceed mid 30s mpg with a slushbox or CVT, and should be able to get into the 40mpg range with a manual transmission. Cars like the Fit, Aveo, and Yaris don't have a significant advantage over cars like the Cobalt, Sentra, or Focus in fuel economy, though they also have little disadvantage in size and a slight advantage in price depending on equipment. They all are capable of at least 35mpg when driven by a sane person.
I'm glad we got the Smart cars, but I don't see them selling enough to make a real difference. To the people telling "moms driving alone in big SUVs" to switch to a Smart, where would momma put her 2.4 kids? In the trunk? They should switch to at least something like a Malibu Maxx or one of the midsize CUVs. Better yet, try an HHR or Fit wagon.
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miike-1-2-7 8:26PM (7/24/2007)
I think 20,000 units is a low estimate.
This is a great second car, especially at $14,000 and $4 gas being predicted/threatened. What next gas shortages?
When's the diesel coming out?
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miike-1-2-7 8:27PM (7/24/2007)
- How fast was it?
- How did it handle?
- With that high seat position, does it feel top heavy like an SUV?
- What's the ride like? smooth or rough?
- Noisy?
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Calguy 11:45PM (7/24/2007)
Uh, yeah. The Smart IS a niche car. Exactly. Just why those of us that want one are SOOOO interested in it. I don't really think anyone thinks it's going to replace the Camry/Accord as the most popular car. Got it.
Not every body wants to drive a vanilla, overweight, fat, lardy car that overexceeds their needs. I've got a Saab 9-5 wagon, which with its turbo 4 cyl and 250hp gets a pretty swell 33-34 on the highway. Though that's brilliant for a large, comfortable, safe, fast car, I want something that's vastly more nimble, short, lean, sleek, option-loaded and cool.
The Fit/Yaris/Accent/Aveo are inarguably adept, they are all dull and just as option loaded as a sewing machine. They have the appeal of raw, cold tofu. Sorry. One Smart, please. With a sunroof, leather and my choice of ANY parking spot I want. Perfect.
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RC1320 4:40PM (7/25/2007)
I am glad that you guys finally got the chance to get in one of these and give us your opinion. I have been keeping up on many different driver's experience in this car at Smart Car of America and am happy to see so many different people taking the time to go to the tour, see the car, and share the experience. Here is the thread for Actual Driving Experience http://smartcarofamerica.com/forums/showthread.php?t=77
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