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Smart Car Debate


Aaron Kassraie, Contributing Writer
Posted on Monday 9th November 2009

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Since its release on the U.S market the smart fortwo has been selling out car lots across the country with an initial backorder of a year, yet Yahoo Autos rated it the worst car of the decade.

The car’s lack of approval stems from its limited space that was actually extended 6 inches in size to meet U.S. crash safety standards. It is claimed to have an unsatisfactory miles-per-gallon rate due to its very small size. Smart car owners can agree that their car’s appeal is not just from its comparable efficiency to the Toyota Prius and Mini Cooper but from its small size making it easier to park and maneuver around town.

Ken Kettenbail, spokesman from smart USA said, “The smart fortwo is not the ‘greenest car’ on the market today however when you look at the total package it meets various criteria that classify it as an environmentally friendly or ‘green’ vehicle.”

The fortwo is not a hybrid car, making it the highest mpg car powered solely on gas. The California Air Resource Board also certifies the car for low green house gas and pollutant scores.

Before hitting the road, smart practices low-emissions starting at the production facility in Hambach, France. Parts of the car are made from recycled material and the car itself is 95 percent recyclable. Interestingly enough, smart USA is an independent distributor of the smart fortwo in the U.S. and is responsible for sales and marketing of the car on their own.

Smart continues to improve their car even after the car is bought. All owners were offered a free software upgrade to the most recent model which was a software upgrade to allow smoother transitions between gears. The next step the car will take is yet to be seen until 2011 when a redesign will be applied.

owlafaye's picture
Posted on 9 November 2009 - 5:52pm by owlafaye.
Considering the Geo Metro, in 1989, in 5 door form, weighed 400 lbs less than the smart for two and got 58 mpg...Yes, the SmartForTwo is a pretty shoddy, cramped, gas hog with few redeeming features. People just don't Pay Attention...and then buy one of these ridiculous cars.
Guest's picture
Posted on 9 November 2009 - 6:29pm by Guest.
As an owner of both the hardtop and convertible Smart Fortwo I can assure you this is no Geo Metro. The Smart is anything but shoddy, anti-lock, ESP, heated leather, and a whole host of other extras. You have obviously never set foot in a Smart because you would have noticed the tremendous amount of leg and head room. The storage area will easily hold SEVEN cases of red wine. I average 43 miles to the gallon with my Smart. This is the coolest car I have ever owned.
Ian Cull's picture
Posted on 9 November 2009 - 7:11pm by Ian Cull.
The cars needed a software update, because their initial performance was poor - that's not a positive selling point!
I recently compared the sales of the Smart, with the MINI - Smart is selling poorly and worse month by month, doesn't look good!
http://www.gbmini.net/wp/2009/11/smart_usa_sales/
Richard's picture
Posted on 9 November 2009 - 7:47pm by Richard.
I owned a Geo Metro years ago and I now own a SmartCar fortwo convertible. Trust me, there is no comparison between the two. The SmartCar is much roomier (it easily accommodates my friend who is 6-foot-5), has more leg room, appears to be much better built, and has a full roll cage for safety.
I never cared for the Geo Metro and sold it as soon as I could. It was a cheap car and it felt cheap when driving it. I love the SmartCar and plan to keep it for years. It is also a cheap car but has a very solid feel when driving.
My son-in-law drives a Mini and I have ridden in it a number of times. It's a very nice car with better handling than the SmartCar. However, the SmartCar has a lot more room for the two passengers (the Mini has seats for four but the rear seat passengers should be under the age of two). The SmartCar's passengers get more headroom and more legroom. For a long trip, I'd prefer the SmartCar.
getagrip42's picture
Posted on 10 November 2009 - 9:37am by getagrip42.
@owlafaye: There is no comparison between a Metro and a smart in terms of safety, refinement, etc. A late 80s CRX HF could also do 50+ mpg, but no current Honda can, not even the latest hybrid. I wonder if it has anything to do with better emissions controls, better safety systems, better construction, more standard features (A/C, CD, power windows, etc.)? Those things add weight and rob power. It's not an apples to apples comparison. And, let's not forget 1) the EPA changed their rating system in 2008 so everything is rated less than previous cars and 2) many smart owners average much better than the EPA ratings. I've tracked every gallon and mile for over a year and am at 43 mpg overall and that includes engine break-in, crappy winter gas, etc. I've seen 52 mpg on one tank and averaged 46 for ten tanks this summer. YMMV.
@Ian Cull: Penske estimated selling 15-16K units in 2008 and sold nearly 25K. smartUSA/MB predicted a ceiling of 20K units for the car in the US market in 2007. So, when smartUSA says they'll sell 15,700 cars in 2009 during the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression I'd say the glass is half full. Yes, sales are not at year ago levels when excitement for a new brand and new car was in full swing, but Penske obviously thought he could turn a profit on 15K cars. Things could be a lot worse considering the times...
Guest's picture
Posted on 14 November 2009 - 7:07pm by Guest.
5
I love the smart car for not only it is environmentally friendly it is comfortable and spacious, reliable and great on gas.
the report is well done, thank you for bringing the report to the public
cold air intake's picture
Posted on 20 January 2010 - 2:42am by cold air intake.
3
The debate is whether tiny car is a smart idea. Some smart car owners said that their car's appeal is not just for ordinary transportation.

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