Smart Car: Good Car or Trendy Crap?

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Is it just me, or is the Smart Car overrated? It only gets 33mpg city and requires premium gas ( thus offsetting the mileage benefit over cheaper cars), does not handle well, and only seats 2. For comparison, a Yaris gets 29 mpg, seats five and runs on 87. The Smart starts at $11,500 with no radio or A/C, the Yaris costs the same with A/C. Sure, the Smart is made by Mercedes Benz, but it's not all that. Around here, there is a one year waiting list to get one too! I can only see one benefit: Parking. It can park nose in to the curb. I like small cars for commuters for financial reasons, but I can see no real upside to this thing. They are selling for as much as if not more than a MINI which, while it too is overpriced, is a lot more car and costs about the same to buy gas for.

 

[megaladon6]

i could kind of understand them if you had the diesel and lived in a highly congested area like NYC and had short trips only. other than that? it's a go-cart.

 

[clean8485]

I understand that the Smart is a kind of "love it or hate it" kind of car, and that it has its good and bad points, but I read in a local paper here recently that the factory in Europe where they are built, just finished building the 1 millionth Smart car, and that they are now being sold in 37 countries around the world. So it looks like it has been a "Smart" move for Mercedes-Benz to produce them.

 

[Uncletruck]

I might buy a Yaris or Fit if in the market for a good little shitbox and had no other practical alternative. A Smart? That wouldn't even make it to the table for consideration. It just crosses the line of being TOO disposable looking.

I still feel fortunate I can buy a pickup with a frame and RWD. Those are the last two remains of what a real car is to me prior to them becoming just disposable technology. I'm not crying, I know why it is. I'm just resisting for as long as I can or as long as the government allows me to 🙂


-UT-

 

[Geesie]

Trendy crap. Pound for pound, horsepower for horsepower, dollar for dollar, inch for inch it fails against other vehicles.

 

[dan2286]

Its a waste of money. I was just reading an article in a car magazine about the car. I just dont see any practical reason for the car. It only has 70 hp and I would not want to be in the car in the event of an accident. What ever happened to the older Civics that could get 40 mpg and above on a regular basis?

 

[andrewmp6]

Seem more of a yuppies car then anything else.Way to small for me if i had a 2 seater that size would be a fiero or mr2.

 

[Geesie]

Its a waste of money. I was just reading an article in a car magazine about the car. I just dont see any practical reason for the car. It only has 70 hp and I would not want to be in the car in the event of an accident. What ever happened to the older Civics that could get 40 mpg and above on a regular basis?

15 airbags, XM radio + 3-CD changer, sound deadening insulation etc. will take its toll.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

I wish there was a small diesel ANYTHING on the market right now. However, I also don't get why Honda does not sell the small gas engine version of the Fit with the 1.2 or 1.3 liter engine here. If it were cheap enough, I would consider it because of the fuel savings. Honda has bumped the Fit's price quite a bit this year though, so I guess I will need to do more shopping if I end up buying a new car. $13,950 was ok, and $15k fully loaded was pricey, but not by too much. Now, it's $14,500 base and $16,100 well equipped. I won't pay that for a shitbox no matter how innovative it is.

As for the Smart, there was a used one on my local Craigslist for a staggering $23,000!!! I'm sorry, but for that money if I am looking to save gas, the planet, spotted owl, etc. I'd have a hybrid instead. Bigger car and better on gas too.

 

[jonnyslick]

Yaris FTW ... With the right tuning that platform has the potential to be quite a fun little ride and still get good MPG and be practical enough for a small family/daily driver.