Smart Car IS FUN

Just in case you’re looking for something to fill out the garage in your toy hauler, RV Life has found just what you need—the smart fortwo—an ATV-sized car. It is made to be towed with all four wheels on the ground, but why not carry it inside, away from prying eyes and inclement weather?

Worldwide sales of the smart car, a member of the Mercedes Car Group, are closing in on 2 million vehicles, and the U.S. just became the 37th country to sell the smart fortwo. The Seattle dealership, smart center Seattle, sold 80 of the little pups in the first two months.

While everything about the car’s looks seems overstated, it’s odd that the company refuses to capitalize the car’s name. We don’t get it. The car comes in three models — smart fortwo pure coupe (entry-level starting at $11,590), the smart fortwo passion coupe (well-equipped, starting at $13,590) and the smart fortwo passion cabriolet (well-equipped convertible starting at $16,590).

“Oh, it’s so cute!” That’s what we heard at the arrival lanes at SeaTac Airport. The car got a lot of smiles and two thumbs-up. It is cute, no argument there. But we’re here to tell you there’s a lot more to this “cute” car than looks.

We liked it—it’s a fun little roustabout that handles city and freeway traffic just fine. It steers true and quick. Acceleration is quite acceptable, and it brakes just right for its size. Inside, it feels very big, and you sit higher than in most small cars. Hitting potholes, however, felt like our old Datsun pickup truck with the overload springs, without the camper on back. You’d swear the wheels turned square for a second.

The no-clutch 5-speed automated manual transmission takes some getting used to. It has two modes—automatic and manual—and you can switch back and forth on the fly. Auto mode responds to your acceleration, but there’s a bit of a lag during each shift. It feels as it would if you were depressing a clutch, slowly. In manual mode, you nudge the knob when you feel like it and the shift takes place faster. Little gearshift paddles on the steering column do the same thing.

Seats are positioned at a higher level than most passenger cars so both driver and passenger have more visibility than it would seem from the size of this car. You actually have to climb down out of it rather than haul yourself up and out of the cab. This feature also is a safety measure, as a side impact would hit a leg and not the body.

Two of them can fit sideways in a standard parking spot, but if the sign says “parallel parking only,” don’t risk a ticket.

All models come equipped with the 3-cylinder, 1-liter, 71-horsepower gasoline-powered engine, EPA-rated for 33-mpg city and 41-mpg highway. Premium fuel is required. The diesel engines available in Europe and Canada do quite a bit better, but smart figured that 0-60 in 18 seconds was a tad slow for the U.S. market. The gas engine gets you 0-60 in 12 seconds.

The top speed of the smart fortwo is electronically limited to 90 mph. It weighs 1,800 pounds and is designed to achieve a four-star crash rating in the U.S. It comes with two front and two side air bags, and the passenger compartment is surrounded by a reinforced steel cage designed to absorb and displace impact energy. ABS brakes on all wheels are standard.

Most of the smart’s weight (engine and transaxle) is over the driven wheels, resulting in better traction overall. Wider rear wheels and tires allow for better grip and traction in marginal weather conditions. Narrower front wheels and tires allow for less traction loss by penetrating into snow and ice deeper for improved steering control. All smart fortwo vehicles come standard with all season tires, 155/60 R15 in the front and 175/55 R15 in the rear.

The smart fortwo is also classified as an Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) on account of its extremely low exhaust emissions. The catalytic converter is positioned close to the engine for a quick response. An electric pump blows fresh air into the exhaust port when the engine is cold to almost completely oxidize the carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC) and render them harmless.

The smart is a member of the Mercedes Car Group, a Daimler AG Company, and is distributed by Penske Automotive Group. One is on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the only car there that is still in production.

The smart was originally a collaboration between the Mercedes Benz and Swatch companies. Its name, smart, is a combination of Swatch/Mercedes/art. And speaking of art, the smart center Seattle offers an option that will match the appearance of most RVs.

The Washington smart car dealer is smart center Seattle, near Southcenter Mall, 301 Baker Boulevard, Seattle, WA 98188. Phone (206) 243-1455. Other smart car dealerships are in Lindon, Utah; Chandler, Arizona; Denver, Colorado; Albuquerque, New Mexico, and 10 locations in California. For information, visit www.smart-usa.com.

Steve Giordano and Lynn Rosen are writers and editors who live in Bellingham, Washington.