Article Comments: 2008 Smart Fortwo First Look and Drive

65 messages, Last post on Jun 22, 2008 at 7:42 AM

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Article comments for First Look: 2008 Smart Fortwo - Americans' newfound love affair with small cars is about to be tested with the arrival of the 2008 Smart Fortwo. (more)

First Drive: 2008 Smart Fortwo Passion - Once you get some momentum together, it's a pleasure to drive the Smart. Despite its short 73.5-inch wheelbase, the Fortwo absorbs bumps and potholes quite well. The ride quality isn't exactly as supple as a Maybach, but the motions are surprisingly gentle. (more)

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#25 of 65 Great little car! by engineer al Jan 27, 2007 (2:46 am)
I bought a '06 Fourtwo and an '06 Dodge Ram 3500 Cummins 4x4 last June. I live on a small island, and we get lots of weather here. As far as I am concerned, I have the best of both worlds. I drive the truck when I need to, but the Smart does the trick for everything else. As I live several miles from town, and therefore the nearest store, I find the little car invaluable for everything from soup to nuts. How many times do you find yourself "just running to the store" for bread and milk etc? Or to pick up or drop someone off somewhere? I do all of this and more, parking is a breeze, back and forth to work, and so on, and all this for less than $20 a tank at my community's over-inflated fuel prices. I have to agree with the one poster about the fact that it takes around 45 minutes to an hour to get anything done as the car always draws a crowd of curious folks looking for info on it. I have gotten my tallest friends to sit in it, I always put the seat all the way back first, and to a man, they always pull it forward again to reach the pedals. On the highway, it cruises just fine at 110-120 kmh, (65-70 mph) and I regularily pass other cars with it. The road I live on has a really steep hill with a corner at the bottom, in the snowfalls we have enjoyed so far this winter, I have had no problem getting the car up or down that hill, which I have even seen bring some 4x4's to their knees. The only real complaints I have are that in the colder rainy weather, it can take quite awhile to defrost the windshield, ( a pain in the ass for me as I live less than 5 minutes from work ), and the road noise is a little loud sometimes. Otherwise I am really enjoying my car!
#26 of 65 Mileage by countsmackula1 Feb 04, 2007 (6:12 pm)
Why do these things not get 70-80 mpg? A Honda Civic is much safer, no doubt ( due to weight), is nearly as maneuveravble, and can seat more if necessary, and gets mid-40s all day long.Why are these cars necessary?
#27 of 65 well... by plekto Feb 04, 2007 (11:51 pm)
Note that it's 45-50mpg in combined testing/real-world in Europe. Ie - you actually GET 45mpg average. EPA tests will probably list something like 40city and 55highway.
#28 of 65 no radio by 74apollo Feb 06, 2007 (10:10 am)
I test drove this little car several weeks ago. It had a smoother ride than my Mini. The price tag of $29,000 is ridiculous tho and it had no radio!
#29 of 65 ... by plekto Feb 06, 2007 (10:21 am)
The one sold by Zap/etc right now is priced at twice the normal selling price. It's 9-13K in Europe, if you adjust for VAT and taxes and the exchange rate. Quite affordable. And it will come with a Radio - since its being marketed as a Mercedes/sold at Mercedes dealerships primarily. Just wait until this fall. It'll be all good then
#30 of 65 Re: Article Comments: 2008 Smart Fortwo First Look [zeniff] by gypsy_tech Feb 20, 2007 (11:09 am)
Replying to: zeniff (Jan 11, 2007 10:42 am) My wife and I are looking for a Chrysler dealer that is getting the car so we can put a deposit down. Of course Chrysler executives are going to be-little global warming, there line up is full of gas guzzlers. European nations are screaming louder because of one of the theories of a result of global warming would be a European ice age. I'd be worried as well, even if we won't have any proof until it is too late. I will admit, it might already be too late.
#31 of 65 ... by plekto Feb 20, 2007 (9:58 pm)
Yeah, I know that. It's about 11K, since there are tarriffs, VAT, and they add in registration fees in the price.(which, while we don't is probably more accurate, since they gotta be paid, reguardless...) Of course, 11K is no AC, no radio, cloth seats, manual windows... But, IMO, I don't NEED that junk. Give me a Smart with the basics and maybe a radio and I'll be happy,
#32 of 65 Is the Smart worth the trade down? by mcyak Apr 03, 2007 (4:22 pm)
Aside from QC problems and Chryslers marginal service record thru a good many of it's dealers, I found myself asking..."why?" Why give up what I can get in a corola or civic (which come in in the mid to high 30mpg overall)for something which is being touted as giving 40? This vehicle may make it as the third vehicle in the family stable but I can't see it as the second much less the stand alone sole vehicle.
#34 of 65 ForFour by nickvacca Apr 20, 2007 (4:33 pm)
The FourTwo reads pretty well. However, only a two seater? Tell me, when will the FourFour be coming to our shores? With the added versatility of this vehicle,this would be a real gem. For this I will wait. Just don`t diddle around too long to bring it over, as I am 71 yrs.old and do not know how much more time I`ve got. Please hurry with it because it should gain wide acceptance and become a runaway best seller. Thanks....Nick V. Replies to this message: edf4 (Apr 23, 2007 4:57 pm)