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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#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)
#35 of 65 Re: ForFour [nickvacca] by edf4 Apr 23, 2007 (4:57 pm)
Replying to: nickvacca (Apr 20, 2007 4:33 pm) Sorry to disappoint you Nick, but there are no plans to bring over the FourFour. In fact, even overseas I believe the FourFour is dead. Just not profitable and plagued with maintainance issues when it was available. Nope, the two seater is all it will be, though it will be a great one. The dismal (compared to the new one) old one sold over 700,000 world-wide to date. This will far exceed than number. Many, including myself, expect this to do as well, if not better than the Mini has done, and they will likely hear footsteps. The fortwo is stylish, hip, and cool, with a conservative combined estimate of 40mpg. For the times when you need to carry more than two people, if you don't have another car, take a taxi or rent a larger car. And if you're "smart", you'll "reserve" one for yourself like thousands have already done - go to their website and see what I mean.
#36 of 65 Re: Geez, give 'em a break already! [swordsman] by demosthenes Jun 09, 2007 (9:44 pm)
Replying to: swordsman (Dec 04, 2006 8:27 am) "If you'd take the time to research the subject, you'd find crash test videos of smarts hitting concrete walls at 70 mph with nary a bend in the frame..." I saw this video, and the people who made it pointed out that while the car survived reasonably well, any human occupants wouldn't have. "You're comparing bare-bones Honda's and Toyotas to fully loaded smarts..." According to smartusa.com, a basic smart fortwo pure IS pretty bare-boned -- it not only doesn't have air-conditioning, it doesn't even have a radio! Their list price for a fortwo pure is "starting under $12,000" (excluding tax, license, registration, destination charges and options). Not exactly cheap.
#37 of 65 Good Value? by plekto Jun 10, 2007 (10:27 am)
You are forgetting that even the most basic Smart has a level of safety features that you have to jump up to a Honda Fit to get and as for drivetrain options like stability control, traction control. and the like, you have to jump to nearly $20K to find on a car these days. As near as I can tell, nearly $2000 of that price is the safety equipment and handling options. It's a tremendous deal, IMO. The Passion is nice as well, but only if I could order it without half of the bling(or the Pure with a couple of them like foglights) This is like comparing the Jeep Patriot to the competition. It's maybe 70% as good but gosh - for what you get, $16K is a steal. Find me another off-road capable SUV with 4x4 for $16K. Right - doesn't exist(and AWD in't 4x4 either). Now, it does have a lot of little issues that need to be resolved, to be sure, but it's a good deal.
#38 of 65 safety by fortwo Jun 14, 2007 (3:10 pm)
The smart is designed for safety. I've seen it go against a fiat, merc s-class, e-class, and a honda s2000.The design of the shell is formed like a hard walnut. In a Honda S2000 crash, the driver of Honda went into a coma while the driver of the smart fortwo walked away unharmed. Despite the design of the vehicle, people will still have that trepidation. I know I did. When I test drove the new "451" fortwo, I was constantly aware of my surroundings. Moreso with a manual tranny car. When you turn your head, the rear window is 2-3 feet away from you. It takes some getting used to. HD http://smartcarfan.blogspot.com/
#39 of 65 Re: Geez, give 'em a break already! [swordsman] by luvcutethings Jun 20, 2007 (9:15 am)
Replying to: swordsman (Dec 04, 2006 8:27 am) I thoroughly love what you say. I just learned about the Smart coming to the U.S., and I can't wait to test drive one. I'm sorry to read that some folks are skeptical about the car's safety, maneuverability, etc. I've driven a Volvo, a Saturn, a Toyota Matrix, and a '67 bug. I loved the bug the best -- even though I had to scrape the inside AND outside of the windshield while driving. Great on the highway, in town, and in snow. Now, if the Smart car is all that the driver in Ontario claims, then I will have made one of the best auto purchases in my life. The price is right, the safety, too, and the mileage -- why spend so much for a hybrid when the Smart might do even better. And, have you read the environmental info. on producing and recycling this thing? So, move over bug, here come's da smart.
#40 of 65 New article! by KarenS HOST Jun 20, 2007 (9:35 am)
The Smart Fortwo "Street Smart" Road Show. Replies to this message: plekto (Jun 20, 2007 11:03 am)