Article Comments 2008 Smart Fortwo First Drive

110 messages, Last post on Aug 07, 2008 at 8:31 AM

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What is this discussion about? smart fortwo, Hatchback

Article comments for First Drive: 2008 Smart Fortwo - The 2008 Fortwo is larger than its predecessor, but it's still outrageously small, some 40 inches shorter than a Mini. In real life, it looks like an artist's impression of what a car might look like if we all drank skinny lattes. (more)

Full Test: 2008 Smart Fortwo Passion - Bottom Line: Hugely versatile as a city-only car, but perhaps not the best choice for those who go farther or need to carry more. (more)

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#95 of 110 Re: Yaris? [dmathews3] by plekto Mar 05, 2008 (4:43 pm)
Replying to: dmathews3 (Mar 05, 2008 1:38 pm) Actually, CR only hates most GM vehicles. There have always been a few that they like, which are usually the bigger Buicks and GMC SUVs. They seem to care more about trunk space and amenities than how the thing actually drives. Anything smaller than a Civic or Corolla, though, they have almost always hated. But remember - we're talking about basic econoboxes here, and the Yaris is the best of the bunch right now. Also, at almost 2300lbs, it's actually quite a large car - a far cry from the Echo. 2005 Echo(basically same for hatch and sedan): Overall length (inches): 164.8, overall width (inches): 65.4, overall height (inches): 59.4, wheelbase (inches). 93.0, weight: 2020Lbs. Turning radius 32.8ft Small, light, underpowered, and a wheelbase that was too small for such a large turning radius. 2008 Yaris Hatch: Overall length (inches): 150.0, overall width (inches): 66.7, overall height (inches): 60.0, wheelbase (inches): 96.9, weight: 2295Lbs. Turning radius 30.8ft.(better than a Mini, roughly 2ft larger than a smart(!)) Small, heavier than the Echo(good thing) - just the right compromises. It hits that sweet spot between microcar and compact. 2008 Yaris Sedan: Overall length (inches): 169.3, overall width (inches): 66.5, overall height (inches): 56.7, wheelbase (inches): 100.4, weight: 2293Lbs. Turning radius 32.6ft It's no wonder they don't like the sedan. While it has a larger wheelbase to help with smoothness, it has less weight at its corners and the same suspension as the hatchback - and it's less agile and too light/bouncy compared to the hatchback. Most competing cars that size are easily 300-500lbs heavier. It feels a lot like a bigger Echo to many people as Toyota somehow got it wrong. The Focus, for instance: Overall length (inches): 168.5, overall width (inches): 66.9, overall height (inches): 56.3, wheelbase (inches): 103.0, weight: 2654Lbs. 34.1ft turning radius. Almost 400lbs heavier in the same size car and 2.6 inches longer wheelbase(impressive in such a small car, actually). Of course the Yaris sedan comes off as a mess.
#96 of 110 Re: Yaris? [plekto] by bumpy Mar 06, 2008 (12:39 pm)
Replying to: plekto (Mar 05, 2008 12:46 pm) The Accent is a Hyundai. The Accent hatch is a bit bigger and heavier than the Yaris hatch, and supposedly the Accent SE isn't a bad ride.
#97 of 110 Accent/Hyundai by plekto Mar 06, 2008 (2:23 pm)
http://www.cars-directory.net/history/daewoo/ In 1998, the low-volume assemly of the Lanos, Nubira and the Leganza started in Taganrog, Russia, at the TagAZ factory. The cars were sold on the local market under the Doninvest brand, as the Assol, the Orion and the Kondor, respectively. The project didn't have much success, so TagAZ recently turned to Hyundai and started producing the Hyundai Accent and the Kia Rio. * I heard this from the local manager as well. The Rio and Accent are based upon Daewoo's designs, and is why they are noticeably lower quality that the true Hyundais. The difference between the Accent and the Elantra is stark, in fact. * (from Wikipedia) In Europe, this model was heavily promoted by the motoring press, and even Hyundai themselves, as a "stopgap" model - that it was intended merely to plug the gap in Hyundai's range until a brand new small family car was launched in 2007. This new car, the Hyundai i30 fills the void left by the Accent and the larger Hyundai Elantra. The name change came about so as to help distance the i30 from the budget reputation of the Accent, and also to highlight that the new car can truly compete in the small family hatchback sector - something the Accent was slightly too small to do, and the Elantra too large. The Accent will continue to be sold in the U.S. in 2008 with an instrument panel overhaul and standard rear cupholders in the SE model. *** The I30 is the next real Hyundai small car, but we won't get it until 2009 in the U.S. It's going to be worlds better than the joint venture Accent. Prices will rise about $1000 or so on the I30, but who honestly bought the budget nothing on it version of the Accent? (The I30 will sell in Korea for about $13K U.S. equivalent while the Accent sold for closer to $9000(that includes tax, so figure 10% lower or so in the U.S.). ie - the Accent isn't a bad car, it's just an $8000 car marked up a whole bunch, much like the Aveo is. The i30, otoh, it will sell for $11K and be worth $11K. P.S. The Aveo sells in Korea for ~7600Won, or about $8000USD. GM makes more money on each Aveo than it does on most Buicks and Pontiacs. A little tidbit that I thought I should pass on. Replies to this message: scwmcan (Mar 06, 2008 2:30 pm) bumpy (Mar 10, 2008 8:07 am) plekto (Mar 10, 2008 11:32 am) bumpy (Mar 12, 2008 12:19 pm) and 1 more...
#98 of 110 Re: Accent/Hyundai [plekto] by scwmcan Mar 06, 2008 (2:30 pm)
Replying to: plekto (Mar 06, 2008 2:23 pm) No the rio and accent share a platform, but as it has already been started they are a hyundai platform, if they are noticably worse that the rest of the line up (and not sure they are) then it is only hyundai's fault. I have never heard any commentsa of the accent/rio being a joint venture with daewoo (and what car is the daewoo version?) Scott
#99 of 110 Re: Accent/Hyundai [plekto] by bumpy Mar 10, 2008 (8:07 am)
Replying to: plekto (Mar 06, 2008 2:23 pm) No, the Accent has always been a Hyundai, the lineal descendent of the infamous Hyundai Excel of 1986. The current Kia Rio shares a platform with it (the older Rios didn't), and Daewoo was never involved with it. I think you're being wildly optimistic if you think the Elantra Touring (the US version of the i30) will list for $11,000. Replies to this message: plekto (Mar 10, 2008 11:32 am) bumpy (Mar 12, 2008 12:19 pm) scwmcan (Mar 12, 2008 12:33 pm)
#100 of 110 Re: Accent/Hyundai [bumpy] by plekto Mar 10, 2008 (11:32 am)
Replying to: bumpy (Mar 10, 2008 8:07 am) The one I'm talking about is their replacement for the Accent - their entry level car. It appears to b a small hatchback: http://www.leftlanenews.com/hyundai-i30.html $11K is the projected U.S. price-range, and it's a massive improvement over the Accent. As for the Daewoo connection, read up on it - their was a lot of technology sharing going on with the Accent in the early years and it still affects the thing. Sure, it has improved, but it's still barely better than the early models(and needs to be retired). Go sit in one. It's not a bad car, it's just an $8000 car in Korea that is inflated in price for the U.S. market. Why pay $11K for an $8K car when in 7 months you can pay $11K for an $11K car? Replies to this message: bumpy (Mar 12, 2008 12:19 pm) scwmcan (Mar 12, 2008 12:33 pm)
#101 of 110 Re: Accent/Hyundai [plekto] by bumpy Mar 12, 2008 (12:19 pm)
Replying to: plekto (Mar 10, 2008 11:32 am) I have sat in the new Accent, and it does what it was intended to do. The price point is more a reflection of the deteriorating dollar than anything else. The i30 (Elantra Touring for us) is quite a bit larger than the Accent hatch (176.2" long versus 159.2"), and gets a bigger engine. Replies to this message: scwmcan (Mar 12, 2008 12:33 pm)
#102 of 110 Re: Accent/Hyundai [bumpy] by scwmcan Mar 12, 2008 (12:33 pm)
Replying to: bumpy (Mar 12, 2008 12:19 pm) okay can we now get back to the topic which is the smart car not the, accent or the i30/elqantra touring. Could we at least agree to say that yes the accent is an option in comparission to the smart no matter what platform and technology it uses. I know there isn't much being said about the smart itself. I still think that it has a place in the North American mix, though in it's current gas powered iteration it is not necessarily a great option. Scott
#103 of 110 Really Smart? by rjlaero Apr 14, 2008 (12:10 pm)
I think the Smart is more of a fashion statment and to be "cool and conservative" at the same time. On paper, the car just doesn't make sense as a value point. You can spend 14k on a new toyota corolla that seats 5 and gets 32- 35 mpg on 87 base gas. Smart stores are linked to MB dealerships. They're targeted at higher income people. I think a lot of Smart customers have other vehicles in their family garage and this might not be the only choice of transportation.