Smart cars have been driving the streets of Europe for some time now, but when they first started to hit the United States in 2008, it sparked a lot of interest and also tons of questions. People who spotted this funny looking little car on the street and in parking lots wanted to know where the car came from and could it possibly be safe?
This article answers some of the most common questions fielded about the United States version of the smart car.
1. What is the smart car?
First and foremost, this small car is designed to be a commuter car that is fun to drive and that gets good gas mileage. The smart for two is a very roomy two-seater hatchback with a spacious cargo area in the rear. Funny looking, yes, but surprisingly functional.
The smart fortwo was created out of a partnership between Mercedes Benz and the maker of Swatch watches in response the need for a small European urban commuter car. The car was later adapted to American needs and technical specifications, as rising gas prices stimulated more interest in fuel-efficient cars here in the U.S.
2. Can such a small car possibly be safe on U.S. roads with all the trucks and sport utility vehicles?
The answer to this question, is: "Yes, definitely!" In fact, the smart car safety profile is an extremely positive one. The smart for two has a number of safety features that are standard on all 3 models sold in the U.S. When Mercedes Benz designed the American version of this car, their first priority was safety.
From the tridion safety call, a sort of steel cage that surrounds driver and passenger, to an advanced anti-lock braking system, everything in the smart is designed to keep you safe on the roads, even in the event of an accident. The smart has received high safety ratings from independent safety testing authorities such as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
3. What kind of mileage does the smart car get?
You would imagine such a small car would get great gas mileage, right? After all, isn't that the point of downsizing to such a small vehicle? The smart fortwo car is rated at 33 MPG in the city and 41 MPG on the highway. While these figures might be lower than anticipated, they are still a big improvement over the mileage that your typical pickup truck, SUV or luxury car gets.
This mileage is considered best in class, when the smart is compared to other non-hybrid vehicles in the United States. Currently, there is no hybrid version of the smart car available, but an all electric drive model is currently in production and will be hitting the U.S. sometime in 2011. That will obviously be a much more fuel-efficient model.
4. How easy is it to drive a smart car?
If you've heard that the smart fortwo is equipped with something called an automated manual transmission, you might be wondering how hard it is to drive. Is shifting involved? What about a clutch? Here is the good news: Although smarts do have the ability to shift gears manually, no clutch is involved. It's truly as easy as pushing/pulling paddle levers on the steering wheel, or clicking the gear shift.
If even that is too much work for you, you can opt to let the smart car's transmission take over. It will automatically shift gears up and down for you as you accelerate and decelerate on the road. Putting it into automatic mode can make shifting a bit sluggish however, so most drivers opt for the manual route.
5. How can I buy a smart fortwo car of my own?
When people first started spotting smarts in the U.S. back in 2008, they were hard to come by. There was an 18-month waiting list at the few smart car dealers that were open. Over time, though, more and more dealerships came on board and the manufacturing caught up with the waiting list. Gas prices also came down somewhat, so that lessened the demand.
Today, there are somewhere around 70 dealerships across the United States. Most states in the east, south, midwest and west coast have at least one dealership. The rest of the west is more sparsely covered. For example, if you lived in a small city like Boise, Idaho, you might have to drive 5 hours to Salt Lake City to find your closest smart car dealer.
We may see a smart fortwo waiting list arise again when the new electric drive smart arrives later on in 2011. Only 9 dealerships will be selling this model initially, so getting your hands on one might be a challenge.
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