Smart Car - Test Drive Report

[kach22i]

I drove a Smart Car today!

It was a snappy little ride, I liked it.

I did not take any turns real fast, and no jackrabbit starts (okay maybe a little aggressive), but as a normal driver it was fine. Turns were not wobbly or tipsy; felt like a nibble small car, steering was light, I�d say right in between my Porsche and my Tracker.

It's a car, not a golf cart. You know it's not a golf cart because there is no room for golf clubs.

Full auto mode, worked just fine, although you never coast long in the car, as it will automatically down shift, but never abruptly.

When switching to manual paddle shifter mode I kept forgetting to shift when the arrow on the dash went on. The instructor said you can keep driving it that way but when in manual mode it just will not go any faster unless you shift. It�s a smart car, will not let you over rev and hurt the engine.

The lag in shifting was not annoying or even noticeable around the city blocks we drove. However on the closed street when driving back I had room to shift (speed shift/keeping on the gas) 1,2.........3 that last shift took forever, its no sports car - don't expect it to be.

The 1.1L European version is what I test-drove, the American version is supposed to have a larger engine and faster shifting.

The instructor said $14,000 including A/C and radio, but no dash dials those are extra. My car had the dash dials although I never looked at them, kept my eye on traffic and that stupid semi-invisible shift arrow. They need to add some color; black on gray does not work for me.

Someone had asked about towing, supposedly some will come with a hitch so cyclist can cantilever their bikes (and maybe town something bulky but light).

They had an engine running when I got in and an Anita Baker CD playing at low volume, plus the instructor�s walkie-talkie squawking loudly half the time. When I could hear the engine it sounded fine, don't know if they were intentionally masking it though.

If you get a chance, drive one.

http://s184.photobucket.com/albums/x295/kach22i/Smart%20Car/

I'm legal:


The car I drove:


Line up:


Line up 2:


Buck:


Other stuff at the Ann Arbor Art Fair:

[Jim Richards]

George, how do think that car will handle longer distance cruising on the highway?

[Dottore]

Yup cool cars for city driving. I've rented them a few times in Europe. It's really all you need if your driving is mostly city driving.

The short wheelbase makes for an annoying ride on longer stretches though.

[jabb]

Is it a Diesel ?

[72doug2,2S]

I would like to see a crash test. Any info on that?

[onewhippedpuppy]

There's one here in Wichita. Watching it drive in the midst of trucks and SUVs.........that takes balls. Better than a motorcycle, but only slightly. For a dense urban area, I can see how it would make a lot of sense.

[Jim Richards]

Originally posted by 72doug2,2S
I would like to see a crash test. Any info on that?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju6t-yyoU8s

[BlueSkyJaunte]

What is that, a Men in Black watch? Wow, blast from the past....

[Dantilla]

Originally posted by 72doug2,2S
I would like to see a crash test. Any info on that?

While the car itself seems to hold up really well, I'm not sure the passengers would be as fortunate. The enormous G forces in the video posted above would probably turn a human's internal organs to mush.

A front crumple zone is a good thing.

[Porsche_monkey]

$14,000? Way too low.

They are $18,000 minimum here, and our dollar is roughly at par right now. They are totally practical for a second car, but totally overpriced.

Try taking that car, and a passenger, then going grocery shopping for a family of four. Good luck, half the fuel consumption, but you have to make two trips to bring everything home. Try taking your son to a hockey game, with his equipment.

They need to be priced about one-half where they are now to be practical/economical. At current prices you are better off buying a Yaris or a (insert small cheap foreign car name here) and running that into the ground. At leasy you get a back seat.

[kach22i]

Originally posted by Jim Richards
George, how do think that car will handle longer distance cruising on the highway?

I think cross winds, tractor trailers and SUV's blasting past you at 90 mph would make life hectic, but that's a guess. They said it can do 90 mph, so maybe you can blast by an SUV or two yourself.

It was a gas engine, they are not bringing in the Diesel to the USA. Big mistake as the larger engined US version gets only 40 mpg. The electric conversion by that 3rd party in California still seems like the best deal to me. I'd like to drive one of those if I had the chance.

[Chocaholic]

If you are invovled in an accident, they will take you to the hospital to have it removed.

[kach22i]

Originally posted by Chocaholic
If you are invovled in an accident, they will take you to the hospital to have it removed.

The "cage" is intact at 60 mph barrier crash, you can still open the doors unlike most Japanese cars at 35 mph. It's the lack of "crush zone" which you need to worry about. Just keep it off the highway and under 45 mph and you will do fine.

[Porsche_monkey]

My co-worker has one as a commuter car, so he drives his on the highway daily. 70 mph is normal.

[kach22i]

Originally posted by PBH
My co-worker has one as a commuter car, so he drives his on the highway daily. 70 mph is normal.

70 mph is normal?

Not in Michigan, I don't care what the posted speed limit is.

What's it like on the highway?

[}{arlequin]

Originally posted by kach22i
[B]

The lag in shifting was not annoying or even noticeable around the city blocks we drove. However on the closed street when driving back I had room to shift (speed shift/keeping on the gas) 1,2.........3 that last shift took forever, its no sports car - don't expect it to be.

it goes back to shifting quickly if you lift a little when/while shifting

+1 on the men in black comment

as for highway/speed/stability.... who is the person that missed the point that this was a CITY CAR not a hwy gran tourer???

either way, it keeps up w/ hwy traffic just fine unless you're comparing it to an amg s class

[kach22i]

Originally posted by }{arlequin
it goes back to shifting quickly if you lift a little when/while shifting

Really?

As the driver of two manual shift cars I was lifting off the gas for the shifts during most of the drive (old habit). It was not until the last part of the run where I tried "power shifting" and it sucked at it.

City car, even my Tracker is a city car with it's short wheelbase.

The "Smart Girl" was "snappy" too (or is that perky?), she liked the watch and my man bag.

This is real nice..............Brabus Smart.

http://www.tuningblogger.de/2006/03/brabus-black-star-101.html

[Jim Richards]

Originally posted by }{arlequin
as for highway/speed/stability.... who is the person that missed the point that this was a CITY CAR not a hwy gran tourer???

LOL Dave! Lu asked me this question and I owe it to her to find out.

I saw quite a few on the autobahn in Germany, they seemed to be doing just fine. Drove one in Stuttgart, it was a fun drive.

[Dottore]

Originally posted by 72doug2,2S
I would like to see a crash test. Any info on that?

They have one of the best protected passenger cells of any car on the market. They over-engineered this like crazy - anticipating the safety concerns.

It's a shame they are not bringing the diesel to the US. That's the motor to have.