Taking a smart car along

[Jaxon]

Originally Posted by westernviews

One way to take a smart car along with you. Saw it yesterday in South Texas.

Seems like a sharp turn could take that little sucker out in a jiffy! Jack knifing would definitely be a real bummer...

[Happycampers]

I see a lot of them here in Ontario. I have heard the ones sold in the U.S. are gas, the ones here are diesel and get 85 mpg. I looked at one a few years ago and the leg room is more space than my truck. They run 70 and 80 mph here on the highway all the time.

Marvin

[uwe]

Originally Posted by clancy_boy

Smart Cars have been in Europe for 5+ years or more. Accident safety ratings and stats have shown that they are safe. My family in Naples, Italy have one and think it's great. I would buy one here but there is a waiting list a mile long.

Physics aside, and there is no way of beating the laws of physics - these cars are safer than say a MGB, or a Yugo but I would think you would still lose with a F250 in a headon with a 18-wheeler - physics you know .

Not many vehicles would fare well in a head on with a F250, or an 18 wheeler....

[flyfshr]

A friend of mine at work went into the Smart Car dealership and drove out with a blue one with the peal back convertible top. The lady that ordered it a year ago is now 8 months pregnant so my friend got lucky. She let me drive it around and if the top hadn't been set in the open position, I wouldn't have been able to get in there. When I sat up straight, my head was out the top. It has a three cylinder engine between the rear wheels and as mentioned, no AC nor power steering. Probably no room for either of those. All of the body panels are replaceable so if she wants to change the color from blue to red, she just has the plastic panels replaced. The entire car is built around a roll cage. I guess if you get in an accident and the doors are stuck, just stick your feet out and you could walk to the hospital.

She also said that the entire care is biodegradable and would break completely down in a landfill. The interior space was designed to fit a case of Guinness either in the passenger seat or in the small back area behind the seats, above the engine compartment. The hood is only about 8" tall and the only accessible things under there are the fill spouts for the washer fluid and one other fluid fill spout, probably the radiator.

Not for me since I drive close to 30 miles to work one way but a fun little commuter vehicle for running to the store.

Brad
FF

[whitelight]

We have friends in Vancouver, BC, who have owned 2 of the diesel Smart Cars for three years. She regularly drives her purple one from Vancouver to Kamloops and verifies the 85 + mpg. We thought about loading into the back of our pickup and it wouldn't fit between the wheel wells

So, what's so "Smart" about the US version??? Gas engine that drinks Premium & gets 41 mpg???

We own a 2000 Toyota Echo, 2 door, manual, barebones, etc. The car can truly seat 4 adults & has a trunk that won't quit! On a trip from the SF Bay area to Bellingham, we got an honest 50 mpg - around town, 35 mpg, hauling people, groceries, boxes, etc.

. . . . and, this model is no longer in production . . .