Face it: Whenever you see the Smart Fortwo cars pull up beside you, you’re a bit curious.
Like many, you probably oooh and ahh over it, but figure it can’t be safe to drive.
But that’s not true, said none other than The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which gave the car high ratings for protecting passengers. The secret is in the steel walnut cage that cradles the interior.
What this car lacks in plush is made up for in plentiful safety extras including side airbags, front seat-mounted head and torso airbags, electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes.
Yes, it’s a safe car to use to take your teen from this appointment to that practice. Combine that with fuel ratings of 33-mpg city/41 mpg highway and it’s no wonder there’s an approximately one-year waiting list for the Daimler Chrysler auto in the U.S.
In the United States three types of Smart Cars are available. The Cabriolet (about $16,590) is a convertible with extras including upgraded heat and audio. The Coupe ($13,590) has a few extras (such as a CD player) more than the basic Pure ($11,590). Each model boasts 70 horsepower, rear-wheel drives and 1.0-liter three-cylinder gas engines and can be ordered with automatic or manual transmissions. What does all of this mean to you? Basically safety, savings and plenty of fun.
The 8-foot-8-inch car is plenty perky enough for daily driving. One disappointment though is that the car wasn’t as nimble as expected during a test drive. Still, it’s plenty peppy enough to maintain highway speeds and solid enough to keep the drive stable, even at top speeds.
The cars are in such demand that those who put in the $99 deposit and order the car can cancel the sale at the last minute and still receive a full refund. That’s because there are a host of wannabe Smart Car drivers eagerly hoping to adopt “orphans.”
Maya Coulibaly, 34, of Fredericksburg, Va., saw the Smart Cars when visiting France, and couldn’t wait to buy one. The great gas mileage will translate into an even higher savings when her 15-year-old son becomes a driver.
Still, she’s keeping her Lincoln Navigator for other times when she plans a long drive and wants the extra leg-room and comfort.
“I know the car is safe,” said Coulibaly while picking up her orphan Smart Car at a local dealer. “I have no concerns at all about safety in that car.”
Smart Fortwo
- 2009 Smart Fortwo Pure, Passion and Cabriolet
- Type: Front-drive, two-passenger, two-door hatchback.
- Starting MSRP: $11,590 base.
- Built: Hambach, France.
- Power: 1-liter, 70-horsepower, 3-cylinder engine; five-speed automated manual transmission.
- Performance: 0-60 mph in 12.8 seconds; top speed 90 mph.
- Fuel Economy: 33 mpg city, 40 highway; 8.7-gallon tank.
Editor’s note: Includes information published by Scripps Howard News Service
