USED Smart Fortwo Coupe (03 - 07)

My car

This is a car that when driven puts a smile on your face. To drive it is truly an experience - every bump or change of road surface is felt but such is the accelaration and noise of the engine these minus points can be forgiven.

The economy now the car has done 7500 miles is up to 45mpg and should improve. On motorways, it is quite happy to cruise at 70mph and can quite easily keep up with traffic. It is a quirky little car loaded with safety equipment and beeps when a door is slightly open or even if the handbrake is still a bit on. How many other cars have that?

My car

Let's state from the start that this car is not a sports car, not a family car, not a luxury car. I’m still not sure what it is, but it's none of those.

I came to this as a Mondeo and MGB driver and in a way it is something between the two. It's got two seats, makes you smile when you drive, economical, comfortable. Rather like the MGB, it does feel fast even though the figures say it's not.

The auto gearbox is not perfect but the 'lumpy' changes I read of in other reviews are not too bad and just mean adapting your driving style. Personally I prefer to stay in auto rather than using the semi option of flicking the gearstick.

The longest journey I've made is only 75 miles on motorways but it was comfortable and with the kickdown/turbo acceleration was never a problem. And, as someone who finds the national limit restrictive, I actually enjoyed keeping it below its restricted 84mph.

When sitting in the car, it feels really spacious and you actually have a high driving position but it does suffer from buffeting in high winds on open roads. This car is more about short-range driving and at over 50mpg and with a VED coming in at £75 it is financially where it really comes into its own.

So overall, it's well-built, fun, cheap to drive (though not to buy) and cheap to insure (though look around as there are as always vast differences between companies). By buying shortly before the 2005 year models I managed to get £1300 off the list price.

Overall a fun car.

My car

I have owned two different LHD Smart Passions for a total of nearly six years (current one from 2001).

The Smart concept is brilliant, fun to own and is a practical, novel runabout and even reasonable on long journeys and motorways. The ride is very 'lumpy' (largely because of the short wheel base - much like the original Mini) and the gearbox not as responsive as it should be, but the car performs well for its engine size, is well eqipped and running costs, except for some spares and SERVICING, are modest.

Servicing at appointed Mercedes dealers (offical Smart Centres) is horrendously expensive and most of it is merely checking levels and computer diagnosis. These centres are also fairly few and far between so you often need to travel some distance for servicing.

The RHD models are not good value in today's very competitive car market. If you want a Smart, buy a LHD one on the continent and save several thousands of pounds - especially as LHD is no handicap in such a small car.

In conclusion, I would not consider buying another Smart as, although the design is so different and exciting, the overall value compared with many of the other currently available, small, compact, city cars is poor.

DaimlerChrysler really do have to offer a much more competitive package to retain me as a Smart owner.

My car

Like any type of car you look at, the Smart Fortwo has its plus and minus points.

For example, you might not buy a Fortwo if you need something to run the kids (note plural) about in, or if you require large loading capacity, or if you plan to travel long motorway journeys (well maybe). However, if like me you need a car for work where the maximum number of vehicle occupants will only be two, and you don’t carry much kit about, give the Smart some consideration.

The real benefit of the Fortwo for me is the room available. Being 6’5”, most small cars are just that, both inside and out. For example, I struggle to get a Corsa into fifth gear because my leg gets in the way. And as for the Ford Ka, I have serious trouble getting in or out (without the aid of a can opener!)

The Smart has good legroom and headroom, although the narrowness may present a few problems to those who excel in the horizontal dimension.

Performance is respectable, considering it’s only a 700cc power unit pushing you along. The biggest downside is the lacklustre semi-automatic gear change. However acceleration within the gears is ample to carryout progressive overtakes within the UK legal limits. Travelling at higher speeds on the unrestricted German Autobhan is interesting.

I find fuel economy to usually be around 50mpg plus, depending on driving conditions, which in the relatively quiet rural Scottish road network is easily achieved. How it performs in the heartland of the English conurba