The Smart ForTwo, built by Mercedes as an ecologically responsible answer to the world’s environmental and gas problems is tiny, gets good gas mileage, and takes up little space. It is so smart it even has smart in its name; since it is Smart ForTwo, it’s presumably twice as smart. But, is it really, or is it a dumb idea?

Say what you want about Mercedes prodigious engineering know how, I think their smart car is really a dumb idea and here’s why:

Why the Smart ForTwo is a Dumb Idea 7 -
Right from the top, who the hell in MB’s product planning department thought that an economy car that burns premium gas is a good idea? Right from the get go, you’re at a fuel economy deficit over a car that gets the same gas mileage, but burns regular grade gas. Currently, the U.S. national average for premium is $3.92/ gallon, for regular gas it’s $3.68. That means you’re at a 6.5% disadvantage before you burn your first gallon. That means that, while the Smart ForTwo has an 2008 EPA rating of 33 city / 41 hwy MPG, compared to a car that burns regular gas, it’s closer to 31/39 mpg.

Why the Smart ForTwo is a Dumb Idea 6 -
The reason that the smart gets the fuel economy numbers that it does is due to it’s light weight and 71hp, 1 liter engine.Unfortunately, even with a curb weight of only 1,800 lbs, this thing is really slow. The performance is just plain terrible. Not that it’s raison d’etre is to win races, but being able to get out of it’s own way would be nice.

Why the Smart ForTwo is a Dumb Idea 5 -
The Smart only has an 8.7 gallon fuel tank, restricting range between fill ups to about 250 miles of in town driving. While the typical use of this vehicle is not long distance, freeway jaunts, you’d only get a hair over 325 miles before you had to pull into the petrol station for another round of Chevron’s finest (there’s that expensive, premium gas again).

Why the Smart ForTwo is a Dumb Idea 4 -
Being small just doesn’t get you anywhere in most places. Unless you can convince your city to let you park with another of your Smart owning friends in the same parking spot, a parking spot is the same size, weather you own a Smart For2, or a Hummer H1. That means that they’ll still take up just as much room to park on our city streets, and you still will have to pay $15 to park when you go downtown.

Why the Smart ForTwo is a Dumb Idea 3 -
Unless you’re only taking your laptop to work you, probably wouldn’t take one of these cars downtown though, because they have no room! You couldn’t take you and a friend shopping, unless you were looking for diamonds and iPODs, as you’d have no place to put both yourselves and your stuff for the drive home.

Why the Smart ForTwo is a Dumb Idea 2 -
It really doesn’t get very good gas mileage, especially given it’s abbreviated stature. There are several “real” (dumb??) cars that get close to or better gas mileage. If one factors in the premium fuel requirement noted above, it gets even closer. If you include hybrids, all bets are off, because hybrid cars will absolutely clobber the Smart when it comes to gas mileage. Unfortunately they tend to command premium prices, too. You could however, consider the Toyota Corolla (28/37mpg, regular), Toyota Yaris (29/36mpg, regular), and if you wanted to have a ton of fun and burn premium gas, a Mini Cooper, or Mini Cooper S (both get 26/34mpg, premium).

Why the Smart ForTwo is a Dumb Idea 1 -
The real reason that the Mercedes Smart ForTwo is a dumb idea is that for about the same money you can drive a real car that just gives you so much more, while still getting fantastic gas mileage (on regular gas). You can get almost the same gas mileage, transport 4 people in relative comfort, get more performance, have room for your packages and grocery bags, etc. In short (no pun intended) you’ll be driving a real car and still conserving gas. If you want to get a hybrid, you’ll be driving a real car and saving even more gas.

Maybe the Mercedes Smart ForTwo is an idea who’s time has come, and judging from the waiting list many think it has, but for my money, I’ll twist the keys to a Mini Cooper or a Corolla.

Until Next Time.

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