smart fortwo (1998 - 2006) Reviews, Pricing & Specs

For a small car she is very nippy around town. Great for parking in small spaces. fuel cost is low, can last just over a week on £10. Lots of fun to drive, every time you go out in it people look and smile! just put some eyelashes on mine now so we get loooked at even more!! The interior of the smart car is alot bigger than you think when you look at it from the outside, seats are really comfy and you are a little higher up so you have a good view of the road. Jan 28, 2012

The cheapest car for rent... And i got demandly disappointed! It's sooooo slow, i even need to search for places with no ramps so i can run! Little fun to drive but not to speed. I used to put cargo and this car badly responsed, it doesn't runned, i DON'T recommend this car, so, if you're saving up money for a car, keep saving untill you can get any better...Nov 06, 2010

Performance: 0.7 Turbo not exactly fast but feels it. Brakes feel a bit wooden but work efficently, handles ok, front tires run out of grip qite quickly. Build Quality: 0.7 better than the 0.6 but engine wise not as reliable as it should be. The rest of it is all good. Appearance: Very nice, especially with the top down. Cost of Ownership: Very good on Fuel and cheap insurence. Fun Factor: Brilliant fun, one of the best cars I have owned.Oct 10, 2010

First and foremost, I think this is the kind of car you either love or hate. I should therefore say right out that I hate it. In fact, the single reason why anyone should buy this car is its small size and the advantages that brings in city streets and parking. Still, there are other options, some of which are cheaper. I also really hate the way some of its drivers park perpendicularly between other cars, making it hard or even impossible for them to get out. As to the car itself, I found, like many other people, that it is a bit sluggish, particularly during gearbox changes.Sep 23, 2010

Hoot to drive, did a 360 mile round trip in it with no problems,not tiring to drive, surprisingly roomy, easy to park, handles like go-kart only fault (small) is the gearbox - it has trouble deciding what gear it wants but once you learn to drive around the problem it's ok! MPG is nowhere near what is claimed but still comparable to normal cars and it's worth having if only to stick my two fingers up to Gordon Brown come Tax time! Still going strong with no problems a year after buying it, second lot of savings on road tax coming up this month - yahoo!!Apr 04, 2010

Ofcourse, not much can be expected from a 600cc 3cyl engine in a car, but the turbo makes it suprisingly rapid. The tiny stock front tires make it understear horribly in high speed corners, but i fitted the smart with 215/ZR Pirelli sport tires so thats no problem. Its still the funniest car i've ever driven, not the best, but at least its not boring :).Jul 13, 2009

Its just such a fun car to drive on a daily basis- ive driven a couple classic cars and a couple modern ones but nothing comes close except the 300sl Mercedes 1957 which roars past in speed odcourse- but seriously the daily reliability of the Smart car is super it makes me smile - its Got lots of space , the rood opens are closes with a button and it all just completely open up to reveal the sky -which we all miiss with our hard roofs of our cars. The fuel efficency of the Smart is great , it makes a lovely bird sounding tweat everytime you change gears (this is the turbo releasing air our the side by the driver) . Honnestly iam so Blessed to have the as my First car. The Interior Design of it is cool to- ive recently redone my interior a littel to give it an aeroplane cockpit them (modern take) to match the pannels outside the car which were done to mimick an aeroplane with wings and all.Jul 07, 2009

Performance - Slow gear box, good brakes Build Quality - No repairs needed, cheap replacements Appearance - Custom interior, exterior is normal Passion model Cost of Ownership - about 5l per 100km but can reach 7,5l when driving more aggresive, oil needs to be added almost every 3000km Fun Factor - Not really fun since it's slow+ ESP which can't be deactivatedJul 02, 2009

I REALLY LIKE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS CAR!I WOULD ONLY CHANGE IT FOR A CLS MERCEDES AND NO OTHER CAR!!!!I HAVE BEEN TRAVELLING AROUND WITH MY SMART 6 YEARS NOW!TRAVELING,DRINING A LOT!!!!!IT NEVER BETRAYED ME AND NEVER ASKED FOR ANYTHING!!!!!!I HAD TWO REALLY BAD CRASHES AND NOTRHING HAPPEND TO ME!IF I WAS WITH ANOTHER CAR I WOULD PROPABLY BE DEAD BY NOW!!!I KNOW WHAT I AM SAYING!TRUST ME ON THIS ONE!!!! OK,THE VONLY BAD THING ABOUT THIS CAR IS ITS MIRRORS.THEY DO NOT HELP YOU AT ALL WHEN YOU NEED TO PARK!SO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO DO IT BY LUCK USING YOUR EXPIRIENCE! THAT'S IT I LOVE MY LITTLE DROP Feb 10, 2009

I got my car last year. It is honestly the most fun car i have ever owned! The acceleration is great, with its 600cc turbo engine. When driven carfully i can get about 70mpg. The 6-speed semi-auto gearbox is a bit slow, which affects performance. Its electroniclly limited to 85mph, for saftey. It handle's quite good when its dry but not too good in the wet. The ABS cuts in a bit too soon and you can't turn off the ESP.Jul 20, 2008

while in Gothenburg .... where they have some of the most expensive city parking, next to London .... the SMART has the green credentials to allow it a free parking pass .... and with everyone else in Volvo's, theres always a space left in which to park it. Fab noise from the rear turbo motor reminisent of an Abarth Fiat 500. Cute .... and just so devilishMay 28, 2008

Never underestimate the smart. Although they are small on the outside, they have plenty of room inside with plenty of legroom for a six footer. The boot is usable too with enough room for a reasonable shop. Performance isn't brilliant but then again they aren't designed for that however there are plenty of things to tweak to get a bit more power from the 599cc engine. One of the best things about the smart and smart ownership is the sense of community. Much like with Beetles and Minis, there are numerous clubs for smarts all round the country. Feb 06, 2008

funny car in the city, many possibilities to park, cheap to ride. save handling, when you dont expect it to be a racecar. the interior noise is low, and coz of the 6 speed gearbox the rpm are even low at high speeds (about 3500 at topspeed of 135km/h, 84mph).thats quite good for a 50hp car. the shifting times are a bit long, but in my opinion faster then most people shift with regular manual transmission. until now, i didnt have to fix anything but lightbulbs. its still in a good vivual condition after teh nearly for years of use. the plastik interior look used after a while, but thats oke, other cars have the same problem. the interior space is very good for the small car, i was able to take a friend of 2,11m (6.8897638feet) + 2 guitars and 2 amps and we could have put in some more stuff. the trunk can take 6 beer crates, + some small things above. the handnling is easy, you got a hard understeer in fast corners, but with wider front wheels it will be much better. (the standard layout is front: 145/65 on 15" whells, rear: 175/55 on 15" wheels) and in dangerous situations the esp will help you. when you handle it smoothly it will be a bit faster in corners then with rough steering. there isnt much to say about the comfort, the seats are good, even for long trips, the seat position is high, so you have a good view on the road. the suspension could be better, but it does its job, there are many more cars riding worse then thisJan 17, 2008

The perfect commuter car or first car for a teenager, this car is small, fuel economical, and easy to park. The interior's surprisingly spacious for a car only 8 feet long, with luggage space for lots of groceries-- or your golf clubs. It's loaded with safety features, rates similar to a Mercedes C-class (it's made by Mercedes), uses a different approach than most cars (ie doesn't rely on crumple zones!). It's rather fun to drive, particularly with the top down (I have a cabrio). It's engine is tiny, and horsepower is low by modern standards, but don't let the numbers fool you-- while it won't win any drag races, it's perfectly happy on urban streets or major highways. And many "smarties" get as high as 100 mpg (or as low as 3.4 L/100 km). While not for everyone, it's something more people should consider. After all, why drive more car than you need? Jan 04, 2008