NHTSA Raises Questions About Smart Safety

The tiny Smart ForTwo already passed European safety standards, and recently the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also cleared it for the U.S. Side-impact scores were high — five out of five stars — but NHTSA raised concerns over the driver’s door opening during impact.

NHTSA usually gives high ratings because its testing system isn’t as strenuous as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s, which Cars.com prefers. The Smart received four stars for front crashes on the driver’s side and only three stars for the front passenger. Its rollover rating was also just three stars, a rating usually reserved for large SUVs. (Three stars is the rollover score the 2008 Ford Explorer got.) 

In comparison, the small Chevy Aveo and Toyota Yaris get higher front and rollover scores, but lower side-impact ratings. And, of course, no added warning about the doors flying open.

NHTSA Smart crash test page with video (Safecar.gov)
More Smart News (KickingTires)

Toyota iQ Could Come to U.S.

Toyota unveiled a production version of its iQ microcar at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month, and now AutoWeek is reporting that the company may import the iQ to the U.S. if it can meet federal safety standards, which are more stringent than those overseas.

The iQ is slightly larger than a Smart ForTwo and has rear seats that bump up against the rear hatch and glass. We’d guess those seats would have to go if the iQ were to meet safety requirements. We’d also guess Toyota will wait to see if the Smart is successful before making a business case for the iQ.

Toyota Going Really Mini with iQ

Toyota announced that it will unveil a production version of its tiny iQ concept (concept shown here) at the Geneva Motor Show in March. About the size of a Smart ForTwo, the iQ  — hmm, the names rhyme — is only planned for sale in Europe at this time.

Interestingly enough, even though it is so small it can seat three people, although how comfortably is anyone’s guess. The iQ will also run on a tiny little engine that hasn’t been confirmed yet, but could be smaller than the 81 hp powerplant in the Smart. This car will most likely not come to the U.S. but if you think the Smart needs competition let us know.

New Toyota iQ & Urban Cruiser World Debut at Geneva (WorldCarFans)

Friday Fleet Notes: 1.25.07

Friday Fleet Notes is back, and even in its absence our staff has been diligently recording thoughts on the latest cars to come into the Cars.com offices. The new Smart elicited the most comments we’ve gotten in a long time, but a Lexus hybrid and Lincoln SUV made an impression too.

Smart ForTwo Passion (original expert review w/video)

• Niche cars like the Smart ForTwo will sell no matter what, but in case you’re wondering whether you need to envy your neighbor who bought one and can now park wherever he feels like it, the answer is no.
  
  It’s not that you’ll feel cramped inside; there’s plenty of space in the driver’s seat, and until you look over your shoulder you may even forget you’re driving a car straight out of Munchkinland. The problem with this little car is that it’s miserable to drive. The automatic transmission is awful, especially at low speeds, the brakes are jerky, a gust of wind makes you feel as if you’re about to tip over, and every bump and crack in the road feels like railroad tracks.

  There’s an auto-manual mode that helps a lot with the jerkiness, but it’s a pain to use paddle shifters at low speeds. The paddles turn with the steering wheel, so midway through a left turn, as the tachometer quickly approaches the redline, you’ll be left to reach frantically for an ever-moving target. Why this car doesn’t have a plain-old manual transmission is beyond me.

  The ergonomics inside aren’t bad, though the seat adjustments aren’t very smooth. My biggest gripe here was that the cargo shelf behind the front seats is inaccessible without moving the seat forward, and that handle is on the inside of the driver’s seat. That means that if you need to toss anything back there (like, you know, a purse), be prepared to reach across the seat and get smacked by the seatback before you can do so. — Beth Palmer, copy editor

Video: Smart ForTwo

Cars.com reviewer Kelsey Mays delivered his review of the Smart ForTwo — hitting still-unopened dealerships in January — a few weeks back. Today we get a look at the video he shot of the convertible version of the micro-car. Yep, it really is as small as it looks.

Smart ForTwo: 50 dealerships, January 2008

If you've paid any attention to the automotive headlines this year, you already know the golf-cart-size Smart ForTwo is headed our way. Smart invited journalists to San Francisco this week to drive the second-generation ForTwo, which has been on sale in Europe since last spring. We tagged along and gathered some more details on its U.S. arrival. The word from Smart president Dave Schembri and chairman Roger Penske is that 74 dealerships have signed on, with around 50 set to be ready at launch. The first '08 ForTwos hit showrooms in January.

Smart is a subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz, so about two-thirds of the dealerships are affiliated with the three-pointed star. Most Smart dealerships will be a "store within a store," Schembri said, where each dealer has a walled-off Smart showroom complete with its own entrance and white, black and yellow décor.

Smart ForTwo: 40 MPG Highway, But it Uses Premium

Ever since Smart announced the ForTwo minicar was headed our way, the brand has cultivated an image of environmental responsibility a Sierra-Club tree-hugger could trade in his Prius for. And why not? The ForTwo is the picture of footprint frugality: It's more than 3 feet shorter than a Mini Cooper, and when Smart invited journalists to California this week to check it out, we easily fit two of the cars into a standard parking space. Using the EPA's revised 2008 ratings, Smart estimates that the ForTwo's 70-hp, three-cylinder engine should achieve 33/40 mpg city/highway with the standard automatic transmission. That puts it well ahead of the 118-hp Mini, which the EPA figures to get around 26/33 mpg with the automatic.

Here's the catch: Smart recommends premium fuel.

The ForTwo will run on regular, Smart president Dave Schembri said, but in order to achieve the best power and efficiency, 91 octane is recommended. That puts a damper on the mileage figures. Smart isn't the only one who does it — Mini, too, recommends premium fuel for the Cooper. Both brands cast their cars as premium niche vehicles. Does that explain why their customers can pay a few bucks extra at the pump? Share your thoughts below.

Related
More Smart News (KickingTires)

Smart ForTwo in the Wild

So there we were, staff photographer Ian Merritt and myself, flying driving up Lake Shore Drive in a bright yellow Corvette Z06, when we spotted a miniscule motor vehicle a few cars ahead. It turned out to be a U.S. spec Smart ForTwo with Illinois plates, a promotional sticker on the back window and what looked to be two full-sized passengers. Update: It has been pointed out that this is the past generation Smart ForTwo, good catch Mike. Still, the overall size and footprint on the road will be similar.

You can read all you want about a car, but something changes when you see one on the street, driving in real-sized traffic. The ForTwo looked to be moving along just fine and it fit in fine with other cars on the road. The two guys inside looked like they were in awkward seating positions but there was certainly plenty of headroom. Who knows, maybe spottings like this will get the average Joe accustomed to such a small car. Or maybe when it’s on a real highway — one where they allow heavy duty pickups let alone semi trucks, it will look smaller.

More Smart News

2007 Frankfurt Auto Show: Smart ForTwo Micro Hybrid

• Competes with: Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid
• Looks like: A Smart ForTwo
• Drivetrain: 71-hp gasoline engine and electric motor
• Hits dealerships: In Europe, this October; no word on the U.S.

It’s all about green in Frankfurt, it seems — that is, besides the Lamborghinis and Bentleys on parade. Smart — which will introduce its new ForTwo in the U.S. early next year — rolled out a hybrid version of that car yesterday. It’s called the ForTwo Micro Hybrid — you know, because it’s small.

Smart sells a diesel version of the ForTwo in Europe, but because the hybrid runs on standard gasoline it has a much better chance of making it to the U.S. if the Smart launch goes well. The company is saying the hybrid will get 8% better fuel economy overall; in heavy city driving it could get up to 20% better mileage.

Smart hasn’t released EPA numbers for the ForTwo yet, but it said it will likely get a combined rating of 40 mpg. That means the Micro Hybrid would get around 43 mpg in the city and 48 mpg on the highway, at a cost of just 500 Euros more than a basic ForTwo coupe. Even at a roughly 1.4 conversion rate, that’s not a bad deal to be green … and small.

More Smart News (KickingTires)

New, U.S.-Bound Smart ForTwo Unveiled

Just yesterday we were polling our readers on whether or not the Smart brand would go bust in the U.S., and here we have the first official look at the model that will head to our shores in early 2008. The new Smart ForTwo looks a lot like the old one but features three new gasoline engines topping out at just 81 hp. We’d guess the 81-hp version will be the only one that makes it to the States along with both coupe and convertible body styles. There’s not much information regarding prices, but we don’t even know yet where the dealerships will be. Keep reading for more images and let us know if you’d consider buying one.