Auto Trends

The first generation Smart Car was by most respects a complete failure. Daimler was ultra excited about its release, but they had forgot one very important detail. It takes more than an exciting release to make an exciting car.

To be quite blunt, it was almost as if they had spent the majority of their money on its advertising rather than its actual quality of the vehicle itself.

To begin with, the first generation Smart Car had absolutely no power. Now, if you are driving around in the city of London that maybe acceptable, but if you are going for a day trip in the Rocky Mountains, forget about it.

For some consumers who live in the city, the low power output was forgivable in exchange for its unique status, conversational characteristics, and “cute” look.

To other “smart” folks, the absurd noise level, bounciness, inability to control, moderate mileage potential, and hesitant gear shifting was enough to scare them back on a bicycle.

For 2008, there is a new Smart Car in town and they have addressed a few of its predecessor’s problems, but will it be enough?

The newest Smart ForTwo has a rev happy 70 horsepower 1.0 liter three-cylinder engine that could have probably done the job, had the transmission been a little more responsive. Reports indicate that the 2008 Smart Car still suffers from the hesitant transmission, which spells big time troubles on the US roadways.

This is a huge no-no for any vehicle this size. Especially considering that in the U.S. you are amongst some of the largest vehicles in the world (Hummer H2, Ford F-350, etc.).

If you put a scared grasshopper out in front of a Ford F-350 and it doesn’t move, that grasshopper is going to become nothing more than a spot on the F-350’s windshield. This is one of the blatant dangers of such a car on our roads today.

But the new generation smart does have improved suspension, more luggage space, and an improved interior layout. But the car is still very rough around the edges and is inappropriate for most pothole ridden streets and busy highways.

The Smart ForTwo appears to be only marginally better the second time around and this is not very “smart” at all. Most cars only get one chance to make a good impression and this one has already had two.

Does the US environmentally conscience consumer have enough heart to give this cute little concept another go… or should they just forget about it?