So, what did you think of the Smart?

I had a chance to drive the Smart "fortwo Passion" today. They were having a big event @ my local United Auto Group/Penske Mercedes dealer.

While I have to say I was disappointed with the test drive course, and what "paces" I was allowed to put the car through, I was satisfied with the performance of the car, once I drove it for the second time.

First Impression

• Tranny/clutch = sluggish without substantial accelerator pressure. In "Auto" mode the tranny tries to shift at the lowest possible RPM. The "clutchless" sequential-shift tranny is weird to me, as I'm used to the traditional H-pattern. The optional shift paddles on the steering wheel are just plain in the way.
  
• Engine = Well... What can one say? This car is completely geared for fuel economy. The European models I drove today were 800cc turbocharged models. US-market models will be naturally-aspirated 1000cc. Hopefully they'll have a little more low-end torque. Once I lost the fear of using the spurs a little, the Smart moved out... well... smartly. I didn't get to drive it on the highway, so... I don't know what the deal is with merging and passing.. have to wait until US-fitted units star arriving next year.
  
• Suspension = Reasonably comfortable. I suspect it would be marginally more comfortable than my 12-year-old Nissan pickup on a transcontinental drive. The wheelbase is so short, though, that I'll bet you feel every seam in the concrete at highway speeds.
  
• Interior Comfort/Convenience = Plenty of room for two adults and a couple gym/overnight bags. I wouldn't dare try to outfit a week-long camping trip with this thing, but as a daily driver in urban or suburban/exurban settings, it seems entirely usable. Forget-ye-not, this is a two-seater, not a "four seater" with much-too-small rear seats. For the two scheduled passengers, there's plenty of head, leg and shoulder room. You will not be taking a third passenger, unless you puree and freeze-dry him or her.
  
• Handling = Can't really speak to this. I was only able to get the Smart up to about 30MPH (the speedo was calibrated in km/h), and didn't really get a chance to "push" it.
  
• Nifty Little Features = The whole mix and match plastic body panels thing is kinda neat. I don't know if I'd be in a hurry to blow $800 on a new set of skins... but if I had to... Interior room is a plus... there's a little storage net behind the seats, and a "hidden" cubby inside the tailgate. There's cubbies on both sides of the steering column (under the dash).
  

And now for some less thrilling stuff...

• Access to the engine is through a hatch in the storage area floor, behind the seats.
  
• The battery is under the passenger side footwell.
  
• Access to the coolant, washer and brake reservoirs is under the "hood" on the front of the car. There is, as far as I can tell, no security to this space. Flip the latches and open 'er up.
  
• The tailgate seems to be entirely plastic. Not all that secure.
  
• The roof is polycarbonate... which is certainly light... but, to me seems no more secure than a cloth top
  
• Key has a little chip in it. You can't just go down to Home Depot and get a duplicate
  

Unanswered Questions

• What is UAG's commitment to Smart in the US Market? The cautionary tail of my old Daihatsu should be kept in mind.
  
• Availability and cost of parts and service? With a Toyota Yaris, I don't have to worry about parts availability or whether Verne's Two Teeth Auto Service is gonna know how to change the oil. If I can ONLY get a Smart worked on at an MB dealer, then I've basically bought a $14,000 Ink Jet Printer.
  
• Are Europeans really THAT honest? Judging by the in-built security features of the Smart, I'm led ti think that either A) Europeans really ARE that honest, or 2) Europeans don't leave anything valuable in their Smarts
  
• Three-bolt wheels? Well, I guess, since everything else is non-standard, why screw things up with the rims, huh?
  

Bottom Line
I'm not going to be buying one of these on the gray market. When I can finally take one for a "proper" test drive... on the highway... merge, pass... drive in real traffic... then I'll think more seriously about it. The Smart fortwo almost demands that there is a second vehicle for the household, either for more passenger space or more cargo capacity. I drove the Toyota Yaris and like it. I drove the Smart fortwo... it's OK. With prices essentially equal for the same "base trim level", the Yaris certainly offers more capacity, functionality and comfort. For a single commuter, tho, most of that capacity and functionality is wasted most of the time. If I can get favorable answers to the unanswered questions before I NEED to get a car, I'll definitely consider the Smart.