What they said when the Smart Car was new… (Mar 19 2001)
Q: WHICH car is a bit like Marmite?
A: The smart car from Mercedes.
Why? You either love it or hate it! There appears to be no in between. That's the response I got from friends and colleagues after spending a week with the zippy, brilliant yellow two-seater with the most outrageous looks in the automotive world.
My own feelings at the end of the week were on the plus side. The odd-ball 600cc city car had gained a special place in my heart.
I know it was only a car, made of metal, plastic and rubber, but I became so attached to it that on a couple of frosty evenings I almost felt sorry for it more like a pet than a mere motor and wanted to bring it indoors.
Others laughed at it, sneered at it and downright hated it. But one thing is sure, you can't ignore the smart. And smart drivers don't ignore fellow owners. The last time I had other drivers of a particular type of vehicle waving at me was when I borrowed a motorhome. The same thing happened with the smart.
Critics of the smart would say these were sad people glad to see someone else had been daft enough to spend £6,000+ on a Noddy car just over seven feet long. I think they were celebrating the fact that there is a growing band of people buying this fun car. More than 200,000 have been sold worldwide during the past two years.
It's not a family car, its not meant for long journeys, its not very practical, and its definitely not for those who hate being stared at. But the strange thing is, that once you are inside the quirky Merc there is a surprising amount of room. I'm over 6ft and head and leg room is better in the smart than in some other, much larger, city cars.
With its sunroof, large front screen and side windows there is no claustrophobic feeling when your inside. It's only when you get out and look at what you've been driving that you can understand why people stare.
The smart & pulse model I tested has a 3-cylinder, 600 cc engine, boosted to 61 bhp with a turbocharger. It's pretty quick away from the lights and will give most "normal" cars a run for their money.
Motorway driving was far from unpleasant with the only scary bit coming when I overtook 44-tonne lorries. The smart is so small and light it takes a fair amount of buffeting. The same applies to strong crosswinds. But if you hold your nerve and stay out of the fast lane it feels safe.
In its natural habitat, in town, the smart is very practical. It turns on a sixpence and parking is a piece of cake. Although its is hard to believe, there is a fair amount of space behind the front seats for luggage. A weekly shop would not be impossible.
My smart & pulse was fitted with Softouch automatic transmission which enables the driver to switch from manual to automatic shift mode at the touch of a button on the gearshift knob. I found using the sequential manual system best. In automatic mode there is a distinct pause and loss of power when changing up gears.
The interior of the economical smart is as mould-breaking as the outside, with odd-ball features like swivelling rev counter, clock and air vents and a CD rack below the instrument panel.
Seats are figure-hugging and - not surprisingly - all knobs and switches are easily reached.
Safety has been built in to the mini-Merc in the shape of anti-lock brakes, a stability control system, twin airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners.
VERDICT: I don't like Marmite, but the smart gets my vote for fun car of the year.
Words: Stewart Smith
Copyright