The first-generation smart has been sold in Canada for the last three years. The arrival of this new-generation model for 2008 coincides with the brand’s first foray into the United States. The gen-one’s diesel engine is gone, replaced by a new three-cylinder 70-hp 1.0-litre gas engine. While foot-to-the-floor acceleration is leisurely by most standards, the new smart feels quite peppy around town and has no trouble getting up to, and cruising at, 140 km/h. Fuel economy (5.9 litre/100km city/4.8 hwy) is not as good as last year’s oil burner, but still über-miserly. The gas engine is cheaper to build, so we’ve got lower prices. The Pure, Pulse and Passion trim levels of old have been changed to just Pure ($14,990) and Passion ($18,250) for the Coupé, and Passion-only ($21,250) for the Cabriolet. Though length is up 19 cm, the Fortwo is still the shortest, most compact automobile in the world (less than 2.7 metres). Both interior and exterior styling are “more mature” though they both still exude a counter-culture mentality. Handling, shifting (especially in auto mode), safety and packaging have all been improved as well.
Smart For two
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