Considering a smart car?

Nope, watch the first video, including the text at the beginning of it.

Also from IIHS news release

 

I understand that you made a small mistake about another small car, . However we have to get away from this "bigger is better" stuff. LOL as others have said... I could be in a cadillac and it might crumple up just as much.

I always thought it would be neat to see how absurd things got if people stuck with the bigger is better, safer, good for your family and all that jazz. I suppose we'd all be driving around in f650 quad cabs. haha

Luckily, things seem to have changed a little!

 

Considering...

A fatalist... I can dig that...

 

The car is very unsafe. Sat in one at a local truck dealer as they were raffling it off. No protection around you at all.

In the whole truck versus light car or light truck crash, I'd rather have a little more metal around me.

I also see them stuck in the snow or going off the road. There is No weight to them...

 

Re: Considering...

You're funny...

It's not the way I have seen in my dreams...

 

I agree that us all driving monstrosity class vehicles is insane (remember that funny Hyundai commercial everyone driving construction equipment and steam rollers?) but the problem is the size and curb weight of other vehicles in the US that you, the driver have no control over. If everyone else drove ~1800 lb. cars, then having a Smart ForTwo is no issue.

In the US, for model year 2009, 49% for of light vehicles sold were "trucks" (meaning trucks, SUVs, minivans, and some vans). The average curb weight of light vehicles during that span was 4108 lbs. We already saw how the ForTwo performed against a ~3500 lb. vehicle that isn't even a classified as a midsize by the EPA.

A comparable vehicle in weight to the ForTwo would be the Chevy Metro (1995-2001 Geo/Chevrolet Metro: Technical Specifications - Consumer Guide Automotive) but it'd likely to do worse than a ForTwo in a crash.

Here are some other curb weights:
2010 Mini Cooper manual: 2568 lbs. (MINIUSA.com)
2010 Honda Civic sedan: 2630 to 2831 lbs. (2010 Honda Civic Sedan - Specifications - Official Honda Web Site)

edit: I happened to the Edmunds comment that I was refering to earlier. This is where I found that German ForTwo vs. S-Class video.
http://blogs.edmunds.com/strategies/2008/04/smart-fortwo---a-safe-purchase.html

The OP should also look at http://www.iihs.org/externaldata/srdata/docs/sr4404.pdf, esp. the pic on page 6 and http://www.iihs.org/ratings/size_weight_details.html (links from http://www.iihs.org/news/rss/pr041409.html)

 

Maybe you didn't see this the first time:

It doesn't matter much.

If it hasn't been mentioned before, there's a reason why my nickname for Sandy is "Hashirya Mommy"

 

As I recall, most SUVs have bad handling at high speed avoidance maneuvers, and are prone to rollovers where you smash your head when the road caves in the roof, and the overall fatality rate is not much different than a compact car. Bigger is not better.

As for the Smart car, I'm not really a fan of that, although they're cheaper than I remember reading (starting at $12K apparently). In a city where parking is an issue it makes sense, but for the suburbs or rural areas, I would get a used Prius or VW Jetta or something.

 

Too little room for my needs.
Although I certainly would consider it if I didn't need more room.
The Nissan Leaf is most likely my next car.

 

Sandy you are asking for opinion so I'm going to give it.

I love efficiency. I champion people getting the most efficient automobile that meets their needs. I am certainly no enemy of "small".

Years back before they were available in the US, I was lucky enough to see Smart Cars in Ireland and England. I thought they were "neat". Especially in some area's of Europe where cities have very small narrow streets. In that environment they are very valid.

So I guess it would depend on what environment you are driving.

Here's the negative:

Personally though, while I'm no enemy of small, the Smart Car is just too small for me. Now I've seen Smart Cars locally on the freeway going 60 miles per hour and I just want to say a instant prayer for the occupants.

This is personal opinon, but unless/until we reach the day when all automobiles are closer to that size and weight, I personally wouldn't use a Smart Car for anything but around town or non-freeway driving. Thus it makes it a speciality niche car as opposed to The Prius which I feel comfortable using in almost any driving environment.

But I'm not familiar with your area, and what useage you'd be applying. And/Or of course your " I am the god of hell fire!" potential attitude towards firing one of those babies up and heading onto a freeway. Personally, I wouldn't do it. For me there is a line where small is just too small, and with the Smart Car that line is somewhere just before the Freeway merge ramp.

Honestly, just a few days ago I was on the freeway and looked over and saw someone driving a Smart Car, and it took a few seconds while my brain tried to figure out how the handicapped person got their wheelchair moving that quick. My gut reaction was "That's too small to be here".

Good Luck though..with whatever you choose.

 

Yes, large SUVs have terrible accident avoidance capabilities (poor handling, poor brakes and not great acceleration) and SUVs are more prone to rollover. Q&As: Rollover and roof crush discusses this.

As for your statement "the overall fatality rate is not much different than a compact car", that's not true. Fatality Facts 2008: Occupants has a wealth of info. In particular, look at table "Driver deaths per million registered passenger vehicles 1-3 years old, 2008".

I think the OP should get something a little larger and heavier, probably used to save $ and probably not a Fit nor a Yaris either. I wouldn't buy a Jetta due to VW's generally lackluster reliability.

 

Sandy lives in Ocala, Fl. (about 1/2 hour from my florida home), so she does not need to worry about how it handles in snow.

I've driven the smartcar, and a good friend has one. We tease each other......i.e.; "He has the smart car, I have the smarter car" .

The smartcar was fun to drive, but his did not come with cruise control, and although it was comfortable to drive, between no luggage space and a bumpier ride, I decided to get my Prius instead.

Sandy, where is the closest dealership? I know there is one in Orlando, but that is too far, IMHO. Test drive everything close, and get what you like.

I'd love to drive one down there just to park in all those tiny parking places they have for gold carts in The Villages......wouldn't that be a hoot!!!

Good luck! Frank D.

 

What was the rate of speed on the Hummer?

 

Just my two pence worth, but why all the fuss about the Smarts safety against a bigger car? If someone had wanted a motorcycle nobody would give them the same hardline about safety and you'd be better off in a Smart than on a bike in most accident situations.

There, I feel better getting that off my chest