smart

fortwo

The fortwo coupe and cabriolet models are absolutely perfect for city centre driving, but make no mistake, these little beauties can perform out on the open road too. The smart cars are deceptively roomy and are fitted with an excellent range of features.

Test Drive

smart Roadster

When smart first made its debut it caused quite a stir. Admittedly, not the most glamorous of lookers, it tended to cause quite a bit of smirking and finger-pointing.

That was then though, and this is now for it didn’t take the little vehicle with a big heart very long to make a real impression and most evidently on the sales market. The phenomenal sales figures left rival companies scurrying back to the drawing board to develop their own little gem of a car.

With its huge Mercedes-Benz influence the smart has developed over the years and the model supplied for my test drive – the Roadster – was fun, nippy, crammed with quality features and offered a relatively spacious, comfortable driving environment.

Safety specifications are very high with anti-lock brakes, electronic stability program, driver and passenger airbags, hill start assist and hydraulic brake assist to name just a few.

However, no matter how fabulous the safety line-up, there is no escaping the fact that out on the more open road, there is a feeling of vulnerability inside the little vehicle and that concern is justified further when some monster-sized juggernauts come hurtling towards you.

For me, the real appeal to the smart range is the economical pricing and running costs, the ease of driving in congested, built-up areas along with the ease of parking and, above all, the fun element.

There is something of a sporty feel to the Roadster model with sports seats, a leather steering wheel, CD player and the option of fully automatic transmission or paddles for manual changes on the steering wheel.

Buyers who are happy with the great value of the Roadster may even be tempted to splash out further with specifically-made luggage for the Roadster.

All in all, this for me is a car that now puts a smile on people’s faces, but this time for all the right reasons.