Yet, when his day finally came, Mr. Rubin finally said "No Thanks" to the pocket-sized runabout. If you can get past the car's puppy-dog cute looks and conspicuously diminutive size, the Smart is a far less compelling purchase than it may seem at first glance.
Now, I have not driven one of these Euro transport pods, but most of the reviews of it have been less than glowing. Just taking a critical view of the overall package, here are the disappointments for me:
1) Not particularly economical: Considering the size of the car and engine, I was expecting greater economy than 33/41. If MPG is your ultimate goal, a Prius or Civic Hybrid will still trounce it, on 87 octane. It’s looking like the '09 Jetta TDI will probably do the same, albeit on $4.50/gallon+ fuel.)
2) Not particularly quick/fun-to-drive: That awful transmission seems to be the biggest sticking point with most reviewers. A smooth CVT or DSG would probably improve both performance and economy. The engine also seems a little primitive. A diesel, electric and/or hybrid option would probably help.
3) Not particularly cheap: I'm sure in the land of "Bigger is Better" a lot of people are looking at the Yaris, Accent, Aveo, Fit, etc. that get only slightly poorer fuel economy but are closer in size to "real" cars, but cost less than a comparably-equipped Smart.
Many are also bringing up the tiny size as a safety hazard in the land of tank-sized SUVs and trucks. Personally, that's not much of a deal-killer for me, as my daily is already on the compact end of the spectrum.
The Smart won't get a serious look from me until the economy, performance, and refinement are all markedly improved. Fuel economy of 50 mpg or greater, 0-60 in under 10 seconds, and a transmission that doesn't shift like a schoolyard bully slapping you on the back of the neck every time would be a good start.
Rumor has it that BMW is working on a spiritual successor to the Isetta minicar. You can bet with BMW's single-minded commitment to performance and dynamic excellence, that Munich's entry into the minicar market will be the standard-bearer. In an even more bizarre twist to this tale, there's even a rumor that BMW and Mercedes are collaborating on the next-generation Smart and Isetta with a shared platform. Let's hope that it'll be a matter of Bimmer raising the performance and engineering bar, rather than Mercedes dragging down BMW's good name with a compromised, out-dated design.