smart fortwo pulse mhd
Road Test
Price Guide (manufacturer's list price, excluding on-road costs and dealer delivery): $19,990
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): none fitted
Crash rating: Four-star
Fuel: 95 RON PULP
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 4.4
CO2 emissions (g/km): 105
Also consider: any decent light hatch (i.e. Ford Fiesta, Mazda 2, Volkswagen Polo, et al)
Overall rating: 2.5/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 3.0/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 2.0/5.0
Safety: 2.5/5.0
Behind the wheel: 2.5/5.0
X-factor: 3.0/5.0
About our ratings
The smart fortwo has been around for over half a decade now, and despite a thorough overhaul in 2008, remains essentially unchanged from the original two-seat, two-door formula that has won the diminutive city car some serious kudos in the skinny streets of Europe.
But in making a lean green car even, err, leaner and greener, smart's mhd, or mild hybrid drive, technology has added a start/stop system to the fuel sipping pocketeer, improving fuel economy by as much as 13 per cent in heavy city traffic.
Like most other systems of its kind, the smart set up uses a starter-generator to recover precious volts when coasting, feeding the battery in anticipation of its next call to action from the starter motor. Braking also has a regenerative effect, topping up the battery each time you hit the anchors, a la Prius.
Slowing for the lights, smart's Mitsubishi-sourced 999cc engine shuts off at speeds below 5km/h and restarts automatically when you release the brake. The delay before setting off takes the briefest of moments and fortwo's automated manual transmission remains in first gear to avoid any embarrassing traffic light intermissions.
It must work... In a week of testing our fuel economy returns were 4.5L/100km combined.
And it's fair to say that the mhd system has little impact on drivability. That's a good thing, for despite its pint-sized paw print, the fortwo is an enthusiastic handler, offering surprising tenacity in corners -- a trait certain to pull savvy city buyers away from traditional light hatch competitors. Smart's renowned ease of parking is another.
The fortwo doesn't appear fast on paper (smart claim 0-100km/h times of 13.3 seconds), but it is zippy, with the important standstill to 60 managed as readily as any same-category rival. Best of all, it has a lot of 'character' courtesy of the bassy three-cylinder single-cam engine. This offers a purposeful throb under acceleration until round about three-quarter tacho. For the technically minded, the naturally aspirated unit produces 52kW/92Nm (a turbocharged 62kW/120Nm offering is also available for $22,990).
On the downside, we did find the floor-hinged brake pedal a little peculiar of action and firm of feel. Braking is otherwise confident. Similarly, fortwo's slab sides do act like a sail in strong crosswinds and the large doors require quite a bit of space to be opened fully. Good thing smart is small.
To keep you entertained, fortwo features a six-CD tuner and panoramic roof, and of course like all smarts comes in a plethora of colour and trim combinations thanks to its interchangeable plastic panels. Visibility is excellent, the high riding seat position offering a commanding view forward.
All the usual mod-cons are included as standard, air-conditioning, 15-inch alloy wheels, power windows, fog lamps and remote central locking among the list. Oh, but you will have to adjust the mirrors by hand.
When you weigh things up, however, the fortwo is a pricey alternative when compared to category rivals -- even if the quality is a little better than most.
With Australia by and large offering more space and adequate parking, the smart car's tiny footprint may not be the ace-up-the-sleeve it is elsewhere. But if you're enamoured by the looks -- and don't need the extra row of seats – fortwo is interesting alternative for a commuter or second car.
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