2012 & 2013 Smart Coupe Reviews & Ratings

Smart, the creators of the Smart Car, is a division of Daimler AG that focuses on automobile design and manufacturing. Smart cars are microcars that have been produced under the smart name with the Smart logo and branding. The original idea dates back to the 1980s when the CEO of SMH thought up an idea for a car that he felt was being overlooked in the current market. SMH had been the designers of the Swatch watch and the idea for the Smart coupe was dubbed the Swatchmobile. The CEO did not ... (full review continues below)

Smart, the creators of the Smart Car, is a division of Daimler AG that focuses on automobile design and manufacturing. Smart cars are microcars that have been produced under the smart name with the Smart logo and branding. The original idea dates back to the 1980s when the CEO of SMH thought up an idea for a car that he felt was being overlooked in the current market. SMH had been the designers of the Swatch watch and the idea for the Smart coupe was dubbed the Swatchmobile. The CEO did not want to compete with other manufacturers, so he decided to work with them instead. He began a long search for a company that could help him produce his Swatchmobile and give it the attention he wanted.

The first deal for production of the Smart coupe was with Volkswagen, but two years later a new CEO nixed the idea in favor of focusing on their own projects. This wasn't a surprise and other companies had already been contacted with the idea. An agreement was reached with Daimler Benz AG and announced in 1994. The original company name was Micro Compact Car AG but it would later be changed to Smart. The name of the car would also be changed in the process of developing the idea. Daimler would not allow the Swatchmobile name and there was a compromise instead to use the acronym Smart (Swatch Mercedes Art).

The first Smart coupe was introduced at the 1998 Paris Motor Show and was named the Smart Fortwo. The name indicated the car's ability to only hold two passengers. It has also been called the Smart City Coupe and is currently in its second generation of production. In 2008 an all electric version was designed known as the Smart Fortwo ed.

The Smart coupe boasts a 1.0 liter 3 cylinder engine that has a small 70 hp. Depending on the generation it also comes with a six or 5 speed automated manual transmission. The Fortwo gets excellent fuel economy at 33mpg city and 41 mph highway, and even with the lesser power of the engine it can reach 0 to 60 in only 14.1 seconds. The top speed of the car is only 90 mph. It still feels a lot quicker than it is to drivers and the unique design has made it quite popular.

The interior of the Smart coupe is much roomier than one would imagine given its size. There is plenty of leg and head room and even taller passengers can fit inside easily. Those who need more cargo space can fold the passenger seat down and use that area as well. While it is not the greatest driving experience to be had, it offers a modern design that can compete with many of today's cars. A list of numerous standard and optional features adds more appeal, but the fuel economy and desire to stand out in a crowd are likely the best selling points of the Fortwo.