We are with the Smart ForTwo.
It reached its third generation.
But before I tell you about ForTwo, I would like to share with you briefly what Smart is.
Smart is a tiny city car manufactured by Swatch Watches and Mercedes brand.
Its name comes from Swatch’s S and Mercedes’s M plus the ART from English.
This set-up bear fruit in 1998 and the first generation Smart took the road.
Since that day, the Smart is the preferred logical city car as alternative to the motorcycles especially in metropolises such as Milano, Rome, Paris and the like.
Just as in the first two generations, the third generation Smart also possesses an authentic design.
But this car shares the same infrastructure, same engine and same power unit with the Renault Twingo.
In other words, I have to tell you that it is not as authentic as it used to be.
Smart succeeds to look very cute with its 2.7 meters length.
It has to be accepted that with the touches of the Mercedes designers it has a sympathetic and very pretty outlook.
Especially with the lava orange body color and black pieces that create contrast, ensure the Smart to appear appealing.
When we look from the side, as I have said the length is 2.7 meters and the axle span is 1.87 meters.
That is to say that the wheels symbolize the start and the finish of the car.
When we compare the axle span with the dimensions of the car we can say that it is quite long.
Namely, in the interior a living space for only two people is offered but it is generally wide.
There is only one disadvantage, as the wheels are placed here, the left foot of the driver looks as if it touches the shroud.
In other words, if you are tall, the place to rest your left foot is a bit limited.
Alright, what kind of loading capacity a car with so small dimensions has let me briefly mention it?
To begin with, firstly you reach the boot by lifting this window and there is an area here where you can put your backpack or such.
You actually reach the boot after you open the boot lid inversely.
This place has 190 liters loading capacity.
You may ask why this loading bay is so high? They could have lowered it but let me show you why they couldn’t.
Because the engine of this car is at the rear.
The engine is under the metal piece you see here.
If you want to reach the engine to check the oil for example, you have to remove these 6 screws and lift the metal plate.
Apart from this way, it is impossible to reach the engine.
Therefore the 190 liters value is nothing to sniff at.
Moreover, by taking this piece off and loading the boot up to the roof, the value is claimed to reach 350 liters.
There are areas offered inside the inversely opening lid for your small items.
Alright, if the engine is in the rear, what is there in the front? Let’s look at it together.
There are two small latches here, when you pull them the bonnet becomes free
but believe me there is no place to put articles here too, in other words there is the battery and liquids here.
Even though the Smart is a tiny car, there are lots of things to tell about it.
Therefore I think this much details are sufficient. Let’s start the driving part. Come on.
I am behind the steering wheel of the Smart ForTwo. For Two is a city car.
For Two is a city car. Therefore I actualize my test in the city.
As soon as you enter the car, an orange color cockpit well comes you. In here, cloth upholstery has been used.
This is not a practice we are accustomed from other cars and models but as the Smart is a young model this type of application has been made.
In my opinion, it definitely has a pleasant appearance but as it is a cloth, it is a possibility that the extended wear and sun will fade and dirty it.
Therefore I cannot say that it is a rational implementation.
In spite of the fact that I think the interior of the Smart ForTwo is authentic, ultimately you can see that the door handles, mirror settings and window opening buttons are all taken from the Renault.
In front of us there is a speedometer, just as in the old generation Smart.
The tachometer is here on the left of the console and you are able to turn it right or left and check it out.
The two being separate naturally is a nuisance to follow but in this car you hardly have a need for a tachometer.
The speedometer can normally be said to be legible but as the numerals are red and the needle being red to understand the speed at first glance is a bit hard.
In the center of the mid console there is a simple music system but it sticking out like this pleases the eye.
To be able to adjust the temperature of this semi-automatic A/C like this is to me very sympathetic.
The design of the ventilation panels is like a toy and very sweet.
The interior or the ForTwo offers very good living space for two people.
Even if you are tall you will not be uncomfortable here
but you do have a bother to adjust the ideal driving position because the steering wheel has only height adjustment.
Without depth adjustment when the tall drivers sit at the back, the steering wheel will be a bit far away from them.
Even though the angle of field of view is good, due to incline roof you are not able to see the cars at the back from the rear view mirror very well.
I can say that in the matter of the small items cubicles the ForTwo is a bit ungenerous.
Especially under hand, there is almost no place to put your wallet and mobile phone.
Here in front of the gear lever there are two cup-holders and in front of it a place is offered where you can put your changes or something like pencil.
If you want to put your wallet and mobile phone there is a drawer type cubicle on the passenger side but I have to tell you that big phones will not fit here.
The sizes of the door bins are not bad at all. Further more there is netting on the passenger side for some small items.
The design of the steering wheel is very sportive and fits to the hands well.
You are able to control the trip computer and the music system from here easily.
Furthermore, cruise control and speed-limiter being offered is an important advantage because as far I know no other car in this class have these systems.
Let us consider the engine and driving features of the ForTwo.
Under the boot of the car I have been driving, 1,0 liter 3 cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine is functioning.
This engine develops exactly 71 HP and 91 Nm of torque.
In other words both values are under three digits.
Just by looking at these figures, you can easily understand that the engine of the ForTwo is a bit lean.
But does the engine being lean makes you feel any weakness in the city driving?
Speaking for myself, it definitely doesn’t if you are going to drive the car in the city.
If you do not expect agility from the ForTwo, it absolutely does not let you down in city speeds and it answers your wishes well.
The 6-speed double clutch automatic gearbox, started to be used in this new generation, works in harmony with the engine.
Especially when shifting up, it carries out very fast and jerk-free.
But when you kickdown and want to accelerate rapidly the engine flags a bit and as the downshifting is a bit slow as well, it does not make you feel the agility.
I have told you that the engine is weak but if you want to accelerate, by downshifting few gears you are able to ensure to get answers to your wishes.
Of course, as the revolution of the engine increases, naturally the noise level increases too and you hear the engine noise behind you a little.
As for driving comfort, in this type of smooth city roads you do not encounter any bother but on rough surfaces you naturally feel some rattle.
On this type of key stone roads of course the suspension comfort diminishes as well as the noise level escalate and the engine thrust force decreases as now,
look I am pressing on the throttle but it is inadequate.
Meanwhile, you are able to choose the first gear and climb easily.
In other words, it of course is open to question as how suitable this car is in İstanbul’s seven hills and rough roads.
The car produces noises as if it is going to break over.
One of the best features of the Smart ForTwo I like, is its turning ability,
because you can turn back even on this type of road.
But I wasn’t going this way, therefore let me turn back
And keep on going...
Namely, the to have this good a turning ability ensures the car to be driven easily in the city.
Furthermore to be able to park either parallel or upright to narrow areas reveal its practicality.
Alright what happens when you get on a highway with the Smart ForTwo?
I, of course, have driven this car on a highway and tested it.
You should first accept that you would not have much to do with overtakings.
That is to say, you can stay in the right lane or in the middle lane and advance comfortably, but don’t think of moving out to the left lane much.
This is my advise to you.
Let us consider finally the fuel consumption of this tiny ForTwo.
I have been driving this car for two days and have covered 122 km.
At the moment, the trip computer indicates to me 6,8 liter fuel consumption averages.
This value naturally is quite above the 4,0 liter level of the Smart’s factory data.
For that matter, that value is quite above my expectations too.
But when you consider that most of my driving was done in the city traffic, and then you can see that it is not that high a value.
There is a Start Stop system in the car and when you stop at this type of red light, it stops the engine and tries to control the fuel consumption a bit more.
The Smart ForTwo, in its third generation too, is certainly a very good city car.
In spite of the fact that it is a model manufactured jointly with the Renault Twingo, since Renault Twingo is not sold in our country, in my opinion, Smart still retain its authenticity.
But the price is definitely confusing because you have to be prepared to sacrifice 60.000 TL to own this car.
Above all, if you want to purchase the car I am driving now, with lava orange color, with sunroof and headlamps with LED,
the money necessary to be paid reaches to the level of 67.000 TL which is equivalent to a compact hatchback price of today.
Therefore, I don’t think the Smart, due to its price, will reach to many people.
See you...