Vehicle Overview The two-seat Smart ForTwo arrived at U.S. dealerships for the 2008 model year as a tiny runabout groomed for city streets and tight parking. It comes in basic Pure, better-equipped Passion and drop-top Cabriolet trim levels, but its novelty rules out a rigid set of competitors.
New for 2009 The Passion now comes with a solid-roof option — last year’s had only a panoramic see-through panel — though getting the solid roof won’t save you any money. Other changes are minor.
Exterior Built on a 73-inch wheelbase, the rear-wheel-drive ForTwo measures just 106 inches long — more than 3 feet shorter than a Mini Cooper, the next shortest car on the market.
15-inch steel wheels (Pure)
15-inch alloy wheels (Passion, Cabriolet)
Contrasting colors along framework around passenger compartment
Fully powered convertible top (Cabriolet)
Optional fog lights
Interior Smart markets the car as offering an unexpectedly large cabin for its shrink-wrapped size. The front seats boast 45.4 cubic feet of passenger volume, about 4 cubic feet smaller than the front-seat volume in a Chrysler PT Cruiser.
Optional air conditioning (standard on Passion, Cabriolet)
Under the Hood The ForTwo uses a three-cylinder engine with an automated-manual transmission that can be left in automatic mode or shifted with paddle shifters.
Standard 71-horsepower, 1.0-liter three-cylinder with 68 pounds-feet of torque
Standard five-speed auto-manual transmission
Optional power steering
Top speed of 90 mph
Safety Safety features include:
Standard front and side-impact airbags
Standard disc/drum antilock brakes
Standard traction control and electronic stability system
