Starting in the 5th Century A.D. there began a new religious movement known as “self-flagellation” where certain Christian sects would actually inflict wounds upon themselves (usually with whips) so that they could feel closer to understanding the pain Jesus went through on the Cross. Spiritually, it was the ultimate way to show reverence to Jesus and while you won’t find many Christians who whip themselves regularly today, there are apparently plenty of people looking for some pain and torture in the new automotive “Green Movement.” But what is the cost of going “green” and will it ever work for you?
As long as there are humans on Earth, we will continue altering our environment and ravenously using up our precious resources. But there are some answers out there. Let’s just say that, as far as we can see, the 2011 Smart ForTwo Passion Cabriolet which we recently test drove for a week was sadly much like a car without a purpose or a punch line without a joke. We had trouble figuring out what it was doing in the United States when clearly our roads are not built for this skittish, jittery and generally unpleasant to drive car.
It may not be quite like “torture” but if you buy a 2011 Smart ForTwo Cabriolet Passion it can only serve as a method of “self-flagellation” for those with serious eco-guilt. And if you have that kind of psychosis then perhaps this is the vehicle for you as Smart claims the car in 95% recyclable which is odd since so much of it feels like it’s made out of Styrofoam.
The2011 Smart ForTwo makes especially little financial sense in “topless” guise (the canvas roof slides back like in a 2012 Fiat 500) like our tester which came with a rather large retail sticker price of $20,260. If you want a soft top, go out and buy a real one or at least get the Fiat and you will get a back seat along with a cute looking car with usable interior space-even a Miata is more practical. The 2011 Smart ForTwo looks like an old classic London phone booth and is about as relevant today from a technological standpoint, as well.
Even the design and powertrain (which debuted in cramped Europe nearly a decade ago) and not advanced or cutting edge by modern standards. Mercedes-Benz (which owns Smart) should be able to build a two seat, high mileage commuter that isn’t terrifying on an LA freeway where you the engine maxes you out at a very unpleasant and unstable 85 miles per hour or so.
The standard 1.0 liter 3-cylinder engine with 70-horsepower sounds something like two rabid squirrels battling it out to the death underneath your thighs and posterior as it is sandwiched beneath you. The Smart ForTwo has the singing voice of Roseanne Barr belting the “National Anthem” and we guarantee that no one will ever want a ride from you if you buy this car. You will be stuck alone in a car that should have been called the “Smart ForOne.”
The worst feature of the 2011 Smart ForTwo convertible is its 5-speed semi-automatic single clutch transmission that is 5 times harsher and prone to lurching than anything we have experienced. After every shift occupants and belongings are thrown forward with a severely uncoordinated pogo hop. There are Go-Karts that are better engineered than this thing and the in-dash audio controls garner mention for being the most illogically labeled and designed buttons and knobs in all of history.
Surprise, our Smart car’s interior didn’t impress us in the slightest what with its very cheap feeling vinyl/leather seats, the “I’ll break in 6 months” plastic trim located everywhere and a serious lack of storage space it doesn’t even make up for it with design cleverness. Perhaps the tachometer pod on the dash was stylish in 1996 but it isn’t now.
Also note that when you order yours with the drop top, you have to hoist your groceries over the high liftover of the back top. It’s not a car for the supermarket. Or having fun, or taking out the whole family. So what is the Smart ForTwo for? Well, it’s a fashion statement.
Now, why then when a Toyota Prius is such a soothing commuter tool and the Golf TDI so much fun to drive would you ever decide to buy anything else if your main concern is the health of the planet? During road tests with both the Prius and Golf TDI we averaged over 43 miles per gallon in the Toyota and nearly 41 miles per gallon with VW’s TDI motor. So why are we harping on these fuel economy figures? Because our EPA estimated 32 city/41 highway Smart car returned 33.7 miles per gallon. Lots of cars can beat that figure.
Now, we admire your empathy for the pain we as humans inflict on the planet but there still are still many more economical, fun to drive, cheaper and better looking cars than the woeful 2011 Smart ForTwo Cabriolet.
Source: SmartUSA