Hi. Hans from Denmark. Funny coincident! I just bought the 4 seat version of the small Smart, called Fourfour EQ. It is the same, only a bit longer. I am in love with the thing ! It drives very well and feels much bigger than it is. It is actually made by Renault for Mercedes. The basis is a Twingo. Bw. Hans.
I own a 2018 smart eq, and it's awesome. It fills 99% of our needs. We get a lot of groceries in the back, it's a lot more room than one might suppose. It also is much roomier for the driver and passenger than many cars and trucks that are much bigger. It is one of the most fun cars that I have ever driven. We live in a rural area, but it works for us. We start each morning with a full "tank of gas" because it just plugs in to the house. We have consistently gotten between about 70-110 miles of range, Electric cost a fraction of what petrol does, especially these days. I have ridden a motorcycle all over the country and commuted on it for years, so the worry about driving on a highway with big cars and trucks is not a thing for me or my wife, and honestly from the inside of the smarter you forget that you are so small except for people staring and smiling (laughing probably, but I'm not paying $5/g of gas, so I can laugh too). America has missed a great, worry free, inexpensive to own ($18k brand new) vehicle, but I love mine.
Drum brakes on the rear on EVs is the smart way to go. Most of the braking is regen anyway, so disc brakes on the rear tend to rust out from lack of use.
Drum brakes make better parking brakes too. Since this car is based on the gas version why bother with rear discs? That is a smart manufacturing decision.... I had a Pontiac (FWD) that still had the OEM brake shoes when I scrapped it last. All the mechanics said the shoes had plenty of life...
The real reason for drum brakes is disc brake drag. Disc brakes tend to just barely touch the rotors all the time and this make s a very small amount of drag that you don't want in a car that you are trying to max out it's battery powered range in.
That makes no sense. A properly adjusted drum brake does exactly the same thing. VW/Skoda's reason for using drum brakes on the rear of their new EVs is ease of maintenance, because lightly used drum brakes aren't vulnerable to rust in the same way as disc brakes.
Coworker has this SmartCar. She lives 8 blocks from work so it’s perfect on days too cold or hot to walk. Sitting in the car after a demo drive around the block; a full sized pickup parked next to us and what was a great ride sort of became a “what if” moment. In the right community / circumstance I could see using this car for neighborhood errands.
you'd be supprised how strong the passenger cell it. 5th gear in the uk ran one into a angled concrete barrier at 70mph and the passenger cell remained intact.
My uncle had an early model of smartcar for years and was it was one of the most fun and great ways for us to run errands or just get around in a busy crowded new york city plus parking was super easy (my personal car is a subaru outback so its a night and day size difference)
@@ravennexusmh Yes extremely sturdy cage around the Smart ForTwo. The problem is.... less criple zones... so you won't break your head in a crash, but your intestines will shred by the very sudden drop to 0 mph. But at higher speeds, you won't walk out from most cars anyway.
The Smart ED is the ultimate city vehicle. It's relatively quick, has a tiny turning circle, uses 15kWh/100km or less but is still comfy, easy to get in and well made. It drives like a much bigger car, because it is as wide as a normal car. Goes up to 130km/h or 80mph if need be. There is a convertible version, which makes it quite a nice thing in summer. Unfortunately they're stupid expensive and the range is only enough for city driving.
I had a gas Smart and loved it,wife hated it. Drove it to NYC and up Pikes Peak. Had paddle shifters and got to 70 reasonable time. Got hit in rear by Camry, it was flatbedded away bleeding coolant. I drove off with busted exhaust. Wife complaints made me trade after 60,000 miles for a 3 series. Totally different cars and BMW is nice but I really had no complaints about the Smart.
Weve had a 2014 for 5 years and 75k miles now and it's been great. The 12v battery is good for 4 or 5 years and has to be replaced or it will brick the big battery. There is a dessicant cartridge in the HV battery that is supposed to be changed yearly. The axle shafts leaked and ruined the transmission, which was a pain to get replaced since there were no new ones in the country and the Mercedes dealer wouldn't mess with a salvage transmission. It's been fun to drive. The front seat folds down so you can still fit a little step ladder inside. The battery is water cooled so it's lasted a long time with almost no range loss.
Me and my husband drove our Smart from MN to CA and back 3 times. The first time included two cats, a dog, a rabbit and a Kirby vacuum. Still have it. Going through the mountains we would fill it with 102 octane.
I agree with Mr.Demers here. Too many bubbly airheads on UA-cam. Please keep your no nonsense, just the truth and if you dont like it that's tough style. Those videos where you are so angry at manufacturers for selling your customers complete trash --5.4 ford v8- are classic. You solved my diesel pickup want too. The heck with that.
I can't get enough of that autumn brown metallic paint. When I saw one in person a while back, I had to do a double take and took a picture. The Smart ForTwo's were the definitely of a seat in a cage on wheels. A very strong cage, but it's still basically a massive gocart. I've driven one of the gas ones on an 8 or so hour trip before. Luckily, I'm just short enough that I fit fairly comfortably inside of them.
I’ve got a 2016 Smart Fortwo that’s got a manual transmission. I’d say it’s a ton of fun but it’s not quite that heavy. You’d think it’s underpowered but it’s so light that you don’t notice the low HP. I’m 6’8 and fit which is surprising. Thanks for another Smart review!
I also have a 2016 fortwo with a manual but mine is a base model (pure) and i think it's fantastic! I test drove one as a goof and i liked it so much i bought one, it feels far faster than it is. It also didn't hurt that i got it for $13k new with 0%apr, I'm sad they discontinued it here in the USA.
@@petercirincione5710 mine is an orange passion. Bought it almost 2 years ago with 9k miles on it for 8900!! It’s appreciated since then. CarMax is offering 10. I’m considering getting rid of it as I thought I could haul my kayak on the roof or attach a very light trailer, but that’s not feasible. Such a fun car. If they were still sold new, I think they’d sell better now with gas where it is.
In Italy, these cars make absolute sense. With tight streets and parking there's nothing like a tiny car for ultimate mobility. I have a 1970 Fiat 500, and for where I live, it makes for easy mobility. But, I'm certainly not taking it on the autostrada. Now, how about that Ferrari 308 wizard?
The Toyota RAV4-EV made around the turn of the century has the same ignition approach. One advantage is that drivers unfamiliar with EVs know how to start it. All pretty intuitive.
smartcars were not that popular to begin with but when Merc decided to make them a electric only brand it really just killed sales, in the UK their yearly sales are barely in 3 figures but you can see why........who wants to spend 30k on a car that struggles to do 50 miles in range (in the real world)
Range is usually the biggest problem i see with electric cars, especially used. Some of it would look better if there were an effective way to improve the charge rate.
Popular affordable small EVs are not likely in 2022 to succeed . The el cheapo Chinese EVs probably won't be affordable enough by the time they meet U.S. regulations. Cheap low range EVs might have success if they are reliable and have decent support but that's not happening. I'm okay with limited range and features if it always gets me to my destination and back
@@bjrnpost4633 The biggest problem is the guaranteed battery death in 8 to 10 years. Even if the car is not used at all it will degrade and die and you're stuck looking at a replacement cost almost equal to that of a new car.
When these first became available in the US, there was a lot of people very interested when it was at the Detroit Auto show being shown. People were surprised how roomy they were inside. The problem in the US was always the price versus the value. The car was basically the same price as a Toyota Corolla. Which can seat for people and luggage, and gets about the same gas mileage. We never got any of the Cool Diesel powered versions. Also with a really weird automated manual transmission. It just never really took off. And at least in the US we don't have that many tiny little roads where the size of this really helps. Even in our big cities it just isn't a big enough problem for anybody to really want one of these. The weird thing is people want to want one. People tended to think they were cool and quirky and weird and people like them for that reason. But then when you see a sticker price way higher than you expect you just buy something else. Going to fully electric certainly simplified things but reduced even further it's usefulness.
I loved working on the 09 smart for two my father in law had when I was in high school. Worst part was the price of parts, but it was reliable and got like 45 mpg. I don’t have any experience with the all electric model, but looks interesting. Cool little gobot
We had this in extended family for 3 years. Worked well for what it was. In winter, range is lame and if on hw, 70km at most. Summer can get close to 100. We put around 45k km in 3 years, just had to get new 12v battery.
A lady who was asked by her boss to look after his dog was told that his Smart car was the dog's transport so she could use it while she looked after the dog... It was the dog's happy place...new exercise area every day...adventure!
Since the beginning I've always liked the smart car. Maybe not the way it looks so much, but it's so practical for most every day errands. For sure you could fit a week's worth of groceries for a small family with two kids in there. Stacked to the roof and in the passenger seat, and you can absolutely put a trailer mount on them to haul a small light duty trailer for bulkier items like an apartment sized deep freezer. It's a perfect city commuter imo.
Smart says that the Fortwo can go 70 to 80 miles before it needs to be recharged. It must spend three hours connected to a 240-volt outlet for a full charge; the alternative is 16.5 hours at a 120-volt household plug.
@@terencejay8845 I see the Fisker SUV has solar panels but I guess it doesn’t do enough of a re-charge because the range isn’t that great on that vehicle
Mine is my favorite car. Especially now. 4 years no maintenance. Just put new tires on it at 40,000 miles. I only slow 110 charge mine. No battery degradation yet unlike my other 3 outta 5 EV's I've luckily leased.
Finally I see a Renault "Twingo" on your lift. It is at least except the body panels. My parents got one Twingo when it came out in 2020. Really nice to drive around the city. I prefer the cooler looking Twizy, which I have since 10 years now.
I would looooove a Twizy. Way funnier vehicle than the "Ami" We'll see the AMI all road version but so far the Twizy is the best ! Also ... Twizy F1 was just the best concept ever.
The Smart cars really make sense in a very dense, urban environment. They'd be great if you needed to get around San Francisco or Boston, etc. (here in the US). They're tiny and can fit into tight parking spaces. The range of the original gas, and now this EV version, just aren't good enough to consider if you do a lot of suburban or rural driving.
Why is it the only thing anyone thinks of is range? Look at the car. This thing is not survivable in a wreck against anything larger than a raccoon. It is a death trap. You are risking your life to save a buck at the pump. Good, your family will have enough in your estate to buy a great coffin
@@nickwarner8158 That's not true. It has 4/5 safety rating. Take your 'will some please think of the children' pearl clutching elsewhere. And YES I own this car and it's awesome! "The Smart ForTwo, the main 2018 model Smart Car, received a four-star NHTSA rating in its category. Some of its safety features include a hefty steel frame and high-tech front and side airbags."
@@tanyavs1 Key words you should pay attention to is "in its category." So its the best death trap in the death trap category. Bouncing it off a barrier at an angle its frame can likely hold up decently. Thats because inertia is relative to mass and speed. A car with low mass develops less inertia at a given speed to a larger object. A wrecking ball moves slowly yet has great mass, so has much more inertia than a much smaller thing at faster speeds. You know, science and stuff. So comparing your car to say, a golf cart makes it look really safe. But when a delivery truck loses its brakes or someone in a pickup is busy texting or you don't realize the intersection in front of you has black ice and slide out into the highway you will find out exactly what will happen. I hope they write 4/5 on your coffin. This thing isn't encased in TIG welded DOM tubing like a race car. You aren't in a 5-point harness. Just because its slightly more survivable than other low-survival cars doesn't make it safe. When you want to compare things in its class, think of this. If a three walks into a bar full of twos, she's the hottest girl in the room. Doesn't mean she's hot, just means the bar was set real low to start with.
@@nickwarner8158 Go look at "smart car crash test" on youtube.. 70mph into a concrete barrier & the structure survives. Seeing as the vast majority of these will be used in solely in dense cities & will max out at 35mph 96% of the time, its plenty strong enough.
Wizard, you commented on the extremely short front and rear crush zones. Survivability in a crash is something you did not comment on. Several years ago my son and his Wife were rear ended while stopped in traffic in their Chevy Blazer by a Smart car with 2 occupants, both of whom died from their injuries. That car resembles a casket with windshield wipers.
Having owned one (06 diesel model), one has to drive with an enhanced alert level. Awareness of what’s ahead, behind, all around! Many a times asked if I was afraid of being in it, by people that also rode motorcycles… Unfortunately too many idiots on roads, specially lifted pick’em ups would try to cut me off and do crap like that.
My local Parking Authority bought a few of these to replace their old Cushman three wheelers. My brother, who owns a sign shop, did all the lettering & decals on them. I got a chance to drive one to go get coffee. Neat little car, but, I DEFINITELY wouldn't want to drive one on the highway. I was at a light, and, a garbage truck pulled up next to me, I've never felt as vulnerable in my entire life.
The front hood use to have two tabs, one on each side at the back corners below the windshield. If the tabs aren't slid into their holders correctly the hood won't fit right. The seems will be off, as seen after the Wizard refastened it, and there can also be an arch at the seems of the hood making the hood stick up. Correct refastening is in the owner's manual. The dashboards in these use to be made from barley(?) or some other grain. Sometimes when opening the door the interior had a rather odd smell from that. The "pull-down" above the driver's window that Mrs. Wizard had displayed, is a sunglasses holder. Another car with that type of ignition-key operation that the Wizard showed us, is our 2013 Prius C. You don't hold the key in the start position, but just a quick tap into the start position and then "Ready" comes up on the gauge panel. Even though the Prius C has a gas engine, it never starts up immediately as it operates on the traction battery for the first thirty seconds or so and after that the engine comes on-line if it needs to. I like that because it allows time to back out of the garage before the engine starts, so the cold engine won't stink up the garage. Our Prius C has Electric Air Conditioning too and we love it. The cooling comes up right away and is always consistent, there's none of that warming up when sitting at traffic lights. As well, it's silent, never any compressor sounds.
LOL,he'll pay for saying what he did. He knows it. "Here's the keys honey,I warmed it up for you." That's ok,he's blessed and he knows that too,I would say.
Don't forget to lock the 2 hood releases with a key as it is a common issue to get the hood, battery or headlights stolen. Early versions don't have locks!
Trying to get parts for this generation Smart gas and electric in the US is starting to get very difficult. The Mercedes dealers are beginning to stop supporting them now that they are all at the end of the warranty period. It’s the reason I sold mine.
I've never seen one of those guys before, and I live on the West Coast of Canada (lots of EVs here). Lots of Smarts, but not these. Maybe they weren't released to the Canadian market. Really unique colour, interior, and weirdness. Not really my thing, but if you had a short commute, why not? I guess we should all be investing in metals used in batteries... Thanks again, Mr. and Mrs. Wizard! That li'l puppy is actually kinda cool. Especially with the Corinthian Leather top.😂 ✌️❤️🙂🇨🇦
The little storage bins where the grab handles would normally be are Mercedes sunglasses holders! I installed one on my GLK way back when so I'd have a good place to put a pair of sunglasses.
Owned it for 5 years now. Battery degradation is at 6%. No changes to the car other than the air filter for the AC. Simplest and cheapest car i ever owned. Perfect for the crowded city i live in.
I am a fan of this newer, 2018 Smart ForTwo EQ electric vehicle, because the older models that uses a gasoline and a diesel engine fail every single time. But, for a first vehicle for a new or novice driver and/or an immigrant or an international student, it will be a different story in terms of safety and comfort. For teens and young adults, a mid-size sedan with a four-cylinder or a full-size sedan with a V6 will be the best option for a first vehicle. For adults and seniors, who just received their license to drive on their own, a mid-size SUV or a minivan will be an awesome decision, because both of these vehicles have a V6 engine for smoothness, in terms of horsepower and acceleration. Thank you very much and have a great weekend ahead.
When you consider people are paying $17-35,000 for GOLF CARTS, it's amazing to think this little car can be bought used for around $12,000 today. When I lived in DC, there was a car sharing company that had these parked ALL OVER the city and they were SUPER fun to drive and park. I would love to buy one just to have it for quick runs around and save on diesel my HD2500 truck gulps lol
Here in the UK a guy bought a new BMW ix for £65,000 and range is supposed to be 257 miles, on a long run it only did 145miles! BMW said it was only supposed to be driven around town and turn the AC off. He wanted his money back and initially they only offered him about £55,000. After the publicity is supposed to have come to a deal to get rid of it. Electric cars have still a way to go.
I love mine. you just have to remember it has it's uses. I use mine as a commuter and you can actually fit a good 6-8 grocery bags in it even with two ppl.
If you remove the net behind the seats it opens up a lot more room for groceries. My wife has owned a diesel version 900cc 3 cylinder (the smallest diesel engine fitted in a production car) for the past five years and loves it. It is the only car she as never moaned about fuel consumption. Ideal for shopping and running errands but even I wouldn't want to use it for a long trip. The only drawback is a very harsh suspension. As for the battery in the petrol or diesel version it is well hidden and you will find it inside the car sitting in the footwell on the passenger side, you need to lie the carpet to find it and there it is in the fottrll under the ash and is a right pig to get out.
I'm really on board with evs despite their shortcomings, mainly range and infrastructure. Remembering how far the ice cars came from the beginning, I have little doubt of evs becoming mainstream even if they dont totally replace the ice.
Greed ruined what should have been a popular seller, having said that though I think they went too small. I like the "ignition" system because it makes sense, yes it does because that is how we are used to starting a car and unlocking the steering, it helps you especially if your other car is an ICE car, you don't have to think twice to get going. Personally I'm not keen on uneven length drive shafts.
Hi guys, hope you are well. Mrs Wizard - the folding cubby to the left of your head in the drivers seat is for your shades. So you can still look cool. Lots of EV tools are electrically insulated, much like an electricians tools. Great wee car. hanks for sharing. Stay safe and keep up the good work. :)
Axles and control arms form part of the crumple zone, Black swoosh is what's called the tridion it's a safety cage which is surprisingly solid. A really roomy car inside for 1 with great headroom, a bit cramped for 2 but not a bad vehicle with not great range on battery yet,
That one is probably light enough for a couple of beefy mechanics to simply lift it up. Or maybe that fabric top is there so that it can be rolled over to service the underside without leaving scratches on the roof? :-)
Definitely has it’s place in the right areas. And I’m sure it works better as a ev, because if I remember correctly the gas model gets mpg worse than a Corolla.but had much more room.
These cars are really fun to drive. My main problem with them is when the main battery goes it becomes a lawn ornament due to the price of the battery.(27k)
Hell no! A new main battery is not 27k. A new battery for a Renault here in Europe would be around 6k and that's a bigger one. Recycling will be some form to bring prices down. Belgium is one of the biggest I know but Mercedes pronounced they'll build one in Germany in 2023 then China and then one in the U.S. that will make new E.V. prices go down as well.
@@chriskonte1909 Hell yes a new battery is 27k! This is not a Renault. It's a Mercedes. Maybe I should have said installed. Also this is not Europe where they are plentiful. In the US they are rare. I got that number from a smart forum and a member was quoted 27k by the Mercedes dealer to replace the battery for an 11k dollar car. I own a gas Smart and would not own an electric Smart because of this.
@@door2416 But wtf. This does not stand in any relation..I've looked it up 8k for a Renault ZOE EV-battery compare that to the Smart that is more than 300% of that.. You can't tell me that just because it's a Smart/Mercedes product, shipping costs and putting that in on top that is a fair pricing for a smaller battery that is not better or fancier in any other way.
My 451ED believes it has a HV Battery problem according to the instrument cluster, but everything works. Charging, regen, drive, brake, all ok. All I did was change the 12V battery.
Great video Wizard, I don't thin you needed the lift, you could have put it on Mrs Wizard's Ironing Board and crank it up. Best Wishes, Bob M. South Wales
Smart cars have always been great for their intended use base. The electric range is poor but this balanced by the low time required to recharge and those miles go along way in city traffic. I actually like the gasoline versions, I’ve owned 2 of them, convertible and a coupe. I did some fairly long journeys in the convertible and it was always comfortable and amazingly more practical than you might expect. The passenger seat folds flat and gives extra storage space. The people who own these do love them, and at end of that day that’s all that matters.
You missed that the charger fits into a compartment in the bottom of the rear door. That also isn't supposed to be a shelf in back it is just a cover to keep people from seeing what is back there.
Here in the UK we have plenty of smart cars due to the narrow roads and city congestion, while I was considering buying one, my wife refused to sit in it.😬
They're big but why should you. They're unreliable, have problems with the turbo versions and overheating on the gas versions. The E.V. models have a bad range, no LED-light available until the facelift in 2020, all the plastics in the interior squeek not wabbly but crack when you press some buttons, typical Mercedes product; have to pay extra for everything like the cloth on the dash, a leather steering wheel, alloy wheels and bluetooth, and last reason they're to expensive for what they are; city cars. A true Smart fan would say "yeah but the safety metal (=tridion safety) cell and the technology and individualism and low marges make the price to say obviously an SUV is more profitable.." But cooperating with Renault/Nissan for nearly 9 years by know and having Mercedes as their back up expecially something like sqeeky interior parts are unexeptable, a Toyota Corolla starts at 29.500$ here in Germany 24.100$ for a Smart Fortwo base trim without any of the options that the Basemodel Corolla has like ACC, Back-Up Camera, High Beam assist,.. tho it's always the EV version.
My wife was obsessed with Smart Cars until we sat in one (the older version). It seemed to be designed for people between 5ft6 and 6ft so neither of us would have been able to drive it. She ended up buying a Skoda Citigo (AKA VW Up) which is great. Earlier in the week I got 70MPG (58MPG American) driving it.
I drove the gasoline version of this a bunch of times with the car2go car rental service. Lots of fun around town (like driving a zippy little go-cart) but once you got onto a freeway with a 50 or 60 mph limit then you felt very small and very sketchy. Inner-city though? A blast and a dream to on-street park of course.
The function of the 12V lead acid battery is not what you think. The car won't "power up" without it. You would need to jump start it, although some EV's can jump start themselves. Hyundai's have a 12V battery reset on the dash. The main battery provides the 12V that the vehicle accessories need & recharges the 12V lead acid battery.
Car Wizard, you should do a video about the VW EA888 engines found in the Jetta/Passat. I have a 17 Passat that I maintain meticulously with 116,000 miles and no mechanical issues to date knock on wood. I’m Curious towards the long term potential of my car.
CV joints, Boots, Bearings, Relays, Capacitors, brakes, pumps, all the internal electrics...all sorts of stuff to break, just different skill set! There will be plenty to do for the late 21st Century mechanic/electrician.
Oh yeah, it's a big fallacy/conspiracy that electrics are going to be more reliable! I mean, these electric cars have no fuel injection system with its myriad of black boxes and dozens of sensors, fuel pumps, and electronic injectors. None of those ever give any problem at all. And no engine cooling system, with more sensors, water pumps, and dozens of rubber hoses. Those are never problems, so where's the advantage? Come on, it's a conspiracy I tell you. And of course, no transmission, with again, black boxes, sensors, fluids, cables, brake bands, valve bodies, et cetera. Come on! Who ever heard of an automatic transmission giving trouble....? Yep, you are certainly correct; Those electric cars without all those components will NEVER be more reliable than ICE cars with all those expensive parts. I wish to thank you for bringing this up, I think that every person who looks for a car over the next decade should read your post. And mine.... Thank you so much! Now have a nice day~
@@Flies2FLL I feel like electric cars just won’t work, I believe hydrogen would be better because you don’t have to have a bunch of power plants. the car just generates power.
@@42luke93 Sorry but that's not even close to being correct. You still need power plants to split the hydrogen from water (unless you steam reform methane, which is even worse as you're using natural gas). In fact you need at least double, closer to triple the amount of energy for a hydrogen car as you do a battery electric car. So you'd need a lot more power plants.
@@Flies2FLL I assume you're trying to be sarcastic, it's hard to tell in that oddly worded jumble of words you posted. But no one said electric cars would not be more reliable. Just that mechanics and maintenance/repair issues would never go away in this century, even *with* all-electric cars. Electric cars still have gearboxes/transmissions, brakes, wheel bearings, heaters, A/C units, and the big elephant in the room, a myriad of electrical harnesses and connectors along with electronic modules strewn all throughout the car. There will ALWAYS be problems for mechanics to troubleshoot, and parts to replace, along with routine maintenance to perform. (And of course there will always be accidents). I have a Prius. Even though it's been the most trouble free, dependable, and cheapest to own vehicle I've ever had, I'm not so dumb as to think there wont be need for mechanics in the future.
8:07 I think those are for sunglasses. Not sure if they are original though. I have one in my car that looks exactly the same and I bought it of Ebay. It replaces the grab handle.
Mercedes made very few of these cars in Europe let alone the USA - I believe the EV version just went to dealerships and very few others - the smart for two cars were meant to be electric EV design straight from the start of the car production but they had issues designing and getting the parts hence why they came as an ICE mostly.
The bottom could users some polishing 🍀 It’s a good looking little car...the frunk lid is a little annoying (it probably takes some getting used to that) In town its AWESOME
These were introduced in Europe in the late 1990's. They were built by Mercedes-Benz, initially in concert with Swatch watch company, but the later pulled out. I first saw one in Brussels in 1997. It became quickly obvious what the advantage of this horrid little car was: In Brussels, I saw people park their Smart along a street. But instead of trying to parallel park the car, they simply....Backed into the spot. I'm not kidding, you can park one of these perpendicular to the road! That is the cars chief advantage and let me tell you, in tight European towns like Brussels the ability to park in a tiny spot that nothing else will fit in is a HUGE advantage! As to the rest of the car itself, it kind of sucks. The engine is loud, it is difficult to service, it is slow, and it gets terrible fuel mileage if you consider the size of the car. A VW Golf has literally twice the "floor space", yet gets almost 15% better fuel mileage, and that is gas engine to gas engine; I'm not even considering the 30% more fuel efficient VW diesel which quite literally destroys the Smart in any competition of mileage, handling, or speed! An electric version of this car is probably a very good idea, because it gets rid of the serviceability issues of the ICE version. In the end, in the United States these are just a fun curiosity, but I'd never own one. Great video!
13:30 the open ended tubes that support the wheels and rear suspension might almost be mistaken for tailpipes. Should put some big shiny extensions on them to freak people out or just to p***s them off.
@hatchlord I would not risk my life in one of them. I've usually bought large cars and they have cost a bit more but worth it. I would not have a duel with this car and my old Dodge Ram p/u truck unless I was in my truck.
@hatchlord I would rather spend more $ on a large vehicle and never know the consequences of driving a small one in a serious accident. I've been in a bad car accident to know better, in fact had I been in a small car I would not be here now.
I think the ignition thing is a common thing especially on the smaller VWs and others. We have some at work for use for some quick local drives if we need to.
Hi. Hans from Denmark. Funny coincident! I just bought the 4 seat version of the small Smart, called Fourfour EQ. It is the same, only a bit longer. I am in love with the thing ! It drives very well and feels much bigger than it is. It is actually made by Renault for Mercedes. The basis is a Twingo. Bw. Hans.
Smart's and Twingo's are fun small cars. I've never driven the newer models, but still (Fellow Dane)
I own a 2018 smart eq, and it's awesome. It fills 99% of our needs. We get a lot of groceries in the back, it's a lot more room than one might suppose. It also is much roomier for the driver and passenger than many cars and trucks that are much bigger. It is one of the most fun cars that I have ever driven. We live in a rural area, but it works for us. We start each morning with a full "tank of gas" because it just plugs in to the house. We have consistently gotten between about 70-110 miles of range, Electric cost a fraction of what petrol does, especially these days. I have ridden a motorcycle all over the country and commuted on it for years, so the worry about driving on a highway with big cars and trucks is not a thing for me or my wife, and honestly from the inside of the smarter you forget that you are so small except for people staring and smiling (laughing probably, but I'm not paying $5/g of gas, so I can laugh too). America has missed a great, worry free, inexpensive to own ($18k brand new) vehicle, but I love mine.
Drum brakes on the rear on EVs is the smart way to go. Most of the braking is regen anyway, so disc brakes on the rear tend to rust out from lack of use.
Drum brakes make better parking brakes too. Since this car is based on the gas version why bother with rear discs? That is a smart manufacturing decision.... I had a Pontiac (FWD) that still had the OEM brake shoes when I scrapped it last. All the mechanics said the shoes had plenty of life...
The VW id3/4 Skoda enyaq also have drums at the back
The real reason for drum brakes is disc brake drag.
Disc brakes tend to just barely touch the rotors all the time and this make s a very small amount of drag that you don't want in a car that you are trying to max out it's battery powered range in.
That makes no sense. A properly adjusted drum brake does exactly the same thing. VW/Skoda's reason for using drum brakes on the rear of their new EVs is ease of maintenance, because lightly used drum brakes aren't vulnerable to rust in the same way as disc brakes.
Nice info. Thanks.
Coworker has this SmartCar. She lives 8 blocks from work so it’s perfect on days too cold or hot to walk. Sitting in the car after a demo drive around the block; a full sized pickup parked next to us and what was a great ride sort of became a “what if” moment. In the right community / circumstance I could see using this car for neighborhood errands.
you'd be supprised how strong the passenger cell it. 5th gear in the uk ran one into a angled concrete barrier at 70mph and the passenger cell remained intact.
My uncle had an early model of smartcar for years and was it was one of the most fun and great ways for us to run errands or just get around in a busy crowded new york city plus parking was super easy (my personal car is a subaru outback so its a night and day size difference)
@@ravennexusmh Yes extremely sturdy cage around the Smart ForTwo. The problem is.... less criple zones... so you won't break your head in a crash, but your intestines will shred by the very sudden drop to 0 mph. But at higher speeds, you won't walk out from most cars anyway.
Driving one of these makes the same statement as driving a hummer... you can all figure that out for yourselfs
The Smart ED is the ultimate city vehicle. It's relatively quick, has a tiny turning circle, uses 15kWh/100km or less but is still comfy, easy to get in and well made. It drives like a much bigger car, because it is as wide as a normal car. Goes up to 130km/h or 80mph if need be. There is a convertible version, which makes it quite a nice thing in summer.
Unfortunately they're stupid expensive and the range is only enough for city driving.
kWh :)
Smart is surprisingly roomy for two persons.
@@Simon-dm8zv ah yes, my bad
Look at all the dashcam accidents you can see on UA-cam. Still want to be in that car when someone runs a red light?
@@nickwarner8158 For it's size, it is quite safe
I had a gas Smart and loved it,wife hated it. Drove it to NYC and up Pikes Peak. Had paddle shifters and got to 70 reasonable time. Got hit in rear by Camry, it was flatbedded away bleeding coolant. I drove off with busted exhaust. Wife complaints made me trade after 60,000 miles for a 3 series. Totally different cars and BMW is nice but I really had no complaints about the Smart.
Weve had a 2014 for 5 years and 75k miles now and it's been great. The 12v battery is good for 4 or 5 years and has to be replaced or it will brick the big battery. There is a dessicant cartridge in the HV battery that is supposed to be changed yearly. The axle shafts leaked and ruined the transmission, which was a pain to get replaced since there were no new ones in the country and the Mercedes dealer wouldn't mess with a salvage transmission.
It's been fun to drive. The front seat folds down so you can still fit a little step ladder inside. The battery is water cooled so it's lasted a long time with almost no range loss.
Me and my husband drove our Smart from MN to CA and back 3 times. The first time included two cats, a dog, a rabbit and a Kirby vacuum. Still have it. Going through the mountains we would fill it with 102 octane.
Please never stop and keep you formula or "style" as is with the two of you. Just really informative and enjoyable content.
I agree with Mr.Demers here.
Too many bubbly airheads on UA-cam.
Please keep your no nonsense, just the truth and if you dont like it that's tough style.
Those videos where you are so angry at manufacturers for selling your customers complete trash --5.4 ford v8- are classic.
You solved my diesel pickup want too.
The heck with that.
I can't get enough of that autumn brown metallic paint. When I saw one in person a while back, I had to do a double take and took a picture. The Smart ForTwo's were the definitely of a seat in a cage on wheels. A very strong cage, but it's still basically a massive gocart. I've driven one of the gas ones on an 8 or so hour trip before. Luckily, I'm just short enough that I fit fairly comfortably inside of them.
That Continental could carry the Smart car on its trunk lid. Great place to carry the mother-in-law! 😊
It fits under the roof in the trunk lol
I’ve got a 2016 Smart Fortwo that’s got a manual transmission. I’d say it’s a ton of fun but it’s not quite that heavy. You’d think it’s underpowered but it’s so light that you don’t notice the low HP. I’m 6’8 and fit which is surprising. Thanks for another Smart review!
I also have a 2016 fortwo with a manual but mine is a base model (pure) and i think it's fantastic! I test drove one as a goof and i liked it so much i bought one, it feels far faster than it is. It also didn't hurt that i got it for $13k new with 0%apr, I'm sad they discontinued it here in the USA.
@@petercirincione5710 mine is an orange passion. Bought it almost 2 years ago with 9k miles on it for 8900!! It’s appreciated since then. CarMax is offering 10. I’m considering getting rid of it as I thought I could haul my kayak on the roof or attach a very light trailer, but that’s not feasible. Such a fun car. If they were still sold new, I think they’d sell better now with gas where it is.
For 10 grand these would sell like hot cakes, but for 30k a Camry or Corolla is a much better choice
Another option, would be an Outlander with the V6 engine and a Mazda 6 with the naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine.
plus you could live through a crash in a Camry
I paid $5000 for a used smart car with 20,000 miles.
@@hjeffwallace Well the average coffin is about $6000 these days so after a crash just make sure your will designates you wish to be buried in it
This comment is enough for me to not see the video Thank you
In Italy, these cars make absolute sense. With tight streets and parking there's nothing like a tiny car for ultimate mobility. I have a 1970 Fiat 500, and for where I live, it makes for easy mobility. But, I'm certainly not taking it on the autostrada. Now, how about that Ferrari 308 wizard?
Did you see how compact the powertrain was? I bet it`d slot into your 500 easily...
The Toyota RAV4-EV made around the turn of the century has the same ignition approach. One advantage is that drivers unfamiliar with EVs know how to start it. All pretty intuitive.
smartcars were not that popular to begin with but when Merc decided to make them a electric only brand it really just killed sales, in the UK their yearly sales are barely in 3 figures but you can see why........who wants to spend 30k on a car that struggles to do 50 miles in range (in the real world)
Range is usually the biggest problem i see with electric cars, especially used. Some of it would look better if there were an effective way to improve the charge rate.
A ev is never my only car. Have others for traveling. Now I find myself in reach of home with its range. Still can't travel even with a tesla
Popular affordable small EVs are not likely in 2022 to succeed . The el cheapo Chinese EVs probably won't be affordable enough by the time they meet U.S. regulations. Cheap low range EVs might have success if they are reliable and have decent support but that's not happening. I'm okay with limited range and features if it always gets me to my destination and back
@@bjrnpost4633 The biggest problem is the guaranteed battery death in 8 to 10 years. Even if the car is not used at all it will degrade and die and you're stuck looking at a replacement cost almost equal to that of a new car.
When these first became available in the US, there was a lot of people very interested when it was at the Detroit Auto show being shown. People were surprised how roomy they were inside. The problem in the US was always the price versus the value. The car was basically the same price as a Toyota Corolla. Which can seat for people and luggage, and gets about the same gas mileage. We never got any of the Cool Diesel powered versions. Also with a really weird automated manual transmission. It just never really took off. And at least in the US we don't have that many tiny little roads where the size of this really helps. Even in our big cities it just isn't a big enough problem for anybody to really want one of these. The weird thing is people want to want one. People tended to think they were cool and quirky and weird and people like them for that reason. But then when you see a sticker price way higher than you expect you just buy something else. Going to fully electric certainly simplified things but reduced even further it's usefulness.
I loved working on the 09 smart for two my father in law had when I was in high school. Worst part was the price of parts, but it was reliable and got like 45 mpg. I don’t have any experience with the all electric model, but looks interesting. Cool little gobot
Gas or diesel?
These are perfect around town delivery vehicles. They go, turn and park where "normal" sized cars can't.
We had this in extended family for 3 years. Worked well for what it was. In winter, range is lame and if on hw, 70km at most. Summer can get close to 100. We put around 45k km in 3 years, just had to get new 12v battery.
8:10 is a sunglasses holder. Common in Mercedes A, B class and in Smart cars.
the hood is nice, just wait for it like 7 or 8 till the plastic clips goes bad and you will need hundreds of dollars to replace a piece of plastic
A lady who was asked by her boss to look after his dog was told that his Smart car was the dog's transport so she could use it while she looked after the dog...
It was the dog's happy place...new exercise area every day...adventure!
This is the "take with the RV car to get around town"
Get a rack to hang it off the back.
@@asdasd-ni8eg would probably fit on the racks they use for the little hover rround scooters lol
Since the beginning I've always liked the smart car. Maybe not the way it looks so much, but it's so practical for most every day errands. For sure you could fit a week's worth of groceries for a small family with two kids in there. Stacked to the roof and in the passenger seat, and you can absolutely put a trailer mount on them to haul a small light duty trailer for bulkier items like an apartment sized deep freezer. It's a perfect city commuter imo.
Smart says that the Fortwo can go 70 to 80 miles before it needs to be recharged. It must spend three hours connected to a 240-volt outlet for a full charge; the alternative is 16.5 hours at a 120-volt household plug.
@@terencejay8845 I see the Fisker SUV has solar panels but I guess it doesn’t do enough of a re-charge because the range isn’t that great on that vehicle
I have a 2015 smart and love it. It is so much fun.
Mine is my favorite car. Especially now. 4 years no maintenance. Just put new tires on it at 40,000 miles. I only slow 110 charge mine. No battery degradation yet unlike my other 3 outta 5 EV's I've luckily leased.
At 33000 miles I did put a moisture absorber in the battery compartment. $50 on Amazon.
Finally I see a Renault "Twingo" on your lift. It is at least except the body panels. My parents got one Twingo when it came out in 2020. Really nice to drive around the city. I prefer the cooler looking Twizy, which I have since 10 years now.
I would looooove a Twizy. Way funnier vehicle than the "Ami"
We'll see the AMI all road version but so far the Twizy is the best !
Also ...
Twizy F1 was just the best concept ever.
@@randomreviews9016 Unfortunately I could not by a F1 Twizy, so I only bought a light tuning so that I can drive 94 instead of 80.
That hood reminds me of a battery cover for a remote control.
the car wizard is an artist when it comes to describing the front of cars.
Just drove one yesterday. So much fun compared to the shaky gas version.
drive a corvair they dont shake
The Smart cars really make sense in a very dense, urban environment. They'd be great if you needed to get around San Francisco or Boston, etc. (here in the US). They're tiny and can fit into tight parking spaces. The range of the original gas, and now this EV version, just aren't good enough to consider if you do a lot of suburban or rural driving.
Why is it the only thing anyone thinks of is range? Look at the car. This thing is not survivable in a wreck against anything larger than a raccoon. It is a death trap. You are risking your life to save a buck at the pump. Good, your family will have enough in your estate to buy a great coffin
@@nickwarner8158 you must be fun at parties 🙄
@@nickwarner8158 That's not true. It has 4/5 safety rating. Take your 'will some please think of the children' pearl clutching elsewhere. And YES I own this car and it's awesome!
"The Smart ForTwo, the main 2018 model Smart Car, received a four-star NHTSA rating in its category. Some of its safety features include a hefty steel frame and high-tech front and side airbags."
@@tanyavs1 Key words you should pay attention to is "in its category." So its the best death trap in the death trap category. Bouncing it off a barrier at an angle its frame can likely hold up decently. Thats because inertia is relative to mass and speed. A car with low mass develops less inertia at a given speed to a larger object. A wrecking ball moves slowly yet has great mass, so has much more inertia than a much smaller thing at faster speeds. You know, science and stuff. So comparing your car to say, a golf cart makes it look really safe. But when a delivery truck loses its brakes or someone in a pickup is busy texting or you don't realize the intersection in front of you has black ice and slide out into the highway you will find out exactly what will happen. I hope they write 4/5 on your coffin. This thing isn't encased in TIG welded DOM tubing like a race car. You aren't in a 5-point harness. Just because its slightly more survivable than other low-survival cars doesn't make it safe.
When you want to compare things in its class, think of this. If a three walks into a bar full of twos, she's the hottest girl in the room. Doesn't mean she's hot, just means the bar was set real low to start with.
@@nickwarner8158 Go look at "smart car crash test" on youtube.. 70mph into a concrete barrier & the structure survives. Seeing as the vast majority of these will be used in solely in dense cities & will max out at 35mph 96% of the time, its plenty strong enough.
Wizard, you commented on the extremely short front and rear crush zones. Survivability in a crash is something you did not comment on. Several years ago my son and his Wife were rear ended while stopped in traffic in their Chevy Blazer by a Smart car with 2 occupants, both of whom died from their injuries. That car resembles a casket with windshield wipers.
Having owned one (06 diesel model), one has to drive with an enhanced alert level. Awareness of what’s ahead, behind, all around!
Many a times asked if I was afraid of being in it, by people that also rode motorcycles…
Unfortunately too many idiots on roads, specially lifted pick’em ups would try to cut me off and do crap like that.
My local Parking Authority bought a few of these to replace their old Cushman three wheelers. My brother, who owns a sign shop, did all the lettering & decals on them. I got a chance to drive one to go get coffee. Neat little car, but, I DEFINITELY wouldn't want to drive one on the highway. I was at a light, and, a garbage truck pulled up next to me, I've never felt as vulnerable in my entire life.
Try Finding Parts (Any Parts) Or A Dealer That Can Work on it
Fun to see they still have the bracket for the exhaust fitted, from the time they were gas powered
The front hood use to have two tabs, one on each side at the back corners below the windshield. If the tabs aren't slid into their holders correctly the hood won't fit right. The seems will be off, as seen after the Wizard refastened it, and there can also be an arch at the seems of the hood making the hood stick up. Correct refastening is in the owner's manual.
The dashboards in these use to be made from barley(?) or some other grain. Sometimes when opening the door the interior had a rather odd smell from that.
The "pull-down" above the driver's window that Mrs. Wizard had displayed, is a sunglasses holder.
Another car with that type of ignition-key operation that the Wizard showed us, is our 2013 Prius C. You don't hold the key in the start position, but just a quick tap into the start position and then "Ready" comes up on the gauge panel. Even though the Prius C has a gas engine, it never starts up immediately as it operates on the traction battery for the first thirty seconds or so and after that the engine comes on-line if it needs to. I like that because it allows time to back out of the garage before the engine starts, so the cold engine won't stink up the garage.
Our Prius C has Electric Air Conditioning too and we love it. The cooling comes up right away and is always consistent, there's none of that warming up when sitting at traffic lights. As well, it's silent, never any compressor sounds.
It's ok, Wizard, we all know that the 308 is Mrs. Wizard's car. We don't love you any less for it. Heck, she might even let you drive it!
LOL,he'll pay for saying what he did.
He knows it.
"Here's the keys honey,I warmed it up for you."
That's ok,he's blessed and he knows that too,I would say.
I would be willing to drive a car like that, buut never in the company of big trucks andd semis.
Don't forget to lock the 2 hood releases with a key as it is a common issue to get the hood, battery or headlights stolen. Early versions don't have locks!
Trying to get parts for this generation Smart gas and electric in the US is starting to get very difficult. The Mercedes dealers are beginning to stop supporting them now that they are all at the end of the warranty period. It’s the reason I sold mine.
I've never seen one of those guys before, and I live on the West Coast of Canada (lots of EVs here). Lots of Smarts, but not these. Maybe they weren't released to the Canadian market. Really unique colour, interior, and weirdness. Not really my thing, but if you had a short commute, why not? I guess we should all be investing in metals used in batteries...
Thanks again, Mr. and Mrs. Wizard! That li'l puppy is actually kinda cool. Especially with the Corinthian Leather top.😂
✌️❤️🙂🇨🇦
I recently bought one of these and I love it. Huge bonus, I got it for $2k because it stopped charging and Mercedes said it needed an $8k repair.
The little storage bins where the grab handles would normally be are Mercedes sunglasses holders! I installed one on my GLK way back when so I'd have a good place to put a pair of sunglasses.
Owned it for 5 years now. Battery degradation is at 6%. No changes to the car other than the air filter for the AC. Simplest and cheapest car i ever owned. Perfect for the crowded city i live in.
8:07 that's for your sunglasses
I am a fan of this newer, 2018 Smart ForTwo EQ electric vehicle, because the older models that uses a gasoline and a diesel engine fail every single time. But, for a first vehicle for a new or novice driver and/or an immigrant or an international student, it will be a different story in terms of safety and comfort. For teens and young adults, a mid-size sedan with a four-cylinder or a full-size sedan with a V6 will be the best option for a first vehicle. For adults and seniors, who just received their license to drive on their own, a mid-size SUV or a minivan will be an awesome decision, because both of these vehicles have a V6 engine for smoothness, in terms of horsepower and acceleration. Thank you very much and have a great weekend ahead.
They no longer import these into the US. Not enough sales. Too bad, I have the previous generation EV and love it.
@@adotintheshark4848 Thanks
I have driven one in the city. Not bad at all. The Wizard is cool with change. because he knows he will have work until retirement.
When you consider people are paying $17-35,000 for GOLF CARTS, it's amazing to think this little car can be bought used for around $12,000 today. When I lived in DC, there was a car sharing company that had these parked ALL OVER the city and they were SUPER fun to drive and park. I would love to buy one just to have it for quick runs around and save on diesel my HD2500 truck gulps lol
Here in the UK a guy bought a new BMW ix for £65,000 and range is supposed to be 257 miles, on a long run it only did 145miles! BMW said it was only supposed to be driven around town and turn the AC off. He wanted his money back and initially they only offered him about £55,000. After the publicity is supposed to have come to a deal to get rid of it. Electric cars have still a way to go.
I love mine. you just have to remember it has it's uses. I use mine as a commuter and you can actually fit a good 6-8 grocery bags in it even with two ppl.
Some American's comments about groceries seem to imply that without an F150 bed load full you will go hungry.
If you remove the net behind the seats it opens up a lot more room for groceries. My wife has owned a diesel version 900cc 3 cylinder (the smallest diesel engine fitted in a production car) for the past five years and loves it. It is the only car she as never moaned about fuel consumption. Ideal for shopping and running errands but even I wouldn't want to use it for a long trip. The only drawback is a very harsh suspension. As for the battery in the petrol or diesel version it is well hidden and you will find it inside the car sitting in the footwell on the passenger side, you need to lie the carpet to find it and there it is in the fottrll under the ash and is a right pig to get out.
The little pulldown above the door is a glasses holder, Mrs Wizard.
I'm really on board with evs despite their shortcomings, mainly range and infrastructure. Remembering how far the ice cars came from the beginning, I have little doubt of evs becoming mainstream even if they dont totally replace the ice.
Disappointing fuel milage on the gas one, for the size. Easy to park though.
Agree, Prius gets better MPG
i have renault twingo electric (same chassis better battery and better charger and cheaper) for 6 months now, its been great did 20000km already
Greed ruined what should have been a popular seller, having said that though I think they went too small. I like the "ignition" system because it makes sense, yes it does because that is how we are used to starting a car and unlocking the steering, it helps you especially if your other car is an ICE car, you don't have to think twice to get going. Personally I'm not keen on uneven length drive shafts.
Hi guys, hope you are well. Mrs Wizard - the folding cubby to the left of your head in the drivers seat is for your shades. So you can still look cool. Lots of EV tools are electrically insulated, much like an electricians tools. Great wee car. hanks for sharing. Stay safe and keep up the good work. :)
Let’s see that car 53 years from now.
The Lincoln made it 53.
Axles and control arms form part of the crumple zone, Black swoosh is what's called the tridion it's a safety cage which is surprisingly solid. A really roomy car inside for 1 with great headroom, a bit cramped for 2 but not a bad vehicle with not great range on battery yet,
Should’ve cut to the weight limit on the bend pack lift 😂. Bob sure done find some gems. Always enjoy seeing them!
It's one of the cars almost as wide as it is long ... Thanks for sharing !
I own a first gen Smart ForTwo and that is about 8 Inch shorter and also much narrower. Would be interesting to see if it fits the lift...
That one is probably light enough for a couple of beefy mechanics to simply lift it up. Or maybe that fabric top is there so that it can be rolled over to service the underside without leaving scratches on the roof? :-)
Definitely has it’s place in the right areas. And I’m sure it works better as a ev, because if I remember correctly the gas model gets mpg worse than a Corolla.but had much more room.
That type of dash is nice as the sun will not glare off of it
These cars are really fun to drive. My main problem with them is when the main battery goes it becomes a lawn ornament due to the price of the battery.(27k)
You could buy a lot of gasoline, even at these prices, for that much money and still have a car you can drive
Hell no!
A new main battery is not 27k. A new battery for a Renault here in Europe would be around 6k and that's a bigger one. Recycling will be some form to bring prices down. Belgium is one of the biggest I know but Mercedes pronounced they'll build one in Germany in 2023 then China and then one in the U.S. that will make new E.V. prices go down as well.
@@chriskonte1909 Hell yes a new battery is 27k! This is not a Renault. It's a Mercedes. Maybe I should have said installed. Also this is not Europe where they are plentiful. In the US they are rare. I got that number from a smart forum and a member was quoted 27k by the Mercedes dealer to replace the battery for an 11k dollar car. I own a gas Smart and would not own an electric Smart because of this.
@@door2416 But wtf. This does not stand in any relation..I've looked it up 8k for a Renault ZOE EV-battery compare that to the Smart that is more than 300% of that..
You can't tell me that just because it's a Smart/Mercedes product, shipping costs and putting that in on top that is a fair pricing for a smaller battery that is not better or fancier in any other way.
My 451ED believes it has a HV Battery problem according to the instrument cluster, but everything works. Charging, regen, drive, brake, all ok. All I did was change the 12V battery.
Great video Wizard, I don't thin you needed the lift, you could have put it on Mrs Wizard's Ironing Board and crank it up. Best Wishes, Bob M. South Wales
Smart cars have always been great for their intended use base. The electric range is poor but this balanced by the low time required to recharge and those miles go along way in city traffic. I actually like the gasoline versions, I’ve owned 2 of them, convertible and a coupe. I did some fairly long journeys in the convertible and it was always comfortable and amazingly more practical than you might expect. The passenger seat folds flat and gives extra storage space. The people who own these do love them, and at end of that day that’s all that matters.
Thank you very much! Liked, subscribed and shared. My absolute favorite UA-cam channel by far.
You missed that the charger fits into a compartment in the bottom of the rear door. That also isn't supposed to be a shelf in back it is just a cover to keep people from seeing what is back there.
I LOVE THIS SMART FORTWO🥰
Loved the pic of the Smart car with front end damage "Hit a squirrel"
Here in the UK we have plenty of smart cars due to the narrow roads and city congestion, while I was considering buying one, my wife refused to sit in it.😬
You have a smart wife
They're big but why should you. They're unreliable, have problems with the turbo versions and overheating on the gas versions. The E.V. models have a bad range, no LED-light available until the facelift in 2020, all the plastics in the interior squeek not wabbly but crack when you press some buttons, typical Mercedes product; have to pay extra for everything like the cloth on the dash, a leather steering wheel, alloy wheels and bluetooth, and last reason they're to expensive for what they are; city cars.
A true Smart fan would say "yeah but the safety metal (=tridion safety) cell and the technology and individualism and low marges make the price to say obviously an SUV is more profitable.." But cooperating with Renault/Nissan for nearly 9 years by know and having Mercedes as their back up expecially something like sqeeky interior parts are unexeptable, a Toyota Corolla starts at 29.500$ here in Germany 24.100$ for a Smart Fortwo base trim without any of the options that the Basemodel Corolla has like ACC, Back-Up Camera, High Beam assist,.. tho it's always the EV version.
My wife was obsessed with Smart Cars until we sat in one (the older version). It seemed to be designed for people between 5ft6 and 6ft so neither of us would have been able to drive it. She ended up buying a Skoda Citigo (AKA VW Up) which is great. Earlier in the week I got 70MPG (58MPG American) driving it.
Does it come with a rack for your golf clubs on the back? Looks like an all weather golf cart to me.
I drove the gasoline version of this a bunch of times with the car2go car rental service. Lots of fun around town (like driving a zippy little go-cart) but once you got onto a freeway with a 50 or 60 mph limit then you felt very small and very sketchy. Inner-city though? A blast and a dream to on-street park of course.
Different type of cars for different type of use, right? :)
Should do a comparison with a scion iq
The function of the 12V lead acid battery is not what you think. The car won't "power up" without it. You would need to jump start it, although some EV's can jump start themselves. Hyundai's have a 12V battery reset on the dash. The main battery provides the 12V that the vehicle accessories need & recharges the 12V lead acid battery.
This line was discontinued in the us in 2019.
Wouldn't the radiator be for the battery and not the engine?
its funny seeing the small renault parts in the vehicle. not something a lot of people notice, things like the key
Battery pack at end of life at 4 years?
Car Wizard, you should do a video about the VW EA888 engines found in the Jetta/Passat. I have a 17 Passat that I maintain meticulously with 116,000 miles and no mechanical issues to date knock on wood. I’m Curious towards the long term potential of my car.
CV joints, Boots, Bearings, Relays, Capacitors, brakes, pumps, all the internal electrics...all sorts of stuff to break, just different skill set! There will be plenty to do for the late 21st Century mechanic/electrician.
Oh yeah, it's a big fallacy/conspiracy that electrics are going to be more reliable! I mean, these electric cars have no fuel injection system with its myriad of black boxes and dozens of sensors, fuel pumps, and electronic injectors. None of those ever give any problem at all. And no engine cooling system, with more sensors, water pumps, and dozens of rubber hoses. Those are never problems, so where's the advantage? Come on, it's a conspiracy I tell you. And of course, no transmission, with again, black boxes, sensors, fluids, cables, brake bands, valve bodies, et cetera.
Come on! Who ever heard of an automatic transmission giving trouble....?
Yep, you are certainly correct; Those electric cars without all those components will NEVER be more reliable than ICE cars with all those expensive parts. I wish to thank you for bringing this up, I think that every person who looks for a car over the next decade should read your post. And mine....
Thank you so much! Now have a nice day~
@@Flies2FLL
I feel like electric cars just won’t work, I believe hydrogen would be better because you don’t have to have a bunch of power plants. the car just generates power.
@@42luke93 1. Infrastructure. 2. Margarine. 3. NOX emissions....
@@42luke93 Sorry but that's not even close to being correct. You still need power plants to split the hydrogen from water (unless you steam reform methane, which is even worse as you're using natural gas). In fact you need at least double, closer to triple the amount of energy for a hydrogen car as you do a battery electric car. So you'd need a lot more power plants.
@@Flies2FLL I assume you're trying to be sarcastic, it's hard to tell in that oddly worded jumble of words you posted. But no one said electric cars would not be more reliable. Just that mechanics and maintenance/repair issues would never go away in this century, even *with* all-electric cars. Electric cars still have gearboxes/transmissions, brakes, wheel bearings, heaters, A/C units, and the big elephant in the room, a myriad of electrical harnesses and connectors along with electronic modules strewn all throughout the car. There will ALWAYS be problems for mechanics to troubleshoot, and parts to replace, along with routine maintenance to perform. (And of course there will always be accidents). I have a Prius. Even though it's been the most trouble free, dependable, and cheapest to own vehicle I've ever had, I'm not so dumb as to think there wont be need for mechanics in the future.
You reviewed one in thr past I remember but it was an automatic clutch manual powered gas one which seemed cool.
Lol micro machine! Ms.Wizard is from the 80’s for real. I had several of them. Loved them little cars.
Reminds me of my wife's former car. A 2014 Scion IQ 10 Series. Was not electric but it was that small and classified as a 4-seater.
8:07 I think those are for sunglasses. Not sure if they are original though. I have one in my car that looks exactly the same and I bought it of Ebay. It replaces the grab handle.
I appreciate your opinions, I like how your run your shop. To bad your not so close to NYC… good luck man
Mercedes made very few of these cars in Europe let alone the USA - I believe the EV version just went to dealerships and very few others - the smart for two cars were meant to be electric EV design straight from the start of the car production but they had issues designing and getting the parts hence why they came as an ICE mostly.
"Made"? They're still making them, and only as EVs
The EV was acompliance model in the USA. MB sent the minimum required here because they lost money on every one.
The bottom could users some polishing 🍀
It’s a good looking little car...the frunk lid is a little annoying (it probably takes some getting used to that)
In town its AWESOME
I rented a convirtable one when I was on a holiday in Madeira. Great little car
These were introduced in Europe in the late 1990's. They were built by Mercedes-Benz, initially in concert with Swatch watch company, but the later pulled out. I first saw one in Brussels in 1997.
It became quickly obvious what the advantage of this horrid little car was: In Brussels, I saw people park their Smart along a street. But instead of trying to parallel park the car, they simply....Backed into the spot. I'm not kidding, you can park one of these perpendicular to the road! That is the cars chief advantage and let me tell you, in tight European towns like Brussels the ability to park in a tiny spot that nothing else will fit in is a HUGE advantage!
As to the rest of the car itself, it kind of sucks. The engine is loud, it is difficult to service, it is slow, and it gets terrible fuel mileage if you consider the size of the car. A VW Golf has literally twice the "floor space", yet gets almost 15% better fuel mileage, and that is gas engine to gas engine; I'm not even considering the 30% more fuel efficient VW diesel which quite literally destroys the Smart in any competition of mileage, handling, or speed!
An electric version of this car is probably a very good idea, because it gets rid of the serviceability issues of the ICE version. In the end, in the United States these are just a fun curiosity, but I'd never own one.
Great video!
I recognized that “EQ” name. Mercedes will make an electric Mercedes EQ luxury sedan I hear.
@@42luke93 Yeah, I think Doug DeMuro reviewed it. It's a really nice car, but looks a bit like a jelly bean~ Haha!
13:30 the open ended tubes that support the wheels and rear suspension might almost be mistaken for tailpipes. Should put some big shiny extensions on them to freak people out or just to p***s them off.
I never liked Smart Cars, until I discovered they have a 3 cylinder CDI variant in Canada. Now I want one lol
8:08 Its a sunglass holder. I had this in one of my cars too.
Basic physics tells me it’s a death trap. Previous owner afraid to drive it with only 3000 miles and probably reason for selling it.
@hatchlord I would not risk my life in one of them. I've usually bought large cars and they have cost a bit more but worth it. I would not have a duel with this car and my old Dodge Ram p/u truck unless I was in my truck.
@hatchlord I would rather spend more $ on a large vehicle and never know the consequences of driving a small one in a serious accident. I've been in a bad car accident to know better, in fact had I been in a small car I would not be here now.
You can't put a cost on your health
That case on the headliner is for Sunglass storage.
I'm just here for the "old heads" that know nothing about crash safety going on about how "dangerous small cars are".
I think the ignition thing is a common thing especially on the smaller VWs and others. We have some at work for use for some quick local drives if we need to.