My newly arrived Smart ForTwo Passion coupe handles like a go-kart. Sometimes a wheel gets hung up in one of the monster potholes the Minnesota winters create here, but the tiny Smart hops forward and back onto all four wheels decisively. The ghostly lurching of the clutch-less manual transmission which was pronounced in the 2008 test model I drove is barely noticeable in my new 2009. The acceleration is adequate, sometimes even surprisingly springy at the low end. The traction control system is aggressive, taking over at the barest slip on the ice. This makes it impossible to do donuts in a snowy parking lot. The Smart prevents me from doing a lot of irresponsible things, like driving with the door ajar or grinding the starter. The car's computer is amazing, providing the types of controls that drivers like me and most 16-year-olds really need to behave responsibly. The Smart makes me feel oddly cared for, watched over as I am driving to work, encased in the Tridion safety cell.Overall, the Smart was worth the wait. Although I impetuously purchased a Mini Cooper, and it's a lovely car, the Cooper belongs with my husband. Like him, it's classy, stylish and well-built, with a wealth of electronic gadgetry. The slower and goofier Smart somehow fits a bit better with my driving style. What does this say about me? Well, my liberal arts adventure was a BA in English, not psychology, so I can hardly speculate. Glady Reign, a consultant for an automotive firm based in Detroit, says "compact cars tell people about your need for rationality and character" (Reign, 2007). A simple psychological analysis, maybe more akin to a horoscope, but something with which I feel content. Perhaps the protective features of the Smart and its frugal gas usage say something about my rationality and character. Regardless, the little go-kart is a hell of a lot of fun to drive.
Reign, Glady. (2007). If Cars Could Talk, Car Personality Quiz: What Your Car Says About You. Road & Travel magazine. http://www.roadandtravel.com/autoadvice/2007/what-your-car-says.htm
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I was looking forward to your initial review of your new Smart, Mary. Glad you like it!
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful. Even my 94-year old Grandma likes it. She said it's easy to get into and seems like it was custom-made for me! My senior-citizen neighbors also gave it the stamp of approval. I was so happy.
ReplyDeleteI'm ready to buy a SMART myself. Can you give me any pointers? There are some 2008 orphans that are a good deal and then there are a whole lot of 2009 orphans. I test drove the pure and the Brebas edition. I liked the suspension of the Brebas edition, but everything else was not enough to justify the 23k price.
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