Just wondering where you are located that the smart hasn't been certified yet?

America. They're selling them (or taking orders for them, at any rate) but - to my knowledge - they haven't pass US car crash tests yet; am I wrong? I do a lot of interstate driving up against tractor-trailers and, although I'm by no means safe in my current car, I fear the Smart would actually get blown around... Am also disappointed that the "made for the USA" version now gets only 40 mpg; not the 60 they get in Europe. Otherwise, I'm sold; love it! Can't complain it's not small enough (or cute enough).

I assume they passed some type of crash certification if they are for sale here (which they are). I've seen a few around, but not many. The car dealer about a mile from my house is currently selling them. Probably not the best choice for highway driving, regardless of their current certification status anyway.

If you do a lot of highway driving, take a good test drive in any sub-compact that you are considering to make sure you can live with it's highway behavior.

"I assume they passed some type of crash certification if they are for sale here (which they are)."

I seem to recall that they are taking orders, but none have been delivered. No deliveries until or unless they pass the test.

"I seem to recall that they are taking orders, but none have been delivered. No deliveries until or unless they pass the test."

I've seen a few of them driving around. There is one at my daughters high school sometimes, I saw on parked in denver last friday at the theater, I passed on on I-70 in KS about 2 weeks ago, the car dealer about a mile from my house has at least on on his lot. There are normally a few on eBay. Also, they were being sold by a third party (Zap?) over a year ago.

Re the different mpg, our gallons here in Europe (well, the UK, everyone else uses nice standard litres/liters) are bigger, equivalent to about 1.2 US gallons, so we would expect to get a higher mpg figure on the same engine: you might not be getting a less efficient car at all. And your road tests might be different from the European standard, exacerbating any difference. Though I have noticed driving in America that US models of cars I know in Europe are tuned very differently, and wonder what rechipping with a European chip would do. Good luck in your search: my American-transplanted sister is persuading her other half into a Smart just now, he's most intrigued by being able to park it perpendicular to the kerb!

Try the Toyota Yaris 2 door hatchback, the Honda Fit, the Hyundai 2 door hatchback, the Nissan Versa. All are compact, spacious and very easy on gas. If you want a really good, small car, u used Toyota Echo hatchback is about as small as they get. And it's better than a new Suzuki Swift.

Today's "larger" compacts get about the same mileage as the mini cars of yesterday, provided you don't load them up with automatic, A/C and other gear. The Smart Car is really small, but not its price. It's a good city car, but rather choppy in the highway.

FYI, there is no "new" Suzuki Swift, or I'd be buying one of those; they quit making them in 2001, when everyone wanted a truly huge SUV... Was hoping they'd bring them back (mine has been completely trouble-free, a blast to drive, easy to park and maneuver, and has given me 40 mpg consistently), but I'm sure they'd be unrecognizable if they did: not unlike the "new" VW bug; loved the original, the remake: not...

I'm leaning toward the Yaris although, again, it's practically as big as the Matrix. Anything smaller?

Okay, according to cars.com, there are no NHTSA or IIHS Crash-Test Ratings for the 2008 Smart Twofor. As for the others, I see that the term "compact" is used rather than "subcompact"; in fact, there is no "subcompact" category on cars.com and I assume that any smaller cars are known at "sport" rather than "passenger" vehicles. That clears that up! So next question is how good a car is the Toyota Yaris. I prefer its looks to the Fit, Versa, or others in that class, as four doors are really too many.

I know there is no new Suzuki Swift in the US; I was only making a quality and durability comparison. Suzuki does have a hatchback called the SX4, it's small enough to be frugal, and has 4 doors. It is a clone of the Chevrolet Aveo, a small hatchback built by their Daewoo division in Korea.

Docnick, I believe the Suzuki SX4 is designed, and built in Japan. I actually think its a cool all wheel drive car for $15K, and may even consider one in my next car purchase. I think you may have meant the Reno or Forenzo. http://car..._07sx4.htm

Agree that it's built in Japan now. This car used to be built for the US and Canadian market, like the Swift, in Ingersoll, Canada where GM had a joint venture with Suzuki to produce small cars such as the Metro (a Suzuki), the Samurai, and other Suzuki models.

The clone connection is only from a design point of view; Daewoo shares some deigns with Suzuki. The SX is still sold as the Swift in Canada. When GM acquired daewoo, they severed the conncetion with both Suzuki and Isuzu, although they still own shares in Isuzu.

The SX4 is the replacement for the Aerio which I believe was always built in house by Suzuki.

You could be right there; the Canadian plant ony built the econoboxes and the small SUVs that had a habit of tipping over.

I agree. All the cars have grown over the model years. Camry used to be a compact.

Try teh Scion xA. They're growing too, but they're still small.

Maybe a Mini Cooper? The definitions of compact, subcompact, etc. are from either DOT or EPA and based on interior volume. I don't know of anything other than the Smart smaller than the Mini. I personally would be looking at the Honda Fit if I wanted high fuel mileage, probably better than your Swift, or maybe wait for the VW diesels later in the year.

Interesting that the whole "subcompact" category was dropped -- while I wasn't looking!!! Mini has a terrible service record; the new Suzuki costs $$$; Scion xA looks too much like an SUV for my taste... Will test drive both the Yaris and xA; both the Fit and Versa are bigger than what I'd like. Thanks.

If you are having problems finding a vehicle small enough, why not keep what you have? Is there any major problem with your current ride that you want to replace it?

I've lost all blower speeds except one; when that goes, I'll have no heat/air/defrost without taking off the dash to repair ($$$); also, I commute about 200 miles a week and am over 100,000. Just looking ahead to the sad day when I DO have to replace it; hoping it's a long way off and the gas crunch prompts the production of ever-smaller, ever-more economical models in the meantime. BRING BACK THE SWIFT!!!

Would that be the highest speed? All you need is a new resistor block. That'll be mounted on the ductwork down by eth blower motor. Change the block, maintain the car, and you might be good for another 100,000 miles!