I had to rent a car on a trip, and surprisingly, the rental company gave me a Smart car to zip around in. I have to say that I love it, even as twitchy as it gets at higher speeds. Feels like driving a 4-wheeled Vespa, and such a wonderfully basic car. No power windows, steering, or anything else. The antithesis of most cars on the road today. Lots of legroom compared to a four-seat econobox as well.

Though I have to say that they messed up with automatic mode on the gearbox. It's basically an electrically shifted manual transmission, so it's really jerky if you punch the throttle in D and let it upshift, plus it upshifts early and lugs the engine. But if you drive it like a manual without a clutch pedal, letting off the gas, then moving the stick, it's pretty brilliant. It will still downshift in manual mode if you press the gas all the way down and upshift if you hit redline to protect the motor.

The one other thing are the doors -- they feel Cadillac-sized, and you actually have to be careful how far to open them.

The 2016 model is supposed to be better. It will get a turbo engine and either a real manual or a dual-clutch transmission, both of which should shift faster than the current semi-auto. I hope they make a new Smart Roadster AND import it to the US!!!

Tons of them in our neighborhood. Cars to Go.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Resale locally seems low in general. May be a result of no brand service locally available. Independants may not like to see them pull in.

The door of a Smart is 66 percent of the car's side. Reminded me too much of Stan Mott's "Cyclops" car from Road & Track