You'd think a car this small would be perfect for gridlock. It's tiny footprint should allow it to slice through tight spots and zip through traffic, and actually, it does that. Unfortunately, it's a still a nightmare. We've already gone over ad nauseum the automated manual transmission that jerks and jiggles you around at 5 mph speeds as if a teenage driver is slipping the clutch for you.
But for me, the biggest issue is the brake pedal. I don't know how other people drive (in particular weirdo Franco-German mini car designers), but I leave my heal on the floor and fan it from accelerator and brake. The Smart's floor-mounted brake pedal is at an angle like this / , but my foot is going at it like this \ . That means I usually have to lift my heel off the ground and push it with my toes. That's when the Smart's Mercedes-like modulation comes into play, with a lot of nebulous dead travel greeted by abrupt grab. So I often jerk to halt, or if I actually manage to be more gradual about it, then the transmission comes in and jiggles and jerks things.
I really wanted to like the Smart, but honestly, what a heap.
James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 8,526 miles
billt9 says:
09:15 AM, 08/29/08
It sounds like your achille's tendon is a little tight.
You should stretch more and to more leg exercises.
Which makes the Smart a great fitness monitor. What an anti-American burger concept.
billt9 says:
09:17 AM, 08/29/08
Smart cares about your health.
As oppose to those gluttonous companies like Nissan and Honda, who just widened their seats in the Altima and Accord.
All they want is your money, they don't care if you have a heart attack tomorrow and die.
Smart cares. Buy a Smart today.
stovt001 says:
09:55 AM, 08/29/08
I said on the Grand Caravan post that you should turn it into a space shuttle replica and launch it, or throw it off a cliff and shoot it, just like Top Gear. Whatever solution you pick for the DGC, use the other for the Smart.
James Riswick says:
10:24 AM, 08/29/08
We'll actually use a forklift to jam the Smart up the DGC's pooper, then launch them off a cliff and then fire a Stinger at them blowing'em both up simultaneously.
Wonderful thinking stovt001.
dougtheeng says:
10:29 AM, 08/29/08
yes but its cute?
7driver says:
10:36 AM, 08/29/08
Porsche 911 also has floor mounted pedals. And the engine's mounted in the back just like the smart fortwo as well. So how does the braking action compare to the Porsche?
brn says:
10:59 AM, 08/29/08
I absolutely can't stand floor mounted pedals, no matter how they're angled. They make me feel as if I have to shift my weight to maneuver them.
James Riswick says:
11:00 AM, 08/29/08
Since the 996, the 911 hasn't had floor-mounted pedals. Since I've never driven a Porsche prior to the 996, I'll have to defer to someone else on that. But I have a sinking suspicion the Porsche is a wee bit better.
lazyhater says:
12:26 PM, 08/29/08
The floor-mounted pedals in the 964 and 993 are excellent, as expected.
cjasis says:
02:06 PM, 08/29/08
So honestly... is this the worst car you guys have driven in a long time or what? The last several entries have been complaints. I'm left scratching my head as to why anyone would buy one of these over a Honda Fit.
tcolberg85 says:
02:47 PM, 08/29/08
I remember when I test drove a Smart for a couple blocks at an event last year in Glendale, CA. That brake pedal stood out to me in the very short distance that I traveled as the worst thing about the car. The pedal was difficult to modulate and what's worse, it had weird progression requiring me to press hard on it to get any response but causing very abrupt stops. Part of the problem is that I had to take my foot off the floor, making it difficult to use the floor as leverage or a gauge of how far the pedal was traveling.
greenpony says:
03:54 PM, 08/29/08
Can you fit the smart in the bed of the Silverado?
pg_13 says:
04:20 PM, 08/29/08
I can forgive the Smart's tiny, underpowered engine, but the thing I hated most was its jerky transmission. It was so unintuitive, and never did anything I wanted it to. Why don't they offer a manual? Even learning to operate a clutch would be easier than driving the stupid transmission on this car.