Advantages and disadvantages of smart cars

When people are thinking of making expensive purchase decisions, especially new and unusual ones like smart cars, they often want to know the pros and cons of the various options they are thinking of. This article examines the strengths and weaknesses of smart cars.

There is no doubt that Smart Forfour TU-KA has passionate supporters. Prior to arriving in the United States in 2007, it had already been a huge success in Europe for several years. However, due to its small size, there are many concerns.

Advantages of smart cars

There are many benefits to consider. Don’t be fooled by its small size!

• Environmentally Friendly. This compact car is fuel efficient, averaging about 40 mpg, and has some other eco-friendly features. Smart Forfour TU-KA uses innovative, energy-efficient and recyclable materials in its construction. In fact, 95% of vehicles are recyclable and the dash material is made from recycled composites.
• Easy to park and drive. The footprint of a smart car is very small. It’s less than 9 feet long, about 3 feet shorter than the smaller Mini Cooper. Of course, the big reason is that it’s only a two-seater. However, its short size means that it is very easy to park this car, especially in tight spaces or short places where other cars cannot fit. It also has a large turning radius that is extremely easy to operate.
• appearance. No one can argue that the smart forfour car is not unique in its design and appearance. Look at one, and whether you like it or not, you will never forget it! The first impression of many is that it is so cute. When Mercedes-Benz brought the Smart Forfour Car to the United States, they updated its image to the forefront, increased chrome, lengthened the hood section a bit, and updated the headlights and dashboard area. You can replace the plastic body panel with a whole new color, or buy a car wrap with some unique prints and designs.
• Safety design. The first reaction of most people when they see this little car is along the line “How safe such a little car is on the road”. From the innovative Tridion safety cell, a type of safety cage, to the four airbags and advanced braking system, smart cars are built for safety. Crash tests have consistently proved Mercedes’ safety claims. Anecdotal evidence published on the safeandsmart.com website also supports these claims.
• Unexpectedly relaxed inside. Another amazing advantage of smart cars is the size of the room. There is ample foot space for both the driver and passenger seat. The headroom is also great, and a 6’6 inch man fits comfortably in the driver’s seat. The cargo area is also quite large for small cars. Put a 50-pound black lab and two other dogs in the hatch. I’m going hiking. When I went shopping for groceries, I brought home as many as eight grocery bags and a case of soda.
• The perfect commuter car. The smart forfour car was originally designed as a “city car” for crowded European city dwellers, and it is the greatest value in the United States. Not to mention the ease of parking, its spaciousness, solid fuel economy and excellent performance on the road make it a great commuter car.

Disadvantages of smart cars

Of course, no car is perfect for everyone. This is no exception. There are some features that can be improved, and some aspects that make the wrong choice for a particular person.

• Size with other cars on the highway. Despite its considerable safety features, there is no doubt that smart cars are much smaller than almost every other vehicle on the highway. Therefore, if you are involved in an accident with a large SUV or truck, you are more likely to be a loser. However, there are reports that smart cars work better than other large cars in accidents. One of the benefits of a small footprint is the potential for avoiding collisions that were not possible with large vehicles.
• No cruise control. As mentioned earlier, the smart car was designed as a midsize car for commuting. Perhaps because of that, despite many other high-end features, it lacks cruise control options. If you plan to travel in it, or your commute involves driving on the highway, you will miss having cruise control.
• Abnormal transmission. Some smart cars are called “automatic manual transmissions”. That is, you can choose to fully automate it or use a modified manual transmission. Most people find that keeping it automatic means a slightly slower gear shift. However, you can easily fix it by switching to automatic manual mode. This is a clutchless manual transmission. This means that you need to use the steering wheel stick shift or paddle shifter to switch gears, but not with the clutch. Manual mode is extremely easy to use and provides a more zipper gear shift experience, even if you have never driven a stick shift before.
• Limited passenger seat and cargo space. A smart car has only two seats, a driver’s seat and a passenger seat. Therefore, they are not intended for family cars. The cargo hatch area is surprisingly large, but still less than 8 cubic feet. Therefore, we do not carry wood or large furniture.
• Fuel economy can be higher. For such a small car, fuel economy may be expected to be much higher. However, the smart car was rated by the EPA in 2010 as the most fuel-efficient gasoline vehicle in the United States. Even 40 MPG is considerably more fuel efficient than most light trucks and SUVs on the road today.
• Requires premium fuel. Vehicular automation requires premium fuel, but due to its small engine size, it can be expensive. Smaller engines tend to perform better with higher grade fuels. You may think that fuel economy is a trade-off with more expensive gas.

Comparing the strengths and weaknesses of smart cars, you can see that the strengths win. Vehicular automation is designed to be a one- or two-person commuter vehicle, so it is of great value with many additional benefits. Is it better? Of course, like most products, there is definitely room for improvement. However, if you need an advanced, unique and fuel-efficient compact car, we strongly recommend that you consider a smart forfour car.