Smart fortwo cdiSo, you want to drive economically, saving your cash for other things while you bask in a warm, green glow. Here in the UK with the current state of technologies you can’t really do better than get a small car – as small as you can put up with – and make sure it’s powered by a diesel engine. Well, they don’t come much smaller than a Smart fortwo, and the Smart people have now seen fit to put a diesel engine in it (arriving in the UK somewhat later than various other parts of the motoring world), so this should be as good as it gets. Time to see whether it is.The fortwo has been with us for over a decade now, so the immense stir it caused when launched is a distant memory. It’s still, however, one of the most distinct cars on the road today; you don’t see a fortwo and mistake it for anything else. And mainly for that reason I have to own up to having a soft spot for the fortwo; that and the fact that you can park it in the space of a wheelie bin.But is it cheap to run? Er, yes. Official fuel consumption is a mighty 85.6mpg, which with the 33 litre tank could give a range of over 620 miles. Like all official consumption figures the cdi one is only going to be achievable if you try very hard indeed; having said which anything remotely near it will represent impressively cheap motoring.The engine is a wee 800cc three-cylinder affair that announces its presence in no uncertain fashion as soon as it starts. You wouldn’t expect a diesel this small to be particularly refined, and you’d be right not to do so, for it is unrefined at low speed. Once on the move it’s not bad however, and if you can put up with the petite power output then it should prove a pleasant enough companion. That lack of power can be measured easily enough of course: the 0-60 time is only an eye-blink short of 20 seconds. In practical terms you’re most likely to notice this on the motorway, where uphill gradients might have you, or the auto gearshift system, changing down to achieve the summit. Official top whack is actually 84mph.Talking of the gearshift system, the cdi – which comes in passion spec – has the usual Smart automatic manual device. You can change sequentially – push the stick forward to change up, pull back to go down – while clutchwork is done for you by an electric motor, so you’re half way to having an automatic. Push a button on the side of the gear lever, and the system will do the whole lot for you, so you’ve a full automatic, but as it incorporates a clutch rather than a power sapping torque converter you get the benefit of manual transmission economy. In full auto mode you can be caught out – on the entry to a roundabout for instance – by the slowness of the change and the time spent with no drive whatever; but you do eventually get used to it.The fortwo was brought up to date with a new model in 2007, when an upgrade of safety equipment and increase in passenger and luggage space were the main benefits. The luggage space now peaks at 340 litres (loaded to the roof), and is actually rather a surprise when you open the boot and find a useful volume rather than the pint pot you expected. As the car’s name suggests, it’s a two-seater, and although longer than it was when first launched it’s still so short that you can often park at right angles to the kerb. A wheelbase as short as this one cannot fail to result in a fairly bouncy, choppy ride, and the fortwo does indeed deliver that. On the positive side, it’s supremely manoeuvrable, and a load of fun to pilot around tight spaces such as London’s east end, where we went for our test drive.In a car as small as this some drivers might feel intimidated, but a generous range of safety equipment helps to quieten those fears. Standard are full-size airbags for driver and passenger, ESP and hydraulic brake assist, plus the tridion safety cell which surrounds the occupants; 50% of this consists of high-strength steel alloys.The cdi is available as coupe or cabriolet, and standard equipment includes alloy wheels, central locking, air con, electric windows, luggage cover and radio/CD player. Emitting just 88g/km of CO2, the cdi will cost its owner precisely nothing in road tax.Size: 2.70 x 1.56mEngine: Diesel: 800cc – 45PSGearbox: 5-speed auto manual rear driveConsumption: 85.6mpgPrice at June ’09: from £8,972Full details of the fortwo cdi available on the manufacturer’s website: www.smart.com/ukPeter Cracknell - June 2009
Smart fortwo cdi
So, you want to drive economically, saving your cash for
other things while you bask in a warm, green glow. Here
in the UK with the current state of technologies you can’t
really do better than get a small car – as small as you
can put up with – and make sure it’s powered by a
diesel engine. Well, they don’t come much smaller than
a Smart fortwo, and the Smart people have now seen fit
to put a diesel engine in it (arriving in the UK somewhat
later than various other parts of the motoring world), so
this should be as good as it gets. Time to see whether it
is.
The fortwo has been with
us for over a decade
now, so the immense stir
it caused when launched
is a distant memory. It’s
still, however, one of the
most distinct cars on the
road today; you don’t see
a fortwo and mistake it
for anything else. And
mainly for that reason I
have to own up to having
a soft spot for the fortwo;
that and the fact that you
can park it in the space
of a wheelie bin.
But is it cheap to run? Er,
yes. Official fuel
consumption is a mighty 85.6mpg, which with the 33 litre
tank could give a range of over 620 miles. Like all official
consumption figures the cdi one is only going to be
achievable if you try very hard indeed; having said which
anything remotely near it will represent impressively
cheap motoring.
The engine is a wee 800cc three-cylinder affair that
announces its presence in no uncertain fashion as soon
as it starts. You wouldn’t expect a diesel this small to be
particularly refined, and you’d be right not to do so, for it
is unrefined at low speed. Once on the move it’s not bad
however, and if you can put up with the petite power
output then it should prove a pleasant enough
companion. That lack of power can be measured easily
enough of course: the 0-60 time is only an eye-blink
short of 20 seconds. In practical terms you’re most likely
to notice this on the motorway, where uphill gradients
might have you, or the auto gearshift system, changing
down to achieve the summit. Official top whack is
actually 84mph.
Talking of the gearshift system, the cdi – which comes in
passion spec – has the usual Smart automatic manual
device. You can change sequentially – push the stick
forward to change up, pull back to go down – while
clutchwork is done for you by an electric motor, so
you’re half way to having an automatic. Push a button
on the side of the gear lever, and the system will do the
whole lot for you, so you’ve a full automatic, but as it
incorporates a clutch rather than a power sapping
torque converter you get the benefit of manual
transmission economy. In full auto mode you can be
caught out – on the entry to a roundabout for instance –
by the slowness of the change and the time spent with
no drive whatever; but you do eventually get used to it.
The fortwo was brought up to date with a new model in
2007, when an upgrade of safety equipment and
increase in passenger and luggage space were the main
benefits. The luggage space now peaks at 340 litres
(loaded to the roof), and is actually rather a surprise
when you open the boot and find a useful volume rather
than the pint pot you expected. As the car’s name
suggests, it’s a two-seater, and although longer than it
was when first launched
it’s still so short that you
can often park at right
angles to the kerb. A
wheelbase as short as
this one cannot fail to
result in a fairly bouncy,
choppy ride, and the
fortwo does indeed
deliver that. On the
positive side, it’s
supremely manoeuvrable,
and a load of fun to pilot
around tight spaces such
as London’s east end,
where we went for our
test drive.
In a car as small as this
some drivers might feel
intimidated, but a generous range of safety equipment
helps to quieten those fears. Standard are full-size
airbags for driver and passenger, ESP and hydraulic
brake assist, plus the tridion safety cell which surrounds
the occupants; 50% of this consists of high-strength
steel alloys.
The cdi is available as coupe or cabriolet, and standard
equipment includes alloy wheels, central locking, air
con, electric windows, luggage cover and radio/CD
player. Emitting just 88g/km of CO2, the cdi will cost its
owner precisely nothing in road tax.
Size: 2.70 x 1.56m
Engine: Diesel: 800cc – 45PS
Gearbox: 5-speed auto manual
rear drive
Consumption: 85.6mpg
Price at June ’09: from £8,972
Full details of the fortwo cdi available on the
manufacturer’s website: www.smart.com/uk
Peter Cracknell - June 2009
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