Smart cars already driving the streets of Europe for some time, but when they first started to hit the United States in 2008, it sparked a lot of interest and also tons of questions. People who wanted spotted this funny looking little car on the road and in parking lots to know where the car came and maybe could it be safe?
This article answers some of the frequently asked questions about the U.S. version of the Smart car ran.
1 What is the smart car?First and foremost, this little car is designed to be a commuter car, is to drive the fun and gets his good gas mileage. The smart for two is a very spacious two-seater hatchback with a spacious cargo area in the rear. Funny looking, yes, but surprisingly functional.
The smart fortwo has been created out of a partnership between Mercedes-Benz and the maker of Swatch watches in response the need for a small European city commuter car. The car was later adapted to American needs and technical specifications, as rising gas prices stimulates more interest in fuel-efficient cars here in the U.S.
2 Can such a small car be safe on U.S. streets with trucks and sport utility vehicles?The answer to this question is "Yes, definitely!" In fact, the smart car is a very positive safety profile. The smart for two has a number of safety features, standard on all three models in the Mercedes-Benz USA If the American version of this car are sold designed safety was their first priority.
Of the Tridion safety cell call, a kind of steel cage that surrounds the driver and passenger to an advanced anti-lock braking system, everything is developed in the smart to keep you safe on the roads, even in the event of an accident. The smart has received high safety ratings from independent safety testing authorities such as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
3 What kind of car is to get the smart car?You could imagine such a small car would get great gas mileage, right? After all, is not that the point of downsizing to such a small car? The smart fortwo auto is rated at 33 mpg in the city and 41 mpg on the highway. While these numbers may be lower than expected, they are still a big improvement over the cars that the typical pickup truck, SUV or luxury car gets.
This car is considered best in class when the smart is compared to other non-hybrid vehicles in the United States. Currently, there are no hybrid version of the Smart car available, but an all electric drive is currently in production and will be hitting the U.S. sometime in 2011. This will be obviously a much more fuel-efficient model.
4 How easy is it to drive a smart car?When you hear that the smart fortwo was equipped with something called an automatic transmission, you might be wondering how hard it is to drive. Shifts involved? What is a clutch? Here's the good news: Although smarts have the option to shift gears manually, no coupling is involved. It really is as simple as push / pull paddle levers on the steering wheel or on the gear shift.
If even that is too much work for you, you can decide to take the smart car gearbox. It is automatically up and down the aisles for you as you speed up and slow down on the road. To put it in the automatic mode can shift a bit sluggish but as most drivers opt for the manual route.
5 How can I buy a smart fortwo car of my own?When people started spotting smarts in the U.S. in 2008, they were hard to get. It was a 18-month waiting list for the few smart car dealers that were open. Over time, however, more and more traders came on board and brought the production of the waiting list. Gas prices came down a bit, so the demand decreases.
Today there are somewhere around 70 dealers in the United States. Most states in the East, South, Midwest and West Coast at least a car dealership. The rest of the West is more sparsely covered. For example, if you lived in a small town like Boise, Idaho, you might have to go to 5 hours to Salt Lake City to find your next Smart car dealer.
We can see a smart fortwo waiting list occur again when the new smart electric drive is coming later in 2011. 9 car dealers will only sell this model at first, so you get your hands on one could be a challenge.
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