WR Fleet: 2006 Smart ForTwo Brabus CDI
How many vehicles can be filled with fuel for less than $20 per tank these days? Well, we know of at least one that fits this description. Click through to read about WINDING ROAD'S experience with the 2006 Smart ForTwo Brabus CDI.
Nate Luzod
Art Director
I had high hopes for this car, but they were dashed within minutes of getting behind the wheel. I really hope this isn’t any indication of how the next production car will turn out, because the Smart idea, in itself, is a great one. In the car’s defense, it is a press car closing on 12,000 miles. I can’t begin to imagine what it has been through. But driving this thing was, at times, just plain scary. Sure does get a lot of looks, though.
Carrie Roca
Managing Editor
The ForTwo has a twenty-two-liter diesel tank, which is around 5.8 gallons. For comparison’s sake, the smallest Mini Cooper holds around ten and a Scion xA around twelve gallons. So if you plan to rack up the Smart miles, plan to make a lot of fuel stops. With diesel in my area selling anywhere from $3.25 to $3.46 a gallon, this meant fillups of $11 to $15, which is sort of unheard of.
Now for the bad part: In my combination of city/highway driving, I approached 50 miles per gallon, which is close to the claimed city mileage. Always having to nail the throttle hard to get this tiny-horsepower car to move probably didn’t help, but for the comfort/performance/ease-of-use mix the Smart yields, 50 mpg just doesn’t add up, not when a Jetta TDI—a real car—manages to attain fuel economy figures in the forties.
As you would expect, the challenges a driver faces in a “normal
Comments
dieselhead
So a) this isn't the current US version, nor could I get a diesel Smart in the no version, correct?
hwyhobo
I have to admit, for such miserable power and with a diesel premium, I would expect a little better efficiency.
Ducati Minor
I don't what to make of the ForTwo here. I know almost nothing about the CDI, and the Brabus's numbers never impressed me.
A ForTwo should retail for a price befitting a micro-car--somewhere below a Chevy Aveo. $7K is great. $8K is fine. $9K is tolerable. But since a moderately equipped ForTwo costs $14,000, this is a hard swallow. The novelty factor is there, though. My relatives want one. I suggested a three-door Yaris. They didn't care for the little Toyota at all.
Carrie made the best points about the small tank, the high cost of diesel per gallon, and the overall price. This is a Brabus special with a diesel engine running for more than $22,000. There is no market sense to it.
Jonathan Fung
I saw "Brabus" and went immediately to check the 0-60 time. At that point, realizing that I could do that faster on a bicycle (I wonder if it can hit 60), then I saw that it was a diesel. But Ducati is right on this one. The Smart is an expensive car for what it is, and I too would take the Yaris over it...and I wouldn't get weird looks on the street.
Dave
I have to say, after living in Europe in the late 90's, early 2000's, when the SMart car really took off, I can't believe Daimler-Benz or Swatch really want this car to sell in America. $17-22,000?!? Are you poopin' me?!? Most SMart Cars (remember, they also have a ForFour and a ForTwo Roadster with longer wheelbase) still cost under $10,000 in Europe, and that's even with the Euro spankin' the dollar's butt.
uragan
The Smart, as the Prius or an X5, is more a fashion statement than a real necessity. But it makes more sense than latter two.
As Mr. Luzod states, buying a TDI is (pun intended) smarter.
X3 SoB
it's too bad for Penske, but this will be their first failure, after the initial "newness" wears off.
southern
It will be interesting to see how many people, when the rubber meets the road, will just walk away from their deposit.
Ducati Minor
I think you're off, southern. I know of luxury car owners who actually enjoyed the car, the peppy motor, and compact size. They also enjoyed the pretty girls working at the showrooms. The odds are stacked against the Smart, but I'd love to see it survive.
hwyhobo
The Smart, as the Prius or an X5, is more a fashion statement than a real necessity. But it makes more sense than latter two.
Other than ideological hostility toward Prius I cannot see any logical explanation for the above statement. I love and support diesels, but I think the above Smart Brabus is a laughable value compared to a much more conventional and practical Prius. For roughly the same price you get miserable comparative performance, extra fuel costs, and reduced sitting and luggage capacity. How exactly does it "make more sense"?
Christo van Gemert
Much like AMG, Brabus is willing to water down the value of its marque by sticking badges on anything with some branded alloys and a body kit.
As in this case, it's just a standard car with pretty wheels, a lowly NA diesel motor and high price. The new models - for whatever pricing they'll be privy to - should present a lot more value, especially with the peppy new engines (though the new gearboxes aren't huge improvements).
Ric
I am seriously tempted to buy one and have it wrapped to advertise my insurance agency. The stare factor would be huge and it would be cheaper than a couple months of billboards in richmond va.
AND it would look great next to my wrapped excursion...kind of the yin and yang of fuel consumption and space!!!
Jeb
I saw my first actual Smart last night in a parking garage. Pretty staggered at how small it actually is. My wife said she'd be terrified to ride in one.
hwyhobo
My wife said she’d be terrified to ride in one.
In city traffic they are not so bad. I would worry about driving one on the highway over some of our mountain passes here. The wind gusts would not be fun.
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