The Smart car is the smallest gasoline-powered, street-legal vehicle for sale in the United States. Receiving excellent crash test ratings and getting excellent fuel economy, the Smart Fortwo is a good choice for urban commuters. Urban driving and parking is easy because of the microcar's light weight and nimbleness.
Smart cars began selling in the United States in January 2008, available in three coupe and two convertible models, with seating for two. Powering the Smart Fortwo is a 1.5-liter, 3-cylinder engine.
The Smart car weighs 1,700 pounds and is just under 9 feet long. Although small, the vehicle received excellent crash ratings in 40 mph tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
The Smart car is equipped with active and passive safety features. These include anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, acceleration skid control and cornering brake control to help reduce the risk of accidents.
The Smart Fortwo's light weight and small size are safety concerns, should a crash occur with a larger passenger car, truck or sport utility vehicle (SUV). Injury and death rates are higher for smaller vehicles than for larger ones.
The Smart car's excellent crash test rating doesn't mean it is safer than a larger vehicle that received a lower crash rating. Because the Smart Fortwo is lightweight, it would be less safe in a collision with such a vehicle.
