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SHIFT: Why Smart cars are a dumb choice for car rentals
I wanted to like the Smart Fortwo. I really did. I love writing about eco-friendly cars and thought that Daimler, Smart's owner and the company synonymous with Mercedes-Benz, might have created a car that looks like a golf cart but drives like a roadster. Nope. It drives like a golf cart.
Not that there's anything wrong with that: Why use a pickup truck for errands and driving around town when you never need to go faster than 45 mph? The Smart Fortwo is a totally acceptable second car — it won't hold your family, furniture or German Shepherd, and you wouldn't want to bring it on a road trip, but you can park it perpendicularly in a parallel space. But Smart's made the Fortwo the fleet behind car2go, a new car-sharing infrastructure for cities, and I think that's a bad idea. Keep reading to find out why.
My Dumb Smart Experience
A month ago, I rented a car in Manhattan from Enterprise for a weekend trip from the city to Boston and Providence (a minimum drive of 360 miles). I booked an economy car, as usual — I find that they get great gas mileage; I've have had few problems with the low-end Hyundais and Saturns I usually get. This weekend, however, the rental agency's economy car was a Smart Fortwo. I was excited at first— here was my chance to drive one of those neat little clown cars. Plus, I would save a few bucks on gas.
But my husband was skeptical. Could we really fit the groceries, scratching post, cat carrier and suitcases we planned to bring home from New England in this tiny vehicle? We decided to give it a try. We learned quickly that the Smart wasn't right for a long highway trip. Its 0 to 60 mph time is supposed to be just over 12 seconds, but it felt like a terrifying 40. The car was incredibly loud when it accelerated, making a plaintive "change my gears" whining sound. The noise didn't go away when the car hit high speeds like, say, 50 mph. And every pothole felt like a crater.
As we looked at each other miserably, anticipating the eight-plus hours of driving ahead, the radio told us about a snow and ice storm forecast for the next day. We decided to turn back. Our short experience with the Fortwo ended up being an hour-long detour: We turned back from the Bronx to Manhattan to rent the only other car that Enterprise had: an enormous, gas-guzzling Chrysler 300. The 300 drove like a yacht in comparison to Smart's dingy. We felt incredibly guilty — like big, wasteful Americans, eschewing fine European engineering for brute American muscle.
The rental agent also apologized. He didn't want to have the Smart Fortwo in his inventory, he told us, and he gave us a discount on the rental — even though we left with a more expensive car than we'd reserved.
Savvy Rentals
I think my Smart experience was unusual. Not the driving experience — that would be the same for anyone — but Smarts aren't prevalent on the American rental scene. Yet. Most rental car websites describe "economy" cars as being two- or four-door vehicles that can seat five passengers (Enterprise uses the description "Chevy Aveo or similar"). The Aveo has a combined mpg of 30 according to the EPA. The American Smart Fortwo gets 36 mpg combined. An improvement, to be sure, and far better than the 19 mpg Chrysler 300, but it hardly rivals the Prius, with it's combined EPA rating of 46 mpg. What you're sacrificing in exchange for the 6 mpg of fuel economy is a real trunk, three rear seats, normal-sized tires, protection from head-on collisions and the ability to pass other cars on the highway.
Right now, the Smart's the exception in the Aveo-filled rental car world. But that may change soon. Daimler's Smart-car based car2go is a rental, or "car sharing" operation that uses only Smart cars. It's like Zipcar, but more flexible — you don't have to reserve cars in advance online — you can do it on your cellphone, or you can just approach a car on the street and swipe your keycard to see if it's rented or not. You don't have to drop off the car where you pick it up, and you can rent it by the minute instead of by the hour.
Car2go is debuting in Austin, Texas in the fall, and in many ways sounds like a great idea. Its big stumbling block, I suspect, will be price. You can rent a car in Austin for less than $20 a day, but you'll be lucky to get more than two hours of driving time for that price with car2go. The other stumbling block? The Smart Fortwo itself.
Car2go's Fatal Flaw
Why do people rent cars? Usually, it's for one of three reasons: They're traveling for business, they're going on out of town and don't own a car or they don't own a car and they need to transport something big and heavy. The Smart, which works as a cute way to get around a city, could work for the first category of renter, but it won't fly for the other two. But the first type of renter, the one in town for a couple of days, is precisely the kind of person who can't take advantage of a car-sharing operation that rents by the hour.
As for renting a car by the minute, that's something that I do a lot here in New York City. It's called taking a taxi, and I can do it drunk. Austin's not full of taxis, so there's a chance Daimler's plan could work there, but I'm skeptical. And there's no way the concept is going anywhere else without addressing the Fortwo's limitations for renters.
By stattube at 7:48 PM ON 04/16/09
The Smart sold in the US makes little sense, as the lower compression engine used kills the fuel economy compared to the Euro versions. In Europe, the gasoline Smart gets 50 MPG, while the Diesel gets 69 MPG.
In the US, a Prius or Civic Hybrid gets better mileage and offers much more space.
The main advantage in a US city is the ease of finding tiny parking spots nobody else can fit into.
By nilus at 8:03 PM ON 04/16/09
The fatal flaw with this review is when people rent a car for a road trip or to move something big they don't go with the economy class.
Smart cars are perfectly fine for what they are meant to be. 2 person transports around town. Which account for 90+% of the driving people do. If you are going on a road trip or need a bigger car. Pay the extra few bucks and get something bigger.
By vintagegofast at 8:56 PM ON 04/16/09
I think that the writer makes an extremely great example of this car. Unless you are using this car strictly to go your local "Whole Foods" and back in your densely populated city the car is an absolute bust. These cars are not made for speeds above 50, at that point the tiny engine that is giving you power is now working overtime to really pony up the cash, making a racket and the more rpms you have the more gas you are gonna use. Highways are to the smart car what snow is to a formula one car. It's kryptonite.
By TearEmUp at 9:20 PM ON 04/16/09
Why would the author feel "like big, wasteful Americans"? Our forefathers worked hard, and sacrificed of themselves so that this country, these United States of America, is a shinning city on a hill. Something to be proud of. statements like this only negate the sacrifices of those who worked so hard to make us free, and strong.
Need I remind everyone of the cars of the 70s? Cars like the Vega, and the Reliant? If you have the means, enjoy your labors. If not rent the cracker box. Better yet give one to your kids...mine love playing with my old Hot Wheels. This car does not look much bigger than my old Hot Wheels.....
By Network233 at 9:54 PM ON 04/16/09
Smart cars are strictly for city driving. that's all it's good for. the Prius does NOT get the 50mpg that they claim. they were lying. just like every other hybrid maker in the world.
By Bobby at 10:36 PM ON 04/16/09
Network233 the Prius can and does get 50mpg if your only driving around 60mph. However, I regularly drive my wife's Prius to work (a 80 mile drive on the interstate) and regularly get 44-47mpg thats cruising at 75mph. That being said, if you drive aggressively the gas mileage goes down just like any other car.
By IsoTek at 11:28 PM ON 04/16/09
Yeah, I have a friend that owns one of these and only uses it for "convienance" trips from home to the market or church and such. This is not his workhorse for intercity travel or long distance driving. That said he does prefer to use it in the short trip capacity that he bought it for.
By ThomasB. at 11:59 PM ON 04/16/09
Don't drive that thing in L.A. or Oakland... they would beat you up and the car just on principle, and then huck the car with you in it off the overpass.
By CS at 12:04 AM ON 04/17/09
What I can't understand is, why do folks think high MPG cars are something new?
The Geo Metro got 50mpg. Like the Smart, it would do 0-60 someday, and like any woefully underpowered car, trying to drive it like a sports car would tear the overworked engine to bits.
However, it had room for four people...ok, two people and two small children...and it had room for a couple duffle bags, as well as my 6' 4" self.
It was also a hell of a lot cheaper than these hybrids, Smart cars, and other wacky go-nowhere fads that everybody's all excited about. You can get one on Ebay for less than two grand, just 10% of the price of a cheap hybrid. At that price, it would actually SAVE you money, you wouldn't have to deal with complicated electrical systems, environmental effects of the chemicals used in batteries, and horrendously expensive repairs when the warranty runs out...because, with so much concern for the environment and not being wasteful, you certainly wouldn't be trading it in for a decade or two, right? RIGHT?
You might have to give up some goodies, like A/C, automatic transmission, heated seats, and built in navigation, useful acceleration...
But so what? You have such issues with being a "big, wasteful American" that you want to live like Europeans, well, put your money where your mouth is! They've been doing without all that for a century!
Drive a stripped down micro-car, shower twice a month, start a world war or two, beg for food when you fail, then turn up your nose at those who showed you extreme compassion and protected you from those who'd happily take over your land and make you slaves.
Fact is, you had a small taste of European life, and you couldn't handle it for an hour. In the future, it might be wise to remember that if it wasn't for "big, wasteful Americans" most of Europe would be cold and starving.
Captcha sucks!
2nd try
CS
By j'smart at 12:23 AM ON 04/17/09
Hey, there are some of us that own and love the smartcar. I've had mine since Christmas eve, 08. With over 3500 miles on it it does everything I need a car to do. Just so the writer and everybody else knows, the transmission is an automated manual transmission. It can shift itself or you can shift it manually without a clutch. I have never had any trouble getting up to speed quickly and there is certainly not a lot of noise. I would suspect that the writer had it in manual and never shifted out of 1st gear. That would explain a lot.
Also, it can be driven comfortably on the highway. I live in St. Louis and drove it to Chicago at a steady 70 mph and the next weekend to Kansas City at 75 mph. Both were quite enjoyable... and BTW, I got 41.9 mpg.
Some of us don't need big cars. I have my smart and my Harley and can keep both of them in my 1-car garage with plenty of room to spare for my workbench and everything else.
How about this... I won't give any body any lip about their huge gas guzzlers and nobody give me any lip about my micro gas sipper. Sound good?
By bOO at 1:26 AM ON 04/17/09
Over here in Europe (Switzerland) we're used to drive around Smarts.. it's quite a success since almost 10 years.
I do agree on the MPG. It could be lower for the size of the car. My diesel Volkswagen Golf has a lower consumption.
The twittering sound when changing gears is quite annoying.
But if you use the Smart just inside a city to get from A to B, you've got the right choice. We even got half price parking lots to use with Smarts. Cuts down the hourly rate to US$ 2..
Cheers from Switzerland
-andreas
By European at 4:11 AM ON 04/17/09
For CS: So sad for you!
By De Dave at 4:14 AM ON 04/17/09
We rented a couple of Smarts a couple of years ago to go camping on a weekend (4 persons). We managed to fit bags, tent, 2 folding chairs and a bbq. We had a lot of fun that weekend, trying to do some crazy stuff with them. It's amazing how much technology they managed to fit in that car.
But I agree, don't try to compare it with a luxury cruise liner on wheels.... Try doing that with an "average" Ferrari, you will get the same results...
By Biased? at 4:42 AM ON 04/17/09
Isn't your review biased from the beginning?
You say it's a "clown car" and pretend to be objective?!?!
If you wanted to travel with half your furniture on such a long distance on highway, then rent something bigger... Your choice was just foolish!
I do agree however about the fortwo fleet...
In European cities there are a lot of smart cars and rental companies have only a very few of them since it's not the kind of car you would rent for.... whatever reason!!!
By CowboyDren at 10:04 AM ON 04/17/09
"We turned back from the Bronx to Manhattan to rent the only other car that Enterprise had: an enormous, gas-guzzling Chrysler 300...We felt incredibly guilty — like big, wasteful Americans, eschewing fine European engineering for brute American muscle."
That's where you lost your automotive credibility. First, the only Guzzler 300s are the Hemi cars (300C, SRT-8), which are hard to come by at Enterprise. Most of the Enterprise fleet are 3.5-3.7l V6 Wheezermobiles. Actually, those are powerful enough for most people, but they're hardly guzzlers. Second, you didn't trade European engineering for ANYTHING. The 300 is, under the skin, mostly a last-generation Mercedes E-class. In sum, "American" barely applies to the engine (even the transmission is a Mercedes piece), and it's hardly "brute muscle." Scale is also relative...drive a 300 back-to-back with a '78 Buick Park Avenue, and *then* tell me about how ENORMOUS a 300 is.
I understand the point you're trying to make, but your context is just as screwed up as your facts. You'd have to be an idiot to drive the Smart over 60 MPH daily; the same kind of idiot that lives in the city, works in the city, but insists on owning a Suburban just to "feel safe." They're just on opposite ends of stupid.
By j'smart at 11:33 AM ON 04/17/09
Just to follow up... my smart has the following options:
- Thermostat controled AC/heat
- remote/heated side view mirrors
- leather heated seats (high and low settings, seat and back of seat)
- automated/manual transmission (you CAN drive like a sports car by shifting or let it shift itself w/no clutch)
- Automatic headlights
- Automatic rain-sensing wipers
- cruise control
- 6-CD in-dash AM/FM w/subwoofer and 4 other speakers
- side curtain airbags (along with standard front)
- ESP (eletronic stability program)
- fog lights
- remote entry w/alarm
- automatic locking at speed doors
- clear lexan roof w/sunshade
- rear window defroster
- 5 year, 75,000 mile warranty
- free road service
- power steering
- Aux/MP3 input for Stereo
- under $17K (as equipped) They actually start under $12K
Don't underestimate Mercedes on the design and userability of this car. I ride a motorcycle for fun and there are 2 things that you have to watchout for and/or understand... motorcycles and smartcars are small and can avoid situations that the Bigger vehicles cannot and keeping up with the flow of traffic is almost a safety necessity. Being on the highway in a smartcar or a motorcycle and tooling along at a considerably slower speed than everybody else (like 60 in a 70, etc. ) makes you an accidental target for all the other vehicles. You are harder to see and virtually "jump" out at them when they go around other vehicles, etc.
As far as using smartcars for rentals... I think there is an inherant problem with american drivers and the transmission. Obviously, if you are unaware of the choices (manual/auto) and how to choose them, it can be a problem. But maybe more importantly, since it isn't a FULL automatic transmission like most of us (here in the US)are used to it does take some getting used to. The tendancy is to "let off" the gas as it gets ready to shift... but the computer already does all that for you. If you want to accelerate you just push down on the pedal and let it shift on it's own. Takes a little getting used to and seems quite rough until you get the hang of it. That might be very frustrating to an occassional renter.
By lju at 1:27 PM ON 04/17/09
I agree wholeheartedly with Nilus. I've worked in the rental industry for over 10 years now, and there is nothing more annoying than a customer who books an "economy" car, and brings an entire household with them for transport. It's been my experience that a vast majority of business, or corporate travellers are an army of one, with little or no luggage. A lot of them rent for a few hours and end up paying an entire days rental. The Smart fortwo would definitely work in certain markets; mine being one of them. The only real 'fatal flaw' lies within the large family on a budget renting for leisure, looking for a deal. Here's a tip.....spend the extra $20/week for a mid size sedan.
Next time you pen an article that reads like fact, you should check yours........Smart fortwo safety rating is above average.
http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/jk/040908.htm
By Ijon at 2:46 PM ON 04/17/09
About protection from head-on collision. the smart is actually one of the safest cars, the engine's in the back and the so called "sandwich" concept absorbs a lot of energy and prevents the passengers from serious injury. Also...you can't really drive fast in the US so why bother? It's small though...how did you get all your stuff in it?
By dragonhung at 5:55 PM ON 04/17/09
Didn't Smart offer a "forfour" - basically a sedan version? I remember seeing something when they first started to buzz over here in the US. Maybe that could be a better choice for longer distances.
By j'smart at 1:04 AM ON 04/18/09
smart made a forfour (sedan) and a roadster (sportier type) but when they came out with the new designed fortwo and decided to enter the US Market they stopped everything but the fortwo.
By Pokkito at 7:36 PM ON 04/18/09
Drove the smart to Disneyland and back home while packed full of luggage, two "large" adults, heavy wind and rain the whole time, and averaging 80-90MPH = 38.5 MPG. I say the smart handled itself very well on that trip, though the smart does float around a bit in the wind. Noise was not a factor. Round trip was 900 miles all together.
By Wheelybin at 8:38 AM ON 04/23/09
I'm in the UK and had a Smart for four years. I suggest that the Smart tested was very sick, as mine would outdrag a Porsche to 20 mph in towns, cruise all day at 80+mph on the motorways and the low speed handling (like around town) was superb - yes in understeered a bit in high speed corners (like the VW Golf did) and was a bit frisky in high crosswinds (like the Renault Clio and the VW Golf) but it's a CITY car that's damn good on the wider highway AND it's the most fun you can have with your trousers on!
By JesusHumper at 1:47 PM ON 09/28/09
The writer of this article is an idiot. Really? "Its 0 to 60 mph time is supposed to be just over 12 seconds, but it felt like a terrifying 40." Did it really feel like 40 seconds? No...no, it probably didn't. That was a bit of an exageration, wasn't it? Oh wait? "And every pothole felt like a crater." Really? A huge crater? Amazing! How did you even survive? I saw a crater once...in a picture. It was on the moon. I can only imagine what hitting that crater in a very small car would feel like. It might even be...deadly. You, my friend, are a pussy. I suggest you stick yo big squishy cars from now on. As it turnes out, you are far to frail to be able to handle anything else.
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JesusHumper:
The writer of this article is an idiot. Really? "Its 0 to 60 mph time is supposed to be just over 12 seconds, but...More »