The 8th gen civics are really great cars, the interiors are very nice and not cheap feeling, I get nothing but compliments about how futuristic and high tech it looks. The only thing that I really don't like about the civic interior is that the plastics scuff too easily on the door panels.

 

Heh they are really safe to ride in! I saw some movies where they smashed them into concrete barricades at 60mph and nothing penetrated the passenger area. I guess up here in Canada the "novelty" has worn off, there are a lot of them in this city and I like the way they look, kinda funny and futuristic, but completely impractical for me! I think they would be a great 2nd car for a 2 car family where the 2nd car would be big enough to transport cargo or more people when needed.

 

Going to test drive the Smart Car tomorrow in the Bay Area, CA to find out more. Just test drove a MT Fit today with my wife. Will compare notes tomorrow...decision...decision

 

Hi folks,

After test driving the Fit Sport MT yesterday, my wife and I test drove the SmartCart today. It is a warm sunny evening (around 6:30pm). I drove the convertible and she drove the regular one. These are US model.

The smart car fit-and-finish is impressive. The cabinet feel is larger than its actual size. The electric push button convertible top is also cute. Visibility is good (not as good as the FIT IMHO). The 5-speed auto shift is the only transmission choice. The seq. shift is fun and works much better than the full auto. We didn't get to drive on the freeway and it as just a short trip around town. It is quite spacious inside (Im 6", 200lbs and there are still room to move the chair back). So...how does it compare with the FIT?

FIT is better...
- FIT has better throttle and brake response. These Smart car has too much free play in the brake and gas pedal I would say. Everyone sort of mentioned the lack of brake feel and the slow throttle response to start.
- FIT also handles better IMHO. Smart car is okay but not as impressive as FIT.
- Easy to work with as front engine / Smart is rear engine RWD (engine space looks very crowded)
- Better value overall


Smart Car is better...
- Sharp Turning - It was effortless in tight round about for its small size. Without a tail, this car can be throw around in sharp turn.
- Fit and finish feel / color combination
- Gas mileage (obviously): 9 gallon tank of expected 50 miles / gallon gives it a rang of about 450.
- Getting attention: Cars were all slowing down to check out the Smart convertible / letting me merge (maybe worry I don't have enough power)
- "High End" components?: Sales claimed some features are from S-class (e.g., stability control)

Summary on test drive: Fit performs above expectation and Smart performs below expectation. I am going with the FIT.

 

After seeing the Smart crash and handling videos... I don't think I could buy one. Death wish with the 70-90 mph traffic around here.

YouTube - Top Gear - Comedy handling Awards

YouTube - smart car crash

 

not sold on the Smart. At all.

 

Well that's not fair because you'd probably be dead in a 70-90 mph crash with the Fit or any other small to medium sized car. SMART's main target is urbanites and couples without children who are looking for an economical method of travelling around the city with a few out of town trips here and there. It was not made to be an autocross champion. There are too many preconceptions with small cars and "oh I don't want to be in that when I get in an accident". You think you'll live if you are in your Fit going that fast crashing into a concrete barrier? C'mon people, open your eyes and broaden your views. Many of you don't like it because it doesn't cater to your expectations, but you have to keep in mind who it was made for and why it was made. Since it is mostly a city car, how often do you expect to exceed 90 mph? The fastest I ever got on my SMART was 140 km/h (limited) which is ~ 87 mph. It was very stable at high speeds and didn't show any sort of problems at that speed.

 

well i just mean a lot of us are enthusiasts around here, and we like to know that our car goes around corners (or at least like to believe so ;)) even if we don't personally squeal onto the 90 degree expressway entrance at 90mph everyday...

the smart is pretty much at the bottom of survival odds i'd think, at least in america. now india, it would fit right in! :p

 

That IMO is a totally bogus claim...everyone only sees what Top Gear did with the smart car, but none of you have actually investigated what really happens in an accident. I hate to say it, but I'd rather be in a smart in a collision than a lot of other new cars on the road today. The forum I used to frequent when I had a smart got into a collision with a SUV at highway speeds. The Kia veered out of his lane and into the smart. I believe it was a Kia Sportage or something along that line. Anyways, he ended up walking away from his smart with a little bit of a couple of aches and pains while the guy in the Kia ended up taking an ambulance to the hospital. This preconception of bigger is better for safety is total BS. When I had my smart, everyone used to say to me "Oh, I don't wanna be in that thing if it gets hit by a semi". Well honestly, what car on earth do you think you can sit in that won't kill you in a highway speed head on collision with a semi? Not even a truck can save you. Sorry if I sound a little bit like a dick, but I'm just trying to get my point across. The Tridion Safety Cell is a great design and does what it is supposed to do. Don't believe me? Go check it out:

smart Canada

smart Canada extra > smart + safety > In the event of... > Video clips

Another good read:

CanadianDriver: Auto Tech - Smart fortwo crash-test results

 

first i didn't claim anything, said only what i thought and the comment is marked as such. second, one can't extrapolate from a single accident. no more comments from me about the smart in this thread, which is a fine vehicle i'm sure.