These cars led to the innovation of electric cars and are still available for purchase. From a Mini SUV to a sports car, there are a variety of Smart cars to suit your needs. To learn more about Smart cars and the different models, continue reading the sections below.
Smart ForTwo
This smart car is built to seat only two passengers. It is designed with a rear-engine, rear-wheel drive. This means the engine of the car as well as the drive wheels are placed in the rear of the car. This is a rare and unique layout for passenger cars. But the small size of the car is what allows for this design.This car initially arrived to the market in 1998 and is now in its third generation. The ForTwo was developed by Smart and Mercedes and is built with an electric motor. It is available in a convertible or coupe form.
Smart ForFour
The Smart ForFour is another supermini car, initially sold in Europe in the early 2000s. Afterwards, in 2014, the second generation made a global debut with a five door and rear engine. These cars are not considered micro, but they are smaller than most American hatchbacks. The car has been built as hybrid with a 52-kilowatt engine and three cylinders with lower CO2 consumption.Because the car is built for European drivers, you can only drive the Smart ForFour with a manual transmission. The Smart ForFour is only available as a used smart car on the Smart website.
Smart Roadster
This is the first sports car to come out of the Smart car brand. The two-door car for two passengers was first introduced in 2003. The car has a rear mid-engine placed right behind the driver. At launch, the Roadster became available in coupe and convertible forms. This Smart sports car typically comes with a 45 kW engine, however, the coupe version is faster with a 60 kW engine.The retro style body of the car is appealing to many car enthusiasts. Furthermore, since its discontinuation in 2006, this electric smart car is fairly cheap to buy. Other features of the Smart Roadster also include a six-speed automatic transmission.
Smart ForMore
This car is the biggest among the Smart cars. This is a small, all-wheel drive SUV and was supposed to be the first Smart car to make its entry into the U.S market. The car was originally going to be marketed as a mini SUV, but the Fortwo entered the market first instead.The car was built with a 1.8 L 4-cylinder engine ranging to a 3 L V6. There were going to be diesel versions, but they were never built. Additionally, the body of the car resembles the Mercedes Benz C-Class. These cars were being produced in the factory in Brazil and were going to be unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show. But, the auto show was cancelled, so they never received a formal unveiling.
Smart ForFour Electric Drive
The Smart brand came out with two ForFour models: an electric car and a regular car. The electric engine provides a useable battery of 16 kW. It is a chargeable battery with an electric range of 55 miles. Furthermore, the car is very fuel efficient with 300 Wh of the battery used per mile. Moreover, the drive wheels are placed at the rear for better control.The smart car cost starts at $21,981.97 for a 2017 model. The cars have been discontinued but they are still worth looking into since they are electric. Despite the larger size, American electric cars come at a much higher price range.
What to Know Before Buying a Smart Car
Some Smart cars come in with an automated manual transmission. This means the gears shift automatically but come with the jerky motion of a manual. If you know how to drive a manual transmission car, then you can put the Smart car in manual mode. The car will have a lever or paddles on the wheel to change gears.Another factor to be cautious about is that the car is very lightweight. If you live in a windy area, the car may get knocked around. There is a reason why these cars are called city cars. The buildings in a city will keep the car from being shoved by strong winds.
