For those of you that don't know about the Smart car, it is an awesome small car

There is actually more information on their Canadian and European sites but here is the US site

www.smartusa.com

I wouldn't dare go on the freeway in that , toooo tiny!!!

I want a smart car too!!!
Or I did and now I am disappointed that I am not as excited as I was at first. Because I thought they would get around 50mpg but now with the change in EPA regs it looks like only around 40mpg, and I get an average of 40mpg (city/hwy combo) with the car I have now. But I will still test drive one!

I wanted one and was ready to plunk down my reservation fee. Then I found some youtube videos of the European safety tests and it scared me! Those little cars bounced around like soccer balls. I changed my mind

You have to wonder how Smart it will be with an SUV embedded in it after even a low speed accident.

Great mileage is a huge plus, but so is surviving an accident and I wouldn't put anybody I love in it. Especially me.

According to the website, it's designed to get 40 m.p.g., you can get that in a Prius that actually holds people comfortably with room for "stuff".

I personally believe that a better "small car" option would be something like the Nissan Hypermini (now discontinued, sadly) for use within town and by teenagers learning to drive. The hyperminis were also two-seaters, and had a maximum speed of 50 mph and a max range of something like 100 miles. They were fully electric and used about 1/4 of the power of a regular car.

They were being test-marketed as "second cars" - ie, you have one car you take on road trips or commute long distances over freeways in, and a second car, the hypermini, for in-town trips, errands, etc within town. An unexpected result of the test market was the number of parents who wanted these cars for their kids...enough electrical charge to get to school, go to a friend's house, and come home, with room for only one passenger and completely unable to go on the freeway or go above 45 mph, plus kids couldn't get too far from home.

When the hyperminis were at UC Davis, I worked for the Institute of Transportation Studies, which was doing the testing. We had one of the cars for our errands around town, and I spent a lot of time driving it...very cool!

It actually is built to survive accidents and has great crash test ratings.

I wouldn't get in one of those things for nuthin! To frickin small...can we say claustrophobic...would freak me out if a semi got behind me...no thank you.

i personally think they're a great idea...esp for running errands around town..now do i think i'd take it on the interstate..prob not. I was excited about them when i saw them last year on good morning america and heard they were coming. But i'm disappointed that they only get 40 mpg. Personally that's very disappointing because overseas they usually get 60 mpg. I'd rather get a hybrid car for that and there's some cars out on the market that are getting 40 mpg. So definately disappointed that the mpg's have gone way down. But still a very cool car..and easy to find parking with them (:

Ah yes, I've seen those. They have been around Europe for quite a few years.

They are actually pretty cute. AND you can take them out on the highway! However, I would be a slight bit scared to do so. I like the illusion of safety that my big boat of a car provides me (2001 Monte Carlo - it's probably the widest and longest model of Monte Carlo ever )

Small cars are actually easier to drive, though.... and I have a feeling that I would feel like I was perpetually at a fair or in a video game (seen the Wii commercials? ) while driving this.

I think I kind of like it!

they are very similar to the Toyota Yaris

Around here people get around in their electric golf carts! We actually have lanes marked for them and they get special parking spots at some of the malls!

Wow alinnell, I saw a little of that when I lived in LA 2.5 years ago... though those "Segway" things were also "in"... are they still popular over there?

For those who don't know (I didn't until I lived out there! ), a Segway is this scooter-like thing that looks kind of like a manual lawnmower. You lean forward and it can propel you (I think?) up to 15 mph on the sidewalk. Wheeee!

The downside? They cost something like $3,000-$5,000.

Looks like I could put that little car in the trunk of my car lol.

I don't see many Segways around here, but there is a tour group in Palm Springs that takes tours on Segways. I want to take the tour just to try it out!