Category: City Cars 
Price Range: £8,518 to £16,026
A design classic; so easy to park in crowded cities; safer than other two-seat microcars; low carbon dioxide emissions and thus potential exemption from congestion charges
Expensive for what it is; auto gearbox still jerky and no manual gearbox option; cheap-feeling interior
This tiny two-seater is capable of motorway trips, but its all-round abilities are still limited - and you can buy a decent, barely bigger four-seater for less.
Judging the Fortwo by the standards of other two-seater microcars of similar dimensions, it really is good.
DaimlerChrysler reckons it's capable of a credible four-star score in the Euro NCAP crash tests - and on a purely subjective note, it feels as if it offers infinitely more protection than, say, a G-Wiz or the Ligier/Aixam microcars.
It has a well thought-out safety cell structure (as indicated by the visible dark-painted structural elements, part of the Fortwo's distinctive two-tone styling) and well-engineered crumple zones - all necessary to meet the criteria for the upcoming exports to the US, as well as sales in Europe, including the standards for pedestrian protection.
With its wider track and ESP, it's more stable, too, helping prevent an accident in the first place. Standard equipment also includes ABS with brake assist, twin front airbags (side airbags are optional, but potential lifesavers well worth spending out on), and seatbelt pre-tensioners. Isofix child seat mounting points are optional, though remember, research has consistently found that small children are safer in the rear seats of a car.
Security-wise, the convertible is easy to break into and the plastic panels can be removed; an alarm is optional.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Smart fortwo
wrote on 11 08 2006