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.
The Fortwo may not be cheap to buy in the first place, but it certainly holds its value well and it's very cheap to run. Insurance groupings are as low as they come, service intervals are long and servicing is relatively cheap at the various Smart centres (more units are being established within Mercedes dealerships, too).
But best of all are the fuel economy figures: 60mpg from the 61bhp model and 71bhp Coupe (57.6mpg from the Cabriolet and 84bhp models). Carbon dioxide outputs range from 112-116g/km, which puts all three models in the lowest annual vehicle excise duty bracket - which will also potentially qualify them for future exemption from the London congestion charge. This low output could be the Fortwo's trump card; it'll also qualify for free residents' parking permits in local authority areas operating carbon dioxide-based charges (eg Richmond in SW London).
Latest Readers' Drives About the Smart fortwo
wrote on 11 08 2006