# Anyone own a Smart Car? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 8, 2014, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-own-a-smart-car/683161 "2014-03-08T00:24:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-own-a-smart-car/683161/1 "2014-03-08T00:24:24Z")
If so, have you ever taken in on an extended (300+ mile) trip? If not, would you? If so, how was it? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-own-a-smart-car/683161/2 "2014-03-08T01:08:24Z")
**Moderator Action** Since this is basically an informal poll of user experiences, let’s move this to IMHO. Moving thread from General Questions to In My Humble Opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-own-a-smart-car/683161/3 "2014-03-08T01:10:37Z")
Not in a smart car, but I’ve done a 750 mile trip in a small sports car. Small cars are not the best rides at high speeds for hours. Be prepared to be bounced around a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Silophant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Silophant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silophant)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-own-a-smart-car/683161/4 "2014-03-08T01:17:19Z")
Don’t own one, but I’ve used the car-sharing ones in Minneapolis a few times. No, I wouldn’t use one for a long trip. It’s a pretty rough ride. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-own-a-smart-car/683161/5 "2014-03-08T02:06:52Z")
> [@SanDiegoTim](#): > > If so, have you ever taken in on an extended (300+ mile) trip? If not, would you? If so, how was it? Sometimes the internet is so weird. I owned one and did a Google Image search for epbrown+smart fortwo and got [this](http://api.ning.com/files/5FbLmZ4l2Mmn*mpF6YOC840ONG-xvcMAM3jGwpfgfIZcIvpoUZBa6m-62cSR56M68w6UWwOdsYL7p6DLkIE8CXt5-AwIo4px/avatar.jpg?width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1) - a really tiny picture of me at age 5. :dubious: [Here’s the car](http://api.ning.com/files/hV8Ckcb8NuKAa1Mzjy9KEAN*18yAbmDNRagJVyN8IWUWLWa3gzJnCxwIV-sx1yQfQrtc*23Jehiy4vcV2oSaspZGPtzYvyg5/smart28.jpg?width=480&height=360). Back on topic - it depends. The Smart’s top speed is 80-something mph, but at that speed the little 3-cylinder is **screaming.**. Perfectly fine for cruising along at 65 or so, though you’ll notice semis passing and wind gusts thanks to its upright profile and high center of gravity. I had one with the solid roof - the clear plastic version can get annoying on long trips, other Smart owners have said. ---
**Author:** ![Carlarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Carlarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carlarm)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-own-a-smart-car/683161/6 "2014-03-08T03:51:37Z")
I owned a smart car for several years (my daughter has it now). She has taken several long trips (San Jose to/from Los Angeles). I wouldn’t recommend it for long trips on a regular basis. But once or twice is doable. It is electronically speed limited to 90 mph. I drove it on a regular basis at 80. I didn’t feel comfortable going more than 85. It’s sensitive to cross winds and you need to slow down in really windy weather. The ride can be rough on poor roads but okay ride on good roads. The A/C is barely adequate and I would not recommend this car if you live in an area that gets really hot in the summer. I was getting a steady, true 42 mpg on the freeway at 80 mph. Mileage drops to 36 mpg in city driving. It was a hoot to drive and I miss the car. I was seldom able to take advantage of its small size when parking but appreciated the maneuverability when driving in crowded parking lots. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-own-a-smart-car/683161/7 "2014-03-08T04:28:18Z")
It only gets slightly better mileage than small economy cars, so, unless urban parking is an issue for you (squeezing into half a space is where Smartcar really shines) I don’t see the attraction. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-own-a-smart-car/683161/8 "2014-03-08T05:34:05Z")
Where do you keep the key you use to wind it up? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-own-a-smart-car/683161/9 "2014-03-08T06:01:08Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > It only gets slightly better mileage than small economy cars, so, unless urban parking is an issue for you (squeezing into half a space is where Smartcar really shines) I don’t see the attraction. True, but in that environment it really, really shines. Parking in Chicago was never so care-free, outside of my motorcycles (which can ignore permit parking restrictions). I did all the Euro micro-cars - Smart Fortwo, Fiat 500 Sport, Mini Cooper S. Imo, the Fiat offers the best mix of convenience, fun, and style. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-own-a-smart-car/683161/10 "2014-03-08T13:50:28Z")
First off, my experience with the Smart has been limited to; 1; being a passenger in one for a short trip, thoroughly uncomfortable and unpleasant, the total lack of performance was underwhelming 2; watching the Lads at Top Gear make fun of it, and watching The Stig show it’s dismal handling around the [Hammerhead corner](http://youtu.be/aQs4Q6LrZ34)on the Top Gear test track 3; driving a virtual one in Forza 4 on my Xbox 360, the handling and physics in the game is quite accurate, and the Smart is actually _dangerous_ at fun speeds, enter a corner hot, lift off the throttle, and your rear tires want to become the front tires (lift off oversteer), I also recreated the Stig’s experience in the S42 in Forza 4 As a city car, at low speed, it’s okay, but on the highway, or driven for fun, not so much ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-own-a-smart-car/683161/11 "2014-03-08T15:54:46Z")
We have a smart car that my husband primarily uses for commuting to work. We have taken it on one long trip and I will never do it again. It’s not driving on highways that’s the issue, commuting in Toronto is mainly on highways and the car does fine. It’s just much more exhausting due to the suspension, you feel every bump, there is a lot of road noise and the seats just aren’t as comfortable as my car. I guess the short answer is it’s possible. The car is certainly capable but it’s not comfortable and if there is another option you should take it.