Smart Cars

The Smart Car – A Revolution… Well, At Least in North America

If you do any research about vehicles on a global level or if you’ve ever traveled to any country outside of North America, you probably are well aware of the fact that American cars are huge, in fact, they are about 25% bigger on average. This is the direct result of North America being a large and spaced out continent, large cities are generally a long distance from each other and there is less crowding than in other major cities compared to other countries, like Japan.

Until recently, Americans were never faced with the need to drive smaller vehicles. The doubling of the cost of a gallon of gas has caused the sales of compact cars to finally surpass that of pickup trucks. Ever wondered why you see so many Chevrolet and Ford trucks on the road? That’s because they are the number one and two sellers respectively.

Introducing: the Smart Car

By North American motorist’s standards the Smart Car is more of a large scooter than a car. The Smart Car is making big waves due to its small size and unprecedented fuel efficiency. It is a small two seater equipped with a 3 cylinder turbo diesel engine and a hyper efficient design. The result is a car that comfortably accommodates two and gets over 70 miles per gallon.

The Smart Car certainly makes a statement on the outside; customizable multi-color side panels, small rims that give an aggressive look to the side profile and optional side skits and body panels ramp up the Smart Car’s sex appeal. The car can be had with either a moon roof or a panoramic glass panel, both of which helps make the interior bright and inviting.

On the inside, the Smart Car is as bare bones as it gets; there are no plushy rocker panels, dash accents or console coverings. Attractive plastics and cloths adorn the cabin and though it is the definition of minimalist, it also looks quite well done and in no way cheap.

The Smart Car is designed so that you will still find all the amenities that you are used to; cruise control, air conditioning, CD/MP3 stereo with optional sub woofer and high fidelity speakers, all power options and a selection of manumatic transmissions make the drive comfortable. The price for a fully-loaded smart car with a panoramic glass roof comes to just over $24,000. Don’t be put off by such a high cost for such a small vehicle, the smart car will save you an average of $3,000-$4,000 per year on gas.

The Revolution

The Smart Car has spawned a revolution; drivers in North America are beginning to realize that transportation doesn’t have to have eight cylinders, massive chrome wheels and seat ten. For someone looking for a reliable and economical city commuter, you can’t beat something as simple and well built as the Smart Car.