Used 2013 smart fortwo Consumer Reviews

Glad I did the smart thing

I bought a used 2013 Smart Fortwo with 27k miles on it from a Mercedes dealer. Love this car. I drive it 50 miles round trip daily to work averaging 38mpg. At first I was skeptical about driving it at high speeds or in heavy traffic, but my experiences have been all good. As with driving any car, I don't like having some idiot riding my tail when I'm going 70mph. On the inside the car doesn't really feel small. It's narrower than most cars yes, but because the majority of the car is devoted to passenger space, there are no issues with leg room or head room, and I'm 6'1" tall, 250lbs. There is adequate space in the hatch for getting groceries or carrying a couple of suitcases. I sometimes I forget I'm driving such a small car until I park, get out, and look back at it. I've read other reviews complaining about the ride. It's not a Lincoln Town Car, but I have no complaints. I do try to avoid larger bumps and potholes to save wear and tear on the suspension and front end, but I do that with all of the cars I own. I've also read reviews complaining about the transmission. No complaints from me though. The transmission is an "automatic manual" transmission, with shifting controlled by a computer rather than my foot on a clutch pedal. You can also shift manually if you want. Either way, if you don't like the feeling of a manual transmission, you won't like the smart car. Nuff said. The interior is not luxurious but it has all the amenities you would find on any mainstream car. Overall, driving the car reminds me a little of the old VW Beetle (1960's and 70's vintage) as both the VW and the smart are rear engine German cars. The smart is about the same width or a little wider than the bug, but more comfortable. The smart of course has all the electronic dash features as well as A/C and cruise. The smart is also more fuel efficient than the VW was. And the smart is much quieter; you can just hear the 1000cc Mitsubishi engine purring in the back.

Our smart fortwo

I purchased this car to tow behind my Motorhome. It is really a hoot to drive. It handles very well and holds the road like glue. The brakes stop very well. And the steering is nice and firm.

2013 SMART FORTWO PURE

I use this car for transportation too and from work..i drive 82 miles a day, round trip. And it's all highway driving..it cruises nice at 70-75 mph...excellant comute car...it feels right at home on the highway...just love it!!

Get Your Info From OWNERS - NOT Writers

It exceeds every measure of what anyone should reasonably expect! During my 55 years of driving I have owned quite a few of those "highly recommended" status symbols. In quality and reliability my smart car is equal to or exceeds every one of them! The writers REALLY blew it on the smart car. Do you believe a magazine writer knows more than the engineers at Mercedes? Rate the car for it's intended purpose! Don't get out of your manufacturer provided 455hp sport car and say the smart car lacks acceleration! My advice, if you truly want to know about any car, talk to an owner. Forget the writers getting paid by the manufactures to write about their "phenomenal new engineering creation."

Fairly smart car

I just purchased a Passion coupe for my wife, as she has been very interested in this car ever since it was introduced to the US in 2008. She was driving a 2008 New Beetle Convertible, but reliability issues were making this car a real hassle to maintain. As has been pointed out in countless reviews, the smartfor2 is equipped with a rather bizarre 5-speed automatic transmission which can also be shifted manually via steering wheel mounted paddles or the floor shifter. My wife tends to keep the car in the auto mode and it seems to constantly be shifting; even on relatively small inclines. When I drive the car, I usually use the manual mode. It actually gets better than advertised mileage.

2013 SMART CAR FORTWO PURE

It is a great little car. No it doesn't accelerate quickly, but it definitely gets there. I easily travel 70MPH on the highway in this, but only pass if there is ALOT of room/time to do so because of the lack of quick acceleration. I took it on an 800 mile road trip and it kept up with the best of them. Took the steep hills/mountain passes with ease. Mine is gas powered and automatic. My trip had many very steep hills, wind and even some mountain passes so I only averaged about 40MPG on that trip. However, normally in my day to day life I get 49MPG!! The USB is inconveniently located in the glove box. And after having the car for a MONTH I just learned yesterday that the GAS FLAP locks when the car doors are locked! So...in Oregon where they pump your gas for you (by law) they couldn't open the gas flap, but I had no idea why it was locked until finally I realized it's because the car doors were locked. So...in order to open the gas flap to fill-up you have to use the car key to unlock the doors which also unlocks the gas flap. There are a number of things about this car that are not "explained" in the owners manual (or not explained well), so I'm still figuring it out. But it's a great little car.

Smart???Not

Wanted a commuter car. Reviewed 2011 Smart for Two Passion costs and performance stats, test drove and bought a new one for $15460. Car was comfortable, gave good service, and ran fine for eight years but only attained 48072 miles when, during mandatory CA smog test in May 2019, it failed indicating a miss in one the three cylinders. Took it to a local Mercedes repair shop ( not an authorized dealer ) because the nearest authorized dealer is 60 miles distant required a lot of coordination to get there and back. The local repair shop tested all cylinders and found #2 to very weak and recommended replacing the complete engine at a significantly high cost. Then talked with the service rep at the authorized Smart for Two dealer in Santa Barbara, CA to discuss problems and costs to repair. They informed me that they are no longer in the Smart Car business and basically suggested I donate the car to charity. Next I called Daimler Vehicle Innovations (Smart) and pleaded for help. Result was " Sorry, although you are under 50000 miles the 4 year warranty is past. Now I have a vehicle that is running on two and a quarter cylinders, definitely shows signs of cylinder misfire and needs costly repair. Purchase price, maintenance and repairs over eight years = about $3200 a year cost. It wasn't a smart purchase, unfortunately. UPDATE 11/15/2019: Final costs for repair would have been over $11,000. Sold it to "We Buy Cars" out of LA, CA for $1,000 and they did a nice job on the pick up and paperwork. Searched for new car and bought a 2019 Honda FIT for under $20,000, which has more room, excellent, ergonomics, better all around features and road ability. Santa Maria, CA, Honda dealer attention to detail and service is very good and the new Fit has performed flawlessly for the last six months.

14k to Replace engine with 22kmiles!!!!

When I first got my smart car. I was a skeptic. I wanted a small reliable car. So I decided to go with the smallest car out there with the Mercedes Benz reputation with car reliablity. I got my 2012 smartcar with only 10k miles. Great car at first. Oil changes were maintained well. I noticed the brakes went out fast. Every 8 months I needed new brakes. Then noticed my car wouldn't start regularly. Took it to the Mercedes dealership and found out I needed a whole new engine. Thank God for basic warranty. Which btw is 4 years or 50k miles. After I whole year of travels. My car had 19k miles. I never would have expected the engine needing replacement already. Uggh. So the dealership is taking care of it now. It's taking almost 2 weeks for ordering new parts. I asked the dealership how much it would be without the warranty and I almost died when I found out it would cost $14k for the new engine!!! That is way more then what I orginially paid for the car. Hope no one else gets any of my issues but please be adviced. I will trade in this bad boy as soon as I get it back from the dealership.

Yellow/Black EyE Catcher

you will either love, or if its not for you. Hate it. True Smart lovers, are a class unto themselves.

Quirky, of course

I'm a teacher, and they reeled me in with the extra discount - and a generous trade-in on my 10-year old New Beetle. The car has been more fun than I thought it would be to drive, but I agree with other posters that leaving it in pure auto mode results in a lousy ride. Even in 'manual' 1st to 2nd is a drag. The little engine does quickly lug out on hills and even slight inclines, but it drops seamlessly into 4th with an easy pull of the shift lever. Gas mileage so far better than advertised. Plenty of vertical room, but my legs end up jammed against the door and the shifter when it is in 'manual' mode. Along with the seats being uncomfortable, I am not looking forward to long trips.

Fun and practical city car

My midlife crisis red convertible.....use it for any in town trip....charges up overnight on standard 110 v outlet in every garage.

Another Daimler product

The only reason I checked the smart car out was the fact that it is made/engineered by Daimler. I have had many Mercedes. still have a 1972 450SL and my current one is a 2009 R350 (yea, the spaceship) For a 75 HP engine it has what i would expect or more with regard to acceleration. The transmission shifting is a little different at first but then reminds you you didn't buy a race car but one that gets you where you want to go with some nice euro style creature comforts. I am 6'4" 270 pounds and easily got into the seat without any trouble due to the large doors. leg room is ample and the large windows are good to eliminate any chance of feeling claustrophobic.

Great for a warm climate

I loved the car until it snowed. 4in is to deep and it didn't move

The best car i have so far

Just I love pretty good on Gas, easy and low cost Service's so far 60,000 miles never have any problems perfect little engineering machine

Love my Smart

Buy one, you'll love it.

Great little car!!!

Got this as a commuter car for my wife's 13 mile commute. Only 400 miles so far, but last 2 fill ups have netted 43mpg (mostly hwy) and 39 (50/50). The good thing about these mpg numbers coming from someone who has had both a 2001 Honda INsight and 2007 Civic Hybrid...is that you DON'T have to try to get good mpg in this car. It just happens =) We have the Passion coupe with the wide wheels. Really though, this is a great 2nd car. You can drive it when you need to to save on gas and easier parking...and save your larger car for use only when needed. It makes perfect sense. Yeah, the transmission is a little funky, but you're used to it in no time, never feel underpowered, etc.

Over 100,000 miles?

Bought it used with 2,200 miles on it (3/07/2013) now (05/09/2016) it has 66,833 miles and it just keeps going! 95% hwy use normal oil changes and a new set of tires. That's all! I added a better sound system my round trip from home to work & back is 130+ miles a day! This car serves its purpose. ***Update: on 09/27/2017 my little Smart car just clicked over 100,000 miles. I'm retired now and the car has 107,394 miles. It's used as a back up car and believe it or not I'm going to buy another Smart car. You can't beat the durability.

Love the marshmallow!

This is not a family car.Its great for 2 people.It will haul a decent amount of groceries and the power,ride amd handling really are pretty good.It has a surprising amount of head and legroom.The only complaint is the weird wrap/skin on the roof panel.We had it painted white.A really neat car otherwise.

Electric Drive cabrio is a hoot!

Like all smarts, the cabin is surprisingly roomy for two people, and the tall, flat-bottomed storage area in back is actually quite useful. The ride is a little rough, fun for 40 minutes, tiring after that. Thoughtfully designed in almost all respects (like replaceable plastic body panels). The electric drive version is really a game changer though. No motor noise to speak of and very snappy performance. EPA range of 68 miles is limiting, but not as much as you'd imagine. This can't be your only car in any case. Get the cabrio and you have the only EV convertible on the market. With the top down and side rails removed you really get a great open air effect. Totally fun for errand running, making some former chores into fun little drives. Like their ads said back in the day "You'll pour milk down the drain for an excuse to drive to the store." The non-cabrio ED's are not as nice as the Fiat 500e. All of these were pricey when new but as used cars can be a ton of fun for under $10k. Panoramic roof on Passion level smarts is neat though. I test drove the smart gas version and I didn't really care for it. Slow and lots of engine noise. Perhaps expensive repairs as the years go by.

Great for car for high school student college

Best of no world

My first impression of this car was that it will be fuel efficient which I can now assure you that it is NOT. I had read reviews that this car isn't really efficeint so I convinced myself by telling myself that I'm buying a quality product. It has been six months and take my word on this. It's not efficient for it's class. It's a tiny car, with very little power, you would think it gives twice as much mileage as a car like Corolla but it gives same result at the gas station. I had a flat tire at 2000 miles from a tiny piece of metal and Roadside assistance took 5 hours to arrive in rural area near a smart center. Inefficient and uncomfortable. I don't know how I got fooled into this.

smart EV

I would only recommend this as a strictly commuter car if your commute is 5-10 mi each way. Parking is a breeze in NYC where parking in anything larger than a smart is a nightmare. However, when the weather is below 35 degrees, the cabin is always cold (even with heated seats) and the heat robs 20-40% of your range if you use it consistently. The 70hp boost they claim rarely kicks in when you step on the pedal. I've had the car for 4 mo now (since Nov '13) and range anxiety has been a major problem during the polar vortex days. My commute is only 15 mi each way and I always get home with just 20% of power from a 100% charge. If the range would be 100 mi with heat/AC on, this would be perfect

2011 - Love my Smart - sad to see them go.

Needed commuter car as I have 34 mile one-way commute - Having seen these in Germany in '06 was glad to see them come to US in '08 - waited couple years before purchase. Purchased new from Tulsa dealer for 'cuteness' factor & MPGs; Did purchase extended warranty because it was a 'benz. Ran great until 24K miles- took it in to OKC Mercedes/Smart and needed new engine (2nd cylinder out - seems to be a known issue) - had to fight to get them to honor warranty - but finally they did (had a salesman actually tell me they 'hated' the smart but had to sell them for the 'offset' credit). No issues with new engine. Drove without a flaw until '17 (6yrs) needed new coil. Drove great until shifting issue (Nov '18) - took to Euro shop said was master cylinder (which controls shifting) $1K repair; Is in shop now (Jan 20) for busted motor mount, master cylinder & bent arm (? $2K). I am also discovering ways to 'reset' the computer to adjust shifting issues - wondering about first mechanic now .... Currently have 114K miles - has been a bit costlier to drive (repairs) but my '95 F150 never met a gas station it didn't love so have enjoyed this Smart! $20/week fuel and this Smart is a fun car to drive! While I hope to get a couple more years out of it, I will be selling it (maybe) because I now have 2 grands and - most importantly - when I do need a repair I have to haul it a minimum of 60 miles to the nearest mechanic that works on Euro cars (hassle factor). If I were in a city with local repairs available, or was younger and could work on it myself, I would drive this into the ground. Other than listed repairs, just basic maintenance. I have enjoyed my Smart - it has worked well for the reason I purchased it!! Its interesting but I am also looking at a Honda Fit as a replacement (see ErnieB's post) :-)

2013 Smart Fortwo 62kw Cabrio: The Best Car Ever

There is no car like my 2013 Smart Fortwo 62kw Cabrio 84hp; from engineering technology to comfort and performance. Owned from Mercedes 200 Sedan and Nissan Pathfinder to Hummer One and Chrysler long-wheel-base Voyager BUT my greatest joy has been with this 2013 Smart Fortwo 62kw Cabrio. The car is a breeze and immense pleasure to drive; especially, in automatic; best way to enjoy it. Accelerates and leaves all cars behind, at traffic lights take-off, because of the Turbo. At 6.2ft tall, the comfort room is unbelievable with a passenger of same height and bigger. I don't get the advertised mileage; just 340kms for the 33-litre tank capacity; averaging 10kms per litre. But, who cares? Consumption is still comparatively low for the performance pleasure. These days, the Smart Fortwo [1st and 2nd Generation] are the ONLY cars, to my mind, that are easily identifiable. All other cars, except a few makes, look-alike, until you check the Logos. The 3rd Generation looks more like a Renault, until you check the Logo. Prefer the 1st and 2nd Generation. A wonderful car to own. Always looking for excuse to drive it. On the road, the other big cars [Adults] often wonder what this small car [Kid] is doing on the road, like the road is no place for it; until you leave them behind, at traffic lights take-off. Understand that the 52 kw 70hp has same performance, with aspirated engine; yet to drive one. Either way, the Smart Fortwo, is it. Easy to maintain. Change oil as much as possible for smoother engine sound and ride. When I start the car, in the mornings, I don't rev. I, just, let it get to the number ONE, on the idle-speed, indicator on the dash-board counter. It may take about two minutes; and, you will notice and hear the difference in engine sound from kick-start to idle-speed. Like all things in life, look after it and it will look after you. I don't plan on another car. The children can bring the long-wheel-base Chrysler Voyager if they want our family of seven to move in one go or block.. The Smart Fortwo is a Statement car, Impeccable taste and Attention grabber. The only car in a gathering that the ladies and children will remember and talk about when they get home; at the envy of the men folks with huge cars who expected to be the admired and attention-getters.. Better a small car and big brain than a big car with little or no brain, at all. Big is not always better. I can write about Smart Fortwo, ad infinitum, But take my word for it. A wonderfully engineered car. Love it or hate it. Forgive any typo errors.

Surprisingly fun!

I don't own one of these, but I use Car2Go in Austin, which is a car sharing company that uses only Smart cars. I was so surprised how fun this thing is to drive, even out of the city and on the highway. For only 75hp, this thing really goes quickly. Great interior space as well. But Edmonds cons are spot on. That transmission is pretty harsh, and that break pedal is hard to get used to at first. It feels like it's not going to stop.

Should have been flushed along time ago

Girls think its "cute" only because their boyfriends inform them that its really a pile of crap wrapped in a poorly snapped together plastic body [non-permissible content removed].This "CAR" makes you think it was the model car you snapped together in your youth. But trulley in comparison your plastic model was much better built than this the item your future wife plans on taking those summer night cruises up to make out point in. Yes, I too was once fooled by the thoughts of cheap car insurance (ha ha ha $600 yr) ,great mpg (ha ha ha 25-28mpg) , no dents or scratches always a shiny exterior (ha ha ha plastic "MELTS" and scratches it does and you cant buff them out), most of all thoughts that my piers would be proud of me for making such an economical and responsible choice in my pick of go to a and b and back cars..... hummmmm now crying wishing I'ld got that VW bug insted :*( (my piers laugh at me every time I try to drive by but mostly while I'm waiting on the tow truck so I can get to my 2nd Job at the greasy burger shop (to pay this plastic turd off and flush it once and for all). Please I beage of you if your spouse is considering this mistake please just walk them down memory lane (yupperz the recycling center at the local dump) here you'll find most "DUMBAZZ KARZ" starting their new lives (or where they should had always been) as a Shiny new dash pad of a VW BUG!!!!!

Worst transmission on the planet

I love parking in the city, the car is very tiny and can park at the end of a parking area where some guy decided he would leave plenty of room to get out but not enough for someone to park! It is great in city traffic because you can sneak in where someone is trying to keep cars from in front of him. THE BAD 1-The low beam headlights are some of the weakest I have ever had. 2-The transmission is EXTREMELY SLOW to shift, fine if you are just cruising along. But try to pass a slow car by jumping between 2 cars as you floorboard the throttle, and instead of accelerating, it takes a looong hesitation and then speeds up. By that time the car behind you is on your bumper and having to slow down. 3-The car rides a bit rough (what can you expect with the short wheelbase), so do not plan any long trips in comfort. Great car for around town for the price!

Go Smart

I have a Smart 4/2 on a 58 plate, I have had this car for a year now, and apart from slight problems with the actuator this car has done me proud, I live in Somerset and have taken trips North and West, in fact in a year i have taken this car from 93000 miles to 97000 miles. With a wife diagnosed with Dementia getting her out and about keeps her very happy, and the car having a nice canvass roof, she can enjoy the sunshine in the summer without the drafts. Today I am happy to say, that I have bought a newer car, but the same make, just a bit younger and with a lot less miles on the clock, the new car is a 2013 with echo drive and satnav, and we cannot wait until next week when we can pick up our car and enjoy its qualities. These cars are very safe, I have driven in snow, no skids, i have taken corners a little too fast not knowing the road, and the car sticks to the road very well, no skids, no tipping over, but again with the safety cage, I know that in a bad situation, both the wife and I would be able to walk away with just a few bruises. When it comes to a two person car I totally recommend the Smart Car. Yes you will find problems, but you will find problems with any car, its just a case of finding a good garage in your area that is happy to help, just make sure they know the Smart car, not like me who found a garage who said they would do a full service on my car then told me that they had only ever done one before and told me that my car needed 6 spark plugs. Please don't be put off by the size of the Smart, inside it is great for two people with loads of room I take the wife's walker trolly when we go out, and as for shopping, I can take a 6 pack of water, 5 bottles of milk, and 4 full shopping bags of shopping all in the boot without any problem. As for the roof, this can be pushed back by a switch and if it rains while driving, a touch of the switch will close the roof even at 70 miles an hour. A great car for winter and summer.