2017 smart fortwo Review

We think the upper-mid Prime trim is a good way to go. Its leather upholstery, heated seats, ambient lighting and panoramic glass roof add an air of luxury to a car that is otherwise draped in unappealing plastics and an overwhelming sense of thrift. The top-end Proxy doesn't cost much more, but we can do without its sporty suspension. That said, its shift paddles make living with the automatic transmission a bit more palatable. The Electric Drive Fortwo is much easier to drive, but we can't recommend it until we know how much more it costs than the gas-powered version.

The 2017 Smart Fortwo is a pint-sized city car with seating for two (get it?) and a surprising amount of passenger space inside. Available as a coupe or convertible, its rear wheels are driven by your choice of a gasoline engine or an electric drivetrain. The gas-burner is a turbocharged 0.9-liter three-cylinder (89 horsepower, 100 pound-feet) paired to either a five-speed manual transmission or a six-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission. The Electric Drive's 17.6-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and 60-kW motor (81 hp) drive the wheels directly. The gas Fortwo comes in Pure (Coupe only), Passion, Prime and Proxy trim levels, while the Electric Drive is available in Pure, Passion and Prime trims.

Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions, although trim levels share many aspects. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the 2016 Smart Fortwo Proxy hatchback (0.9L 3-cyl. turbo; 6-speed automatic).

Being tiny and lightweight affords some intrinsic fun, including a higher perception of speed and the tightest turning radius for a current production car (22.8 feet). Despite the improvements made, the Fortwo ultimately misses its mark of being a great car for the city.

You might assume the Fortwo gets dinged on comfort due to its smallness, but size doesn't factor in here. Seat comfort is compromised for aesthetics, and the suspension is much too stiff to provide any peace over rough city roads.

Some cost-saving measures, such as the nonadjustable cupholders molded into the hard plastic center console, are laughably obvious. But there are some redeeming qualities to the Fortwo's interior, such as generous passenger leg- and headroom and a cabin design that feels modern and fun.

You don't buy a Smart expecting much in the way of storage solutions, but the Fortwo does the best with what it's got. The pull-out drawer from the center console is clever, as are the storage nets behind the seats. The bottom edge of the soft top folds up to increase the cargo opening.

The free Cross Connect app that turns your phone into an audio and navigation controller is an inventive way to integrate touchscreen controls with a very basic radio setup. The 7-inch touchscreen is a worthy upgrade, but it won't be available until well into the 2017 model year.