smart fortwo on Today

[Neonspinnazz30]

The EPA is usually inaccurate with their numbers (they do computer similated tests btw)

From what I've seen, the majority of smart owners tend to get between 45-52mpg, that's Geo Metro numbers.

Prius owners, about 48mpg

[Vasa64]

Love Smart fortwo!

[jazzmanbob1]

what does he mean by so-so mileage???

41 hw mpg is not so-so

[palebeachbum]

I think most people expect it to get outstanding mileage being that it's so tiny and only seats two. The combined EPA is 36mpg which really doesn't sound great. But when you consider other tiny cars like the Honda Fit and Hyundai Accent get even less, it doesn't seem so bad. It is THE most fuel efficient gas powered car in the US, no matter how dissapointing the mileage might seem.

[mrbadx19]

my lowest milage in city has been 41mpg, my highway has been 53mpg.

the EPA is on drugs. LH was a local on chicago's CBS, (SEE B.S. on CBS)

[palebeachbum]

That's awesome! I hope that most people see that kind of mileage in their Smart. My Mom was seriously thinking about getting one to replace her old gas guzzling Volvo 940 because she drives less than 5 miles roundtrip for work. Problem is, she lives in the country where the roads are all 45mph+ and extremely hilly and curvy. She decided a little top heavy 3cyl. powered car would be terrible to drive. Instead she's looking at normal economy cars like the new Elantra we checked out. Nice car!

[Beatles5]

You are right. Smart USA website

EPA fuel economy:

Highway = 5,9 l/100 km

City = 7,1 l/100 km

Here in Sweden it says 4,3 l/100 km. You can check on Smart UK or Sweden.

[JPacheco91]

the problems with with american cars. is that they put V8 in verything...and most of them are petrol, this is why in europe we have lots of 4 cilinder cars.....we have lots of diesel, and lots of smarts....and we save on fuel and we dont damage so much nature....but the olny thing that the american dont have is the hot version of the smart...the 100 hp Brabus smart! My had owns a 2002 smart (the old model)

[foxmajik]

Saying that Americans use too much displacement in engines and waste fuel then saying they also suck because they don't have cars with turbocharged engines defeats your point. Turbocharged engines use a lot more fuel than naturally aspirated ones.

[palebeachbum]

I really hope it's better on gas than what they are claiming because that's terribly dissapointing. My '97 Tracer wagon has an EPA rating of 26/34. I avg. from 28-32mpg in regular commuting. Best mpg was on a trip with 2 adults, 2 suitcases, going 75mph and got 35mpg. My car is a 4-door wagon, so needless to say it has double the passenger space and probably 4x the cargo space. Given the weight and engine size of the fortwo, I would expect far better than 33/41. Anyone remember the Metro?

[mrbadx19]

i'll post an actual MPG when i refill 2 times, when i left the dealer, it read 7/8's of a tank, i drove over 50 miles to get to 3/4's tank. i think i might be gettting mid-40's mpg on a tight/new smart

[zackgreer]

I haven't gone below 41mpg in mixed driving and have almost 1,000 miles on it. Best tank was 46. I guess I'm a lucky one since the ratings aren't close to this. I'm thrilled to say the least.

Perhaps the coolest car I've ever had. Fun to drive, fun to look at.

[mrbadx19]

my last 2 tanks were 47 and 53mpg after 3000 miles. screw the EPA!

[upstatepiano]

Mine's already on order. I love how they included the 'poor' gas mileage think, just in case more people would want to buy one (and thus leave the US auto makers and GE's CEO golfing buddies on worse shape.) 35MPG in mixed use is far better than the majority of US cars currently on the market. My SUV was rated at 25MPG in 95, and has never gotten more than 20-22. I'll take 35.

[foxmajik]

I plugged my laptop into the diagnostic port on my 08 fortwo and checked mileage with different driving styles. If you baby it and keep engine load below 60% you can get 40mpg highway, but most people will probably get about 30 highway 25 city. Mileage is decreased the amount of engine load required to get the car moving. Frequent starts/stops make the fortwo guzzle fuel. You can save a LOT of gas by slowing down far from a traffic light till the light changes then gradually accelerating.

[mrbadx19]

if i see traffic stopped 1/8 to 1/4 mile ahead, i nudge the shifter forward into neutral, the smart will coast up to them at 900 rpms and not 2000 rpms with downshifting with the automated manual.

[gstreetcomic]

Amen to that. And i find that if you use the manual mode when drivng the Smart, it too can really be a plus in fuel consumption rather than using the automatic mode in the transmisson.