Road Test: smart cdi

Review by Jeremy Torr - 22/October/2008

I borrowed a really small car last week. It was the smart ForTwo diesel, officially called the smart cdi. 

It was an eye opener for a couple of reasons. 

First because it was running on a mix of ordinary diesel and jatropha, a biofuel made from a spiky bush originally used for keeping cattle out of croplands, and one that doesn't gobble up vital food reserves like some biofuels. 

Second, because of the completely unexpected response from other drivers - but I will come to that later.

The jatropha mix seemed very effective. It allows the car, albeit small, to be one of the greenest transport devices around. 

It manages to sip a piffling 3.3 litres every 100km using straight diesel; admittedly the jatropha mix doesn't seem to give quite such good consumption, but the plus is it only puts out some 90g/km of CO2, claimed as less than the hybrid electric Toyota Prius. 

And as the jatropha is a plant, it soaks up CO2 as it grows. Can't ask for more than that, can you?

Because this vehicle is a diesel, it still manages to produce reasonable low down acceleration from the 799cc 3-cylinder engine.

Admittedly it feels a bit lumpy when the engine isn't revving hard (maximum torque is at a mere 2000rpm) and the automatic/clutchless manual 5-speed gearbox isn't the slickest changer on the block, but hey, it's absolutely fantastic around town.

It's highly manoeuvrable, comfortable and well equipped inside. 

It can park almost anywhere, you can roll the top back to hear the sound of birds in the trees, and with a 130km/h top speed is more than quick enough for city use. 

Having had a visual update in 2008, the new smart car looks better and though this diesel version - arguably the world's most efficient diesel - is not yet available in Australia, the current range of smart cars (powered by 1.0-litre petrol engines) are priced from around $20k.

Daimler is the maker of the car, the same company that makes Mercedes-Benz cars, and fits the car with a 33 litre fuel tank, allowing for an extended driving distance of up to 1,000 kilometres.

Running on a low sulphur diesel/jatropha biofuel mix, the 3-cylinder common rail diesel engine delivers 33kW @ 3800rpm and 110Nm @ 2000 to 2500rpm. That's not a lot go, but because the car is so small it doesn't need more than this.

The 780kg car will dispatch the 0-100km/h run in 19.8 seconds which is slow compared to many sports sedans, but when it comes to green motoring it almost has no equal.

The steering is light but direct, which makes tightly packed car parks and inner city driving almost as easy as on two-wheels. 

I can understand why these cars are so popular in Europe, where room to move is harder to come by and where parking them two-to-a-spot in parallel parks is the done thing (they measure only 2.7 metres long).

There's enough room for driver and passenger in the smart cdi, and you can even get a couple of fish tanks in the small-but-tall boot space behind the seats (we tried); weekly shopping would be easy-peasy.

So as a small footprint, eco friendly, practical town vehicle it is as good as they come. 

The downside is you have to put up with what appears to be an almost universally imbecilic response from other road users - in Singapore, at any rate.

I ride a motorbike so I am use to being cut up on the road by drivers that don't see me. 

But it was far worse in the smart jatropha. 

Almost without exception, other drivers would treat it as though it was just a nuisance on the road, and simply cut in front - whether moving or stationary.

This applied especially to drivers of 'luxury' cars who presumably assumed their excessive gas-guzzling capability gave them the right to behave like total klutzes and queue-bargers.

Even more disappointingly, the appearance of the car drew many more condescending laughs, hoots and rude gestures than admiring glances for its agility and road-sharing ability. 

Sure, it doesn't look like a Rolls Royce, but small phones and MP3 players don't get that response.

This is most likely a phenomena limited to Singapore, as the smart fortwo has huge acceptance in Europe and particularly places like Italy, where they sell by the truck load.

Overall: 3.5/5

So the experience of the smart was definitely mixed. As a sensible, socially responsible mode of city transport it has few equals. It's a great little car.

As a city-friendly design solution it is recognised by being able to avoid congestion charges in some European cities, and to offer much more parking capability. Berlin allows two smarts per standard space.

But until other road users grow up and see the value of its frugality, eco-friendliness and agility, driving it is not going to be a pleasure. In Singapore at any rate.