Smart Car
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JHZR2
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They still offer poor MPGs for the cost and size. That thing should be over 50 MPG in the ga$$er (like an old geo metro), and over 60 in diesel.
The biggest mistake was not bringing a small diesel to it.
The biggest mistake was not bringing a small diesel to it.
I've seen a couple in fairly low speed accidents. It was not pretty, crumpled up like a tin can.
Originally Posted By: another Todd
I've seen a couple in fairly low speed accidents. It was not pretty, crumpled up like a tin can.
The passenger compartment stays intact on Smart For Twos.
I wouldn't worry as much about being crushed. Worry about internal injuries.
I've seen one run into a concrete barrier at 70mph and the passenger compartment was intact Rest of the car completely disintegrated but the passenger compartment was intact.
Problem is that there is no crumple zone. All that energy has to be absorbed by the occupants. That's their brain slamming into their skull at 70mph.
In Daimler's own video, they crashed a Smart into an S-Class. The S-class crumpled as expected and hardly varied from it's course. The Smart actually shot backwards and landed on its side. So it went from about 37mph in one direction to about 25 mph in the other direction almost instantaneously.
I've seen a couple in fairly low speed accidents. It was not pretty, crumpled up like a tin can.
The passenger compartment stays intact on Smart For Twos.
I wouldn't worry as much about being crushed. Worry about internal injuries.
I've seen one run into a concrete barrier at 70mph and the passenger compartment was intact Rest of the car completely disintegrated but the passenger compartment was intact.
Problem is that there is no crumple zone. All that energy has to be absorbed by the occupants. That's their brain slamming into their skull at 70mph.
In Daimler's own video, they crashed a Smart into an S-Class. The S-class crumpled as expected and hardly varied from it's course. The Smart actually shot backwards and landed on its side. So it went from about 37mph in one direction to about 25 mph in the other direction almost instantaneously.
Pop, you actually do have a sense of humor!
Agree with all of the comments about the uselessness of the current Smart.
If one has the goal of cheap and economical transportation, there are choices that are cheaper and more economical that are also far more practical as cars while not having much more footprint than a Smart.
I see a couple of these things on my commute on a regular basis.
One of them has a vanity plate reading "ME SO BIG", which I thought was pretty cute.
Agree with all of the comments about the uselessness of the current Smart.
If one has the goal of cheap and economical transportation, there are choices that are cheaper and more economical that are also far more practical as cars while not having much more footprint than a Smart.
I see a couple of these things on my commute on a regular basis.
One of them has a vanity plate reading "ME SO BIG", which I thought was pretty cute.
I would take a Scion iQ, or Fiat 500 over the abysmal SMART car.
I test drove the iQ and found it to have a nice quality interior for what it is. With the back seat folded flat, it had "decent storage space as a two seater. But, the ride was to noisy and bouncy for me.
The one I tested was stickered at $17k. No way. I bought a bigger Scion for a few hundred dollars more. That was a few years ago.
I test drove the iQ and found it to have a nice quality interior for what it is. With the back seat folded flat, it had "decent storage space as a two seater. But, the ride was to noisy and bouncy for me.
The one I tested was stickered at $17k. No way. I bought a bigger Scion for a few hundred dollars more. That was a few years ago.
Looked up the specs on the Scion IQ, 37 MPG listed on highway mileage.
My 05 Vibe gives me 35 MPG highway. My total average since I bought it last July is 32 MPG.
Why can't these small cars do better?
My 05 Vibe gives me 35 MPG highway. My total average since I bought it last July is 32 MPG.
Why can't these small cars do better?
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Looked up the specs on the Scion IQ, 37 MPG listed on highway mileage.
My 05 Vibe gives me 35 MPG highway. My total average since I bought it last July is 32 MPG.
Why can't these small cars do better?
Because technology in the 90's was so much better?
Looked up the specs on the Scion IQ, 37 MPG listed on highway mileage.
My 05 Vibe gives me 35 MPG highway. My total average since I bought it last July is 32 MPG.
Why can't these small cars do better?
Because technology in the 90's was so much better?
Kestas
Staff member
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Why can't these small cars do better?
For three reasons.
One, government has increased the requirements with newer vehicles. This includes safety and emissions, both of which penalize fuel economy.
Two, the average consumer expects cars nowadays to do more than cars of 20 years ago. This makes cars heavier.
Three, the automakers increase the content of vehicles, whether people want it or not. This too makes vehicles heavier.
Why can't these small cars do better?
For three reasons.
One, government has increased the requirements with newer vehicles. This includes safety and emissions, both of which penalize fuel economy.
Two, the average consumer expects cars nowadays to do more than cars of 20 years ago. This makes cars heavier.
Three, the automakers increase the content of vehicles, whether people want it or not. This too makes vehicles heavier.
The IQ has been discontinued.
Had it been more reasonably priced and outfitted with a manual, i would have been game.
I don't carry passengers except for 1% of the time.
I see someone posted mpg on their 1.0 Ecoboost. Nice numbers, but given the size of the engine and car, not much more impressive than my 12 year old echo which was EPA rated (old) @ 43mpg highway
Had it been more reasonably priced and outfitted with a manual, i would have been game.
I don't carry passengers except for 1% of the time.
I see someone posted mpg on their 1.0 Ecoboost. Nice numbers, but given the size of the engine and car, not much more impressive than my 12 year old echo which was EPA rated (old) @ 43mpg highway
Originally Posted By: Barkleymut
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Looked up the specs on the Scion IQ, 37 MPG listed on highway mileage.
My 05 Vibe gives me 35 MPG highway. My total average since I bought it last July is 32 MPG.
Why can't these small cars do better?
Because technology in the 90's was so much better?
Please inform me what "technology in the 90's" has to do with anything? If you would read my post you would see it says 05 as in 2005.
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Looked up the specs on the Scion IQ, 37 MPG listed on highway mileage.
My 05 Vibe gives me 35 MPG highway. My total average since I bought it last July is 32 MPG.
Why can't these small cars do better?
Because technology in the 90's was so much better?
Please inform me what "technology in the 90's" has to do with anything? If you would read my post you would see it says 05 as in 2005.
Originally Posted By: Kestas
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Why can't these small cars do better?
For three reasons.
One, government has increased the requirements with newer vehicles. This includes safety and emissions, both of which penalize fuel economy.
Two, the average consumer expects cars nowadays to do more than cars of 20 years ago. This makes cars heavier.
Three, the automakers increase the content of vehicles, whether people want it or not. This too makes vehicles heavier.
20 years ago?????????????????????????????????
My post clearly states 05 as in 2005. Pontiac did not make Vibes prior to the 2000's.
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Why can't these small cars do better?
For three reasons.
One, government has increased the requirements with newer vehicles. This includes safety and emissions, both of which penalize fuel economy.
Two, the average consumer expects cars nowadays to do more than cars of 20 years ago. This makes cars heavier.
Three, the automakers increase the content of vehicles, whether people want it or not. This too makes vehicles heavier.
20 years ago?????????????????????????????????
My post clearly states 05 as in 2005. Pontiac did not make Vibes prior to the 2000's.
Kestas
Staff member
Relax. You weren't clear with your comment "Why can't these small cars do better?"
What was unclear? Is not the thread titles "Smart Cars", and did not 3for3 bring up the Scion IQ and the Fiat 500.
So again, what is unclear.
So again, what is unclear.
JHZR2
Staff member
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Looked up the specs on the Scion IQ, 37 MPG listed on highway mileage.
My 05 Vibe gives me 35 MPG highway. My total average since I bought it last July is 32 MPG.
Why can't these small cars do better?
Have you compared the mass of the one vs the other? The gearing? The engine HP and 0-60/1/4 mile?
Content is loosely related to mass, but what about the content of these? Does the newer car have more electrical gadgets? Safety systems? Computers?
After youve done a rigorous analysis, then we can ask the question.
Looked up the specs on the Scion IQ, 37 MPG listed on highway mileage.
My 05 Vibe gives me 35 MPG highway. My total average since I bought it last July is 32 MPG.
Why can't these small cars do better?
Have you compared the mass of the one vs the other? The gearing? The engine HP and 0-60/1/4 mile?
Content is loosely related to mass, but what about the content of these? Does the newer car have more electrical gadgets? Safety systems? Computers?
After youve done a rigorous analysis, then we can ask the question.
JHZR2
Staff member
Originally Posted By: Spazdog
In Daimler's own video, they crashed a Smart into an S-Class. The S-class crumpled as expected and hardly varied from it's course. The Smart actually shot backwards and landed on its side. So it went from about 37mph in one direction to about 25 mph in the other direction almost instantaneously.
Yeah there's a lot of force there. I suspect they are assuming two things:
1) The other cars will not be as rigid and so will do a lot of extra absorption of energy as the more rigid item compresses the other one more severely.
2) The smart will throw off all kinds of body panels and other components, shedding energy as they are launched.
I agree that there would be a lot of enrgy going into the driver. But then again, if you had one of these, would you really be spending much time on the high speed roads? I wouldnt.
In Daimler's own video, they crashed a Smart into an S-Class. The S-class crumpled as expected and hardly varied from it's course. The Smart actually shot backwards and landed on its side. So it went from about 37mph in one direction to about 25 mph in the other direction almost instantaneously.
Yeah there's a lot of force there. I suspect they are assuming two things:
1) The other cars will not be as rigid and so will do a lot of extra absorption of energy as the more rigid item compresses the other one more severely.
2) The smart will throw off all kinds of body panels and other components, shedding energy as they are launched.
I agree that there would be a lot of enrgy going into the driver. But then again, if you had one of these, would you really be spending much time on the high speed roads? I wouldnt.
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Looked up the specs on the Scion IQ, 37 MPG listed on highway mileage.
My 05 Vibe gives me 35 MPG highway. My total average since I bought it last July is 32 MPG.
Why can't these small cars do better?
Have you compared the mass of the one vs the other? The gearing? The engine HP and 0-60/1/4 mile?
Content is loosely related to mass, but what about the content of these? Does the newer car have more electrical gadgets? Safety systems? Computers?
After youve done a rigorous analysis, then we can ask the question.
Don't care much about 1/4 mile times, my Vibe does very well keeping up with traffic.
Furthermore I seriously doubt the IQ or the Smartcar has that much more weight in gadgets to hamper the mileage that much. They do need better gearing.
Heck I had a Ford Escort 2001 that got 35 mpg overall avg.
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Looked up the specs on the Scion IQ, 37 MPG listed on highway mileage.
My 05 Vibe gives me 35 MPG highway. My total average since I bought it last July is 32 MPG.
Why can't these small cars do better?
Have you compared the mass of the one vs the other? The gearing? The engine HP and 0-60/1/4 mile?
Content is loosely related to mass, but what about the content of these? Does the newer car have more electrical gadgets? Safety systems? Computers?
After youve done a rigorous analysis, then we can ask the question.
Don't care much about 1/4 mile times, my Vibe does very well keeping up with traffic.
Furthermore I seriously doubt the IQ or the Smartcar has that much more weight in gadgets to hamper the mileage that much. They do need better gearing.
Heck I had a Ford Escort 2001 that got 35 mpg overall avg.
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