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By Andrew Noakes
09 July 2008 10:58
Hybrids might be promoted as the environment’s friends, but if you’re really serious about reducing CO2 emissions, and can’t manage without a car, then what you need is the smallest and most economical car you can find. And this could be it. The Smart CDI diesel is claimed to emit just 88g/km of CO2, the lowest emissions of any current production car. It also returns 86.5mpg on the combined cycle, which makes a Prius (104g/km and 65.7mpg) look profligate.
In Europe, yes. It was launched alongside the other new-generation Smarts last year, but so far only petrol models have made it to the UK. No other right-hand drive market has shown interest in the diesel, and it’s taken this long to persuade the suits at Daimler to build a right-hooker.
Not because of any fancy hybrid drive system: the CDI has just the one motor. It’s the world’s smallest common-rail diesel, with a tiny turbo to boost the 799cc engine’s output to 45bhp at 3800rpm. Tiny capacity, high part-throttle efficiency and light weight (just 20kg more than a petrol Fortwo) keep economy high and emissions low.
Click 'Next' below to read more of our Smart Fortwo CDI first drive
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a t o m i c says
RE: Smart Fortwo CDI CAR review
Why are you comparing this to a Prius? The Prius has four/five seats and a normal-sized boot. And if we're talking emissions, well, I'd rather suck on Prius's exhaust pipe than pucker up for the smart. Talk sense, Noakes.
11 July 2008 11:22
joedodgy says
You have to admit it is probably one f the bets city cars if you just need to get around places like London. You just can't argue with it's stats. But how many people wil buy one id the thing.
09 July 2008 19:32
PT100 says
The Smart would be more desirable if it could seat more than 2, like the Mitsubishi i and the Toyota IQ.
09 July 2008 19:20
kubrick says
It's hard to make a case for the smart when comparing it with 'normal' cars - an Aygo, for example, is just so much better value for money. But pitch the Smart against all those utterly awful electric city cars and it appears to be such a wonderfully engineered, safe, attractive, high-quality alternative. Why don't Merc give one to Kristin Scott Thomas for free in order to boost their eco/celebrity 'cred'?
09 July 2008 15:51
mini1 says
I don't see how you can justify the one star for performance - of course an amazing 0-60 time isn't to be expected for such a car. I would understand 3 stars - remember you aren't comparing the performance against a Audi A4 here, or anything like that!
09 July 2008 13:02
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