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2.5
By Andrew Noakes
First Drives
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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Llandudnoboy says
RE: Smart Fortwo CDI (2008) CAR review
Just a report on how Smartie is performing. I recently spoke to a nice chap from Canada who runs a 100mpg forum all about Hypermiling. In his 2006 45Hp Cdi in a journey towards Alaska he managed a startling 126mpg from his Smartie. He told me his car had around 22,.600 Km on the clock before his car was ready for returning these kind of figures. Recently on a trip to Cardiff i did manage very close to 90mpg over a very deamanding A470 journey from North to South Wales and my car has done just over 3400 miles so i do not consider it quite run in but the engine is freeing up quite nicely. I religiously check my tyre pressure every week and even in that terribly hot weather i didnot open the windows or use the air/con but did use the sat/nav. I also used a recently purchased Scangauge II diagnostic computer that plugs straight into the OBD port which is located bottom right underneath the steering wheel. The sweet spot on the engine is at around 53-54 mph and 2124rpm when the fuel consumption is way in excess of 100mpg. The Scangauge is super accurate and it's economy readings are as accurate as you are likely to get from any device. The Scangauge was telling me my exact rengine rev,fuel economy which changed every time the throttle was pressed aswell as the voltage charge to my battery. Driving what is Britains most fuel efficient car (Mick Linford in last years Shell Economy Run managed 96mpg over a hard 300mile journey) most people should be getting atleast 70+ mpg in normal driving once the engine is bedded in but the use of the electrical gadgets that the majority of drivers will be using will seriously effect the cars economy. Very few people will drive a car in a fully focussed manner changing gear at the most efficient time and using the brakes very sparingly resulting in only average economy. There is certainly nothing wrong with the Smart Cdi economy its just how you drive the car that will effect the consumption. There is no way i would have found out the most efficient engine speed and speed of the car without my Scangauge and achieving nearly 90mpg i know is not realistic for the average motorist but IT IS POSSIBLE IF YOU KNOW HOW TO DRIVE A CAR FOR MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY.
Just a report on how Smartie is performing.
I recently spoke to a nice chap from Canada who runs a 100mpg forum all about Hypermiling.
In his 2006 45Hp Cdi in a journey towards Alaska he managed a startling 126mpg from his Smartie.
He told me his car had around 22,.600 Km on the clock before his car was ready for returning these kind of figures.
Recently on a trip to Cardiff i did manage very close to 90mpg over a very deamanding A470 journey from North to South Wales and my car has done just over 3400 miles so i do not consider it quite run in but the engine is freeing up quite nicely.
I religiously check my tyre pressure every week and even in that terribly hot weather i didnot open the windows or use the air/con but did use the sat/nav.
I also used a recently purchased Scangauge II diagnostic computer that plugs straight into the OBD port which is located bottom right underneath the steering wheel.
The sweet spot on the engine is at around 53-54 mph and 2124rpm when the fuel consumption is way in excess of 100mpg. The Scangauge is super accurate and it's economy readings are as accurate as you are likely to get from any device.
The Scangauge was telling me my exact rengine rev,fuel economy which changed every time the throttle was pressed aswell as the voltage charge to my battery.
Driving what is Britains most fuel efficient car (Mick Linford in last years Shell Economy Run managed 96mpg over a hard 300mile journey) most people should be getting atleast 70+ mpg in normal driving once the engine is bedded in but the use of the electrical gadgets that the majority of drivers will be using will seriously effect the cars economy.
Very few people will drive a car in a fully focussed manner changing gear at the most efficient time and using the brakes very sparingly resulting in only average economy.
There is certainly nothing wrong with the Smart Cdi economy its just how you drive the car that will effect the consumption.
There is no way i would have found out the most efficient engine speed and speed of the car without my Scangauge and achieving nearly 90mpg i know is not realistic for the average motorist but IT IS POSSIBLE IF YOU KNOW HOW TO DRIVE A CAR FOR MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY.
06 July 2010 11:34
mwalji786 says
RE: Smart Fortwo CDI CAR review
i took the delivery of my smart fortwo cdi about 6 weeks ago, i have to agree with you about the fuel. i fill up £30 of diesel which gives me appx 350miles (combined motorway and urban). i phoned the dealer and they said it cn take up to 3,000 miles before it starts giving you like 86mpg. the car has done 1500miles so far so lets hope it gets better
25 March 2010 17:56
decorative says
Having purchased a new for two cdi in November , I have to dissagree strongly with the published fuel economy figures Over 1100 miles, the car as averaged only 52 mpg. the best it has ever done on a journey of 123 miles is 59mpg, and on one fill up it did a mere 48 mpg. Although it is a fun little car to drive, the fact is it was brought as a second car, purely for its economy, and if the salesman had told us to expect this level of economy, we could have bought any number of full size cars that were as economical.( My neighbour averages 57 mpg with his BMW 320D !!!. The dealer does not apear interested, so if you are thinking of buying a for two, dont expect it to be as cheap to run as they tell you it will be. If any one else has the new for two cdi, i would be very interested in their findings.
20 February 2010 12:58
You try and fit four people comfortably into a Toyota IQ. The rear seats are really designed for very small children and only for short journeys as the rear tailgate is alarmingly close to the occupants. If those rear seats are used then the capacity of the bootspace is lost. Really Toyota should have made the IQ into an upmarket two seater for that's what it really is. The cost of the extras is simply ridiculous,nearly £1000 for satnav after an initial high £9500 basic purchase price. The IQ could have been a realistic alternative to the Smart but Toyotas claim that its a genuine four seater is misinforming the customer. The likely person who you will see behind the wheel of an IQ is somebody who already owns a larger family car and needs this trendy alternative as a statement to say i can afford this expensive car over many other popular alternatives. Its the sheer width of the IQ that could cause problems whilst trying to park in a tight space. If you want an IQ think twice and spend a little more and buy the brilliant Yaris because after adding essential extras the price of the IQ makes its purchase price look simply ridiculous. The IQ is an amazing design but is certainly no alternative to the unique Smart which is a lot cheaper when similar specifications are taken into account. Both of these smalll city cars are rare sights on our roads for the simple fact people are affraid of such small vehicles the Smart especially.
You try and fit four people comfortably into a Toyota IQ.
The rear seats are really designed for very small children and only for short journeys as the rear tailgate is alarmingly close to the occupants.
If those rear seats are used then the capacity of the bootspace is lost.
Really Toyota should have made the IQ into an upmarket two seater for that's what it really is.
The cost of the extras is simply ridiculous,nearly £1000 for satnav after an initial high £9500 basic purchase price.
The IQ could have been a realistic alternative to the Smart but Toyotas claim that its a genuine four seater is misinforming the customer.
The likely person who you will see behind the wheel of an IQ is somebody who already owns a larger family car and needs this trendy alternative as a statement to say i can afford this expensive car over many other popular alternatives.
Its the sheer width of the IQ that could cause problems whilst trying to park in a tight space.
If you want an IQ think twice and spend a little more and buy the brilliant Yaris because after adding essential extras the price of the IQ makes its purchase price look simply ridiculous.
The IQ is an amazing design but is certainly no alternative to the unique Smart which is a lot cheaper when similar specifications are taken into account.
Both of these smalll city cars are rare sights on our roads for the simple fact people are affraid of such small vehicles the Smart especially.
07 September 2009 13:04
Those of you who seem to think a Toyota Aygo or the overpriced Toyota IQ are a realistic choice over a Smart of any model just remember several things about a Smarts construction 1. All the panels on a Smart are plastic which if damaged require easy replacement and no expensive resprays or repair.Recently i had to pay in excess of £300 for the respray of the nearside wing on my Citroen C1 as it had a very small dent but the entire wing needed spraying and it was also in metalic. 2. All Smarts fall into the lowest insurance brackets and even the petrol models will return over 70mpg Servicing costs are surprisingly low at around £126 for its first service and this was at a Mercedes dealership. 3.Parking and ease of driving in town with the ability of changing from sequential manual to fully automatic at the touch of a button makes the Smart one of the most relaxing drives in the city environment. It may only have two seats but look at 90% of traffic on our roads and see how many passengers are being carried. Until fairly recently i was affraid of the smarts tiny dimensions and credibility as every day transport but with the benefit of a full panel exchange for just over £300 and comfort over long distances i seriously intend buying a Smart CDi next year. The car returns crazy full economy and is tax excempt and those panels if bumped into can absorb impact without the worry of expensive repair bills. They are fairly competatively priced and retain their value incredibly well.Certain nearly new CDi models are commanding prices higher than list for the demand for the car is exceeding supply. How many cars have you driven that can travel from Dover to Prague on a tank of fuel. ONCE DRIVEN FOREVER SMITTEN
Those of you who seem to think a Toyota Aygo or the overpriced Toyota IQ are a realistic choice over a Smart of any model just remember several things about a Smarts construction
1. All the panels on a Smart are plastic which if damaged require easy replacement and no expensive resprays or repair.Recently i had to pay in excess of £300 for the respray of the nearside wing on my Citroen C1 as it had a very small dent but the entire wing needed spraying and it was also in metalic.
2. All Smarts fall into the lowest insurance brackets and even the petrol models will return over 70mpg
Servicing costs are surprisingly low at around £126 for its first service and this was at a Mercedes dealership.
3.Parking and ease of driving in town with the ability of changing from sequential manual to fully automatic at the touch of a button makes the Smart one of the most relaxing drives in the city environment.
It may only have two seats but look at 90% of traffic on our roads and see how many passengers are being carried.
Until fairly recently i was affraid of the smarts tiny dimensions and credibility as every day transport but with the benefit of a full panel exchange for just over £300 and comfort over long distances i seriously intend buying a Smart CDi next year.
The car returns crazy full economy and is tax excempt and those panels if bumped into can absorb impact without the worry of expensive repair bills.
They are fairly competatively priced and retain their value incredibly well.Certain nearly new CDi models are commanding prices higher than list for the demand for the car is exceeding supply.
How many cars have you driven that can travel from Dover to Prague on a tank of fuel.
ONCE DRIVEN FOREVER SMITTEN
07 September 2009 12:24
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