Smart Car

The vehicle commonly called the Smart Car is technically known as the Smart GmbH and is manufactured by Mercedes’ parent company Daimler AG. Produced in France, these cars were developed to address the needs of European drivers, who faced narrower streets, more cramped parking conditions and higher average fuel prices than North Americans. Mercedes launched a study in 1993 designed to gauge market interest in a subcompact vehicle, and these microvehicles made their debut in the North American market in 2004, when limited numbers were offered for sale in Canada.

The Smart Car ahead of its time

The Smart Car became available as a roadster in 2003, which was produced through 2005 and suffered from weak sales numbers that fell far below company expectations. Part of the problem with the roadster’s sales was that the vehicle’s radically small design resulted in serious safety concerns. The world just wasn’t ready for such a dramatic shift at the time, but in an age of high fuel prices, more and more people should view vehicles in this mold as viable transportation, particularly for urban commutes. For the record, the truth is that these vehicles have scored well on safety tests, scoring four stars out of five overall and receiving a five-star side-impact rating.

Looking ahead, hybrid and all-electric versions of these vehicles are expected to score big with consumers as more and more people plan for a future of rising energy costs.