2009 smart fortwo passion cabriolet

Pros

Fun factor, zippiness, economy, ecology, inside room, safety (really, check iihs.org)

Cons

Large blind spots on cabrio when roof is down

Purchased As New

You should not purchase a smart if you are a point A to point B driver; its automated manual transmission will frustrate you.

If you are a driving enthusiast, like to drive a manual through the gears, and prefer total control over your driving experience, you will love the smart. My fortwo passion cabrio with its paddle shifting (automated clutch) is pure fun to tool around in.

You should not purchase a smart for mileage, but its 38-41 mpg certainly doesn't hurt.

You should not purchase a smart as a family car as it has only two seats, but for a two seat car, it has a wealth of space. Probably more leg room than what you're currently driving.

Where beauty is in the eye of the beholder, safety is not. A vehicle that looks safe may place you in high danger; always consult the various safety crash centers' reports (e.g., www.iihs.org) to know how a vehicle fares in crashes. When you do, you may be surprised to find that a smart is safer than many vehicles on the road when hit by an SUV sized vehicle, especially in the most common forms of accidents....read morehide

Pros

Cute, fun and economical to operate

Cons

None found

Purchased As New

I've driven small cars before but since the first time I saw one in Rome in 2001, I've wanted one. After an 18 month wait, I got mine in March, 2009 and have had nothing but fun in it. It's fun to drive, easy to park and I've yet to put more than $20 in the tank.

I've had compliments on it and last night when it was parked at work, I saw a woman taking pictures of it....read morehide

Pros

Maneuverable, fun to drive, MPG is awesome, great commuter car, fit and finish is superb

Cons

Smart Center's are sparse.

Purchased As New

We've had ours since the 3rd of July, 2009 and don't have anything negative to say. I feel very safe driving the car and know that there was a lot of engineering built into it as well. We get looks everywhere we go, and it's quite the conversation starter. They are very roomy, contrary to their outward appearance. Plenty of power under the hood for highway driving. Very good handling for city driving as well. We have only 1000 miles on ours to date, but look forward to many more....read morehide

Pros

Tons! Parking, fuel economy, handling, ownership cost

Cons

Distance to nearest smart center

Purchased As New

I've had mine for about a year. It's been a great ride, does well in the snow and in the summer, and gets great mileage. I've been tracking mine religiously on Fuelly and am getting about 40mpg mixed.

The interior is roomy, and there's lots of space in the trunk for groceries and such. The heated seats work well in the winter, and the rag top is great for summer driving. The best part is that it's small enough to fit in a 10x10 shed without a problem.

The car only has two major downsides. One is that the ride can be rough, especially on very bumpy roads. Not as bad as a Jeep, but this isn't a luxury car. The closest I can compare it to would be the early Saturn line. The other is that cruise control is not a factory option. There are two aftermarket vendors, but it's a DYI deal, as only a few dealers will install either module. (Both are easy to install as a stereo system though, so...)

This is a great car for single people, childless couples (looking to stay that way), or as a second car for commuting. If you have a family of four, this will not be a good "only car" solution for you. But if I have to tell you that, you shouldn't be driving anyway...

With the convertible option starting at $16K, it's *the* lowest priced convertible you can buy new. It also gets great mileage, handles well, and only requires service (oil changes, etc) every 10K miles. Add up the cost of the car, fuel, and maintenance for a year, and you'll find that any smart by far has a lower operating cost than most available on the market today....read morehide

Pros

just what i wanted and fits all my driving needs

Cons

none

Purchased As New

over the past 29 years of auto ownership. we decided to visit a smart dealer to look only !! when we left that day we were driving a 2009 smart passion cabriolet . it fits our needs and the wife lets me drive it on the weekends, when she is not commuting to work 24 miles each way , down 95 from Baltimore to Laurel MD.if she feels safe the way those people drive, i am more than satisifed . good mileage, good looks . windy days it does blow around ( so does my ford ranger or chevy s-10) its not a tank .these reviews are like a body part everybody has one. if you want a toyota or other foreign car buy it. if your dumb enough to buy it for me i will be dumb enough to drive it , last thought , go to the baltimore marine terminal and look on the lot's it looks like nothing is selling,, good gas mileage or not there are so many vechicles they are storing them at bwi airport on the aux parking lots . it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see what's going on with the economy....read morehide

Pros

fuel economy, parking, fun

Cons

none

Purchased As New

You buy based on facts.
Yes, it is small and behaves as small car. Not harsher than my mini cooper s. Cabrio is great commuter and a lot of fun. Do not feel unsafe at all.

Pros

Great Fuel economy

Cons

there are none

Purchased As Used

I have 2 of these a passion and a passion Cabriolet,these are just super family cars for 2 smart people. theres is lots of sitting space; and enough storage for a trip; Using les Miles Per gallon; service is onlu needed every 10,000 miles. Tire system is great,if your pressure gets low it comes on; heated seats are super in winter; 5 speed automatic;or use the Paddles to shif ,keeping your hands on the steering wheel. Just the best Car ever....read morehide

Pros

Compact, easy to park

Cons

Safety

Purchased As New

This is pretty cool car where this 2 seater can run up to 80 mph. Smallest car available on the market and available in a variety of colors. Safety might be a big concern when an accident do occur. So something to consider.

Pros

great fuel economy.

Cons

Ride

I love this car. I get 34 to 41 mpg depending on a/c, city or highway. 1st gear is a little rough. but once you are in 2nd gear, you will be able to fly. Many people compliant about the power. Tell you the truce, the car is actually not bad once you are in 2nd gear. I have no problem merger from the ramp onto highway. I usually travel 85 mph on highways next to a semi. The stability control makes stable. In city driving, only time you feel the rough ride is over a bump.

It is well equipped inside the car. I wish there could be an armrest. I paid almost $20,000 including tax, options and interests for this car.

You will make alots friends with this car. I get stopped everywhere by people....read morehide

Pros

good fuel economy, easy to park

Cons

ride is rough, 100% unsafe in a collision, very small engine

I purchased one Smart Passion Cabriolet because of my past experiences in Europe since 2005. And also because of the fuel efficiency factor. Bur soon I realized that driving it in big US American cities , "drivers of other bigger size cars" do not respect this small car on the roads. So i started feeling very unsafe specially driving on high ways of any type. I still owe two other cars, a BMW 5 series and a Volvo SUB. My wife and I have started to feel very unsafe driving this toy car. SAFETY CAN NOT BE MEASURED IN MILES PER GALLON....!

So we have decided to sell it to a college student perhaps in the Summer. It has been a good and fun experience......but we have realized that driving it in European cities is a lot different than driving this toy car in the US....read morehide