Transportation & Energy...

Has anyone not heard about the new ForTwo Smart Car? A member of the Mercedes Car Group, the Daimler AG Company is going to sell their microcar in America later this month. And they’ve managed to be profiled on every news program imaginable.

So, as the story goes, it’s tiny. From the $14K starting price to its tiny little 3 cylinder engine. Itty bitty. It seats 2 adults and purports to get around 40 miles per gallon and goes up to 70 miles per hour. These cars have been available in Europe and Canada for ages. And finally they are coming to the US - the car country - the big huge car country- home of the RV sized SUVs. Grrr.

Now, in an effort of full disclosure, I signed up for the $99 reservation program back in 2007. I guess that’s more of a confession, full disclosure would denote conflict of interest. I was just interested. Anyway, I reserved a silver Passion ForTwo over 6 months ago. Today I got around to mailing them a letter asking them to refund my deposit. You may ask why. Why am I not fully embracing this vehicle that claims to be an ‘environmental statement’ on its website? Why did I jump at the chance to reserve one and falter on closing the deal?

Well, as a blogger for an environmental website I will say this: all that smells like compost is not green, my friends. The deal breaker for me was that the car is not fuel efficient.Kelly Blue Book says that it should get about 33 MPGs city and 40 MPGs highway. Real world driving conditions are always way lower than the numbers given at KBB. So it could realistically be around 32 MPGs on average. That’s with one less cylinder than the average econo sedan, half the horsepower and with two less seats. That’s disappointing.

No, I take that back - it’s not disappointing - it’s maddening! How does this tiny little car with an engine comparable to a toaster’s not do better on fuel?! It’s outrageous. In all the hype over this car and its parking ability, I have yet to hear an answer for that. It reminds me of the infuriating Consumer Report that stated the Honda Accord Hybrid got a meager 1 MPG more than it’s regular Accord counterpart.

This one just smells like compost…