New York 2015: 2016 Smart Fortwo Debuts In North America

by Cameron Aubernon

Published: April 1st, 2015

new york 2015 2016 smart fortwo debuts in north america

Having made its world debut last month in Geneva, the 2016 smart fortwo took the ramp in North America at the 2015 New York Auto Show.

The third-gen version of the city car gets its power from a rear-mounted turbo-three putting 88 horses and 100 lb-ft of torque out of the back via either a five-speed manual or dual-clutch automatic. The car also gains 100mm-wider track than the outgoing model, while increased use of high-strength steel should improve occupant safety.

Pricing was not announced at this time, but the new smart fortwo is set to hit showrooms in the United States this autumn.

#ForTwo #MY2016 #NewYork2015 #Smart

Cameron Aubernon

Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.

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6 of 13 comments

Bumpy ii on Apr 01, 2015

I sold off my old smart because I needed a hatchback with more cargo space. Now that I have one (and a truck), this one is on my list of possible DDs around the end of the decade.

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- Wolfinator on Apr 01, 2015
  
  OK, maybe you can answer my question. I'm baffled by these - why pick one over a Toyota IQ or a Fiat 500? The Toyota gives you Toyota reliability in basically the same form factor, plus a couple extra seatbelts in a pinch. The 500 is almost the same size, far more attractive, and has a real back seat. Plus you have a huge array of options and whatever it is that makes European things "better". I'm not in the market, so maybe I'm missing something. Why a Smart??
  
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- APaGttH on Apr 01, 2015
  
  @wolfinator Scion iQ is dead in the US - dead - dead - deadski.
  
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- Bumpy ii on Apr 01, 2015
  
  @wolfinator In my case, neither the iQ nor the 500 were sold in the US in 2008. Looking at it in 2015, the iQ is/was FWD and only sold with a drab CVT. The 500 is more compelling, but is still FWD and significantly heavier. The smart, on the other hand, is RWD and could be had with a manual steering rack (not sure about the new one). There is also an intangible sense of going 'all the way' and getting the shortest and lightest car possible.
  
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- Splorg McGillicuddy on Apr 01, 2015
  
  @wolfinator By Kansas measurements, the Fiat 500 may be "almost the same size," but by San Francisco standards there is a mighty huge difference - they're not in the same class. I have a 2013 fortwo because I can park the damned thing anywhere (Got rid of my Elise because you can't street park that in San Francisco and expect it to be there the next day). My standard spot for it is between two driveways where not even the Scion iQ can fit. It's also rear wheel drive and rear-engined. Of course, the crappy transmission is well-known, but this replacement model offers a real manual transmission. Certainly upgrade-worthy since it's the worst trait of the current car. I got it due to size constraints, but it's really grown on me a lot. It may get replaced with the new Miata, but we'll see what happens later this year.
  
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Blueflame6 on Apr 01, 2015

I know people love to dump on Smart, but I enjoyed driving my Fortwo in the same way I enjoyed driving my old (air-cooled) VW Beetle. I like the styling, the unusual engineering, and the fact that it felt like just the right amount of car for me at the time. I can't argue that it was a totally rationale purchase, but mostly I liked it.

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