A bargain convertible from a Mercedes subsidiary? Be sure to read the fine print
What is it? The 2017 Smart ForTwo convertible is -- predictably -- its coupe counterpart, coupled with the removable roof rails and two-stage folding top from its previous convertibles. The break in the Tridion Safety Cell that forms the basis of Smart’s safety claims seems to defy logic, but Smart did its best to compensate the structure with a roll bar.
Anyone who has sat in a current-generation ForTwo would feel right at home in this two-seater. Though, if you haven’t -- and judging by sales figures, not a lot of you have -- you’ll be welcomed by a cutesy cockpit dominated by a gauge cluster featuring a massive speedometer and 3.5-inch screen nestled directly in-line with the driver. A small tachometer rests on the dash, near the driver’s side A-pillar.
Our Smart testers came with an actual 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which is allegedly available with the ’17 model year. You’ll still be able to get the company’s smartphone cradle-based system, but we think springing for the touchscreen will be money well spent.
Despite its small body, the ForTwo Cabrio provides an impressively spacious passenger area -- fear not tall folks, there is leg room. The drawback to ample passenger space within the confines of a microcar is a near total absence of cargo room. With the roof rails placed in the tailgate, in the designated holders, there’s barely room to stash a pair of backpacks. No word on official capacity with the roof rails in stowed, but it’s a lot smaller than the starting 12.4-cubic feet of space.
Smart also claims that the top will go down in under 12 seconds, and can be dropped at any speed. However, we’re pretty sure that doesn’t include wrangling the roof rails, which seems incredibly difficult to manage while driving, and not particularly easy even when stopped -- we imagine most will keep the roof rails in place after the new wears off.
What’s it like to drive?
It’s slow. Of course, no one is looking at Smart for neck-snapping acceleration or 0-60 bragging rights. The 0.9-liter turbocharged I3 produces 89 hp at 5,500 rpm and 100 lb-ft of torque at 2,500 rpm. Considering the curb weight should be around 2,100 pounds, it’s just enough power to get the job done but still manage good fuel economy. Smart hasn’t released official numbers on the Cabrio, but it shouldn’t stray far from the numbers from the normal ForTwo: 34 mpg city, 39 mpg highway and 36 mpg combined.
A six-speed dual-clutch transmission wrangles the ponies from the rear-mounted powerplant. A five-speed stick won’t be available in the Cabrio, and we wish it were. While the available paddle shifters should make driving more interesting, they won’t fully make up for the lack of a manual transmission.
The two driving modes, eco and sport, manipulate the shift points, creating some unnerving situations where you’re either shifting well before the turbo gets a chance to do its magic (eco) or driving around at 5,000 rpm constantly (sport). Both can be alleviated by sliding the gear selector over to manual mode, and selecting your own gear. A fair compromise, Smart, but we still want a stick.
Power aside, the Cabrio handles metro mobility well, as it should, considering the total overall length of the ForTwo is a scant 106 inches. The wheelbase is equally short at 73.7 inches. The packaging allows for great maneuverability in the harrowing driving situations you’ll find in a busy city, to the tune of 23-foot turning circles. It’s especially practical in situations where you have to turn around in a city, or want to make yourself dizzy in an empty lot.
Visibility, with the top up, is predictably great: It’s a tiny car with big mirrors. However, when you lower the top completely, the rear view becomes obstructed by the bunched-up top, and the formerly hidden, and impressively large, roll bar. To be fair, there is nowhere else to put the top, considering the size of the vehicle.
Braking is on the soft side, but does a fair job stopping the 1-ton machine. When mashing the brakes, expect a gentlemanly nod, as this Smart likes to dive. In similar fashion, the body roll is really noticeable, but is likely due to a soft suspension trying to compensate for the short wheelbase’s fundamentally stiff ride.
Do I want it?
According to the folks at Smart, this will be the most affordable convertible money can buy -- an interesting marketing angle for something related to luxe automaker Mercedes-Benz. With the only real competition for the Smart Cabrio being the Fiat 500C, low price alone might be enough to tally some sales.
Though the Fiat is technically capable of seating four, it also plays more towards buyers wanting nostalgic styling; the ForTwo Cabrio exists for a niche of people wanting an incredibly small city car, but who also want to live it up with a drop top -- or do open-air loops in the apartment parking lot.
