The Pros & Cons Of Smart Cars And Micro Minis

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Smart cars (and micro minis) have swept through Europe with the force of a tidal wave.

We’ve all seen them, the cute little cars that only seat 2 people and are sometimes in very vibrant colors (such as neon green, for example).

I was actually surprised to see one of these parked on Lake City Way the other day here in Seattle.

Personally, I love how cute they are, but they have other advantages as well.

Here are some pros and cons of the micro mini or smart car…

 

The Good Things About Smart Cars

#1 – Smart cars are not as noisy as normal sized cars. Noise pollution is one of the bigger problems of living in an urban sprawl, so being able to drive a car that does not contribute to noise pollution is definitely a plus.

#2 – They take up much less space when it comes to parking. In fact, some Smart cars can be parked perpendicularly, rather than having to parallel park. Some are even light enough to be lifted into a tight spot if need be!

#3 – They add less chemical pollution to the air. One of the reasons for this is that they don’t use as much fuel as regular sized cars. In fact, they use far less. In addition, some of these micro cars are hybrid cars, or even electric.

#4 – Their hazard to people and other cars is reduced. This is mainly because of their size; since they are so small, they aren’t going to do as much damage. Also, with enough of these little cars on the road, issues with regard to hazards of hurting others actually goes down.

 

Some Of The Downsides Of The Smart Car

#1 – You cannot take a Smart car on a cross-country trip. You may not even safely drive on the freeway. This could be a real concern for those who travel from the burbs to the inner city. In that case, a micro mini or Smart car might only be good for driving to the park-and-ride and then catching the bus or train into urban areas.

#2 – Smart cars are not very big. Smart cars are typically only big enough to seat 2 people. This can be a real issue if you have a family of 4. Since they are not really geared towards families, this can be a decided disadvantage to owning one. Never mind the 20 trips you’d have to make to take your daughter’s soccer team to practice!

#3 – Smart cars may be crushed upon impact in an accident. may not be safe if you get into a crash with a larger, heavier vehicle. While supposedly the tridion frame of the Smart car will protect passengers, according to Adrian Lund of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, all car manufacturers say they have the state of the art technology on car design that makes their cars the safest to drive. Therefore, these claims should be taken with a grain of salt.

 

With micro mini or Smart cars, there are several advantages. If you are a single person, or a couple and you don’t have to drive on the freeway, they could be a wonderful investment that will definitely help the environment and save you money in the long run.

However, if you are a family of more than 2 people, or if you have to drive on the freeways, then buying another smaller fuel-efficient car such as a Honda may be a better idea.

More About Smart Cars

• Should You Buy A Smart Car?
• Just How Smart Is The Smart Car?
• Edmunds Weighs In About The ForTwo
• Smart Cars And Their Gas Mileage