New & Used Smart Cars, Parts & Reviews

Swiss watchmaker Swatch originally conceived of the smart car. Swatch wanted to create a vehicle that was small and easy to park. The idea was to design a vehicle so small that drivers could park several smart vehicles in a space intended for one regular car. Swatch proposed the idea to GM, who rejected it because they thought the project would be unprofitable. VW accepted the smart concept but was cash-strapped at the time, which led to Swatch’s current partnership with Daimler-Benz. Daimler and Swatch began making smart vehicles that were fuel-efficient, affordable, and targeted toward younger drivers.

smart cars officially debuted in the U.S. in 2008, when they enjoyed enormous success because of high fuel prices. Although the smart fortwo (the brand’s current model) is much cheaper than hybrid vehicles, its fuel economy is significantly less than hybrids like the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic. Sales of smart cars have dropped considerably since fuel prices have remained fairly stable.