The only concern I'd have is headroom. Some people I've picked up have complained about it but it looks so happy. I could just pinch its pudgy little fenders. 
The only concern I'd have is headroom. Some people I've picked up have complained about it but it looks so happy. I could just pinch its pudgy little fenders.
I saw a Smart car yesterday with a bull bar on the front...
I wonder if it is for people.
FlightService wrote: I saw a Smart car yesterday with a bull bar on the front... I wonder if it is for people.
I was stuck on the M25 Motorway in England once (stuck not moving is a normal state of affairs for the M25) I was next too a Smart car pulling a utility trailer, unfortunately my camera was in the trunk so I couldn't snap a pic (not moving remember) It really made me laugh to see a Smart with a trailer compared to the normal consensus over here 'Well you could pull a 4x6 utility trailer with something less than a power Stroke dually Super Duty, but I wouldn't, but hey, it's your life!'
Adrian_Thompson wrote:FlightService wrote: I saw a Smart car yesterday with a bull bar on the front... I wonder if it is for people.I was stuck on the M25 Motorway in England once (stuck not moving is a normal state of affairs for the M25) I was next too a Smart car pulling a utility trailer, unfortunately my camera was in the trunk so I couldn't snap a pic (not moving remember) It really made me laugh to see a Smart with a trailer compared to the normal consensus over here 'Well you could pull a 4x6 utility trailer with something less than a power Stroke dually Super Duty, but I wouldn't, but hey, it's your life!'
I wish I still had the picture of a New Beetle towing a full size car trailer. Nothing was on it, but it was a gigantic trailer!
If I get one of these, I don't think I'll put a trailer hitch on it because I have other vehicles, but it did cross my mind. If/when I get my Miata it will certainly get one.
FlightService wrote: I saw a Smart car yesterday with a bull bar on the front... I wonder if it is for people.
Squirrel bar?
I've seen Nissan Pao's before, but until this thread i didn't know their name. I used to think they were awkward looking but now they seem just right. Very cool, I could totally dig one in the Kei car section of my imaginary garage next to a original Honda City and a Mazda AZ-1.
I've sold everything from my fleet of projects except my 2012 iQ. It makes a decent "go getter" around town and I've done some modifications to it including a set of Recaros, CamCon cc-101, Tein H-tech springs, 1ZZ=FE throttle body, 1NZ-FE Thermal gasket, K&N drop-in and modified airbox, TB and ECU grounds, DC Sports exhaust and Whiteline 22mm rear sway back and TE37 wheels with Toyo T1R tires. I use it for DD or backyard fun, and have been getting an average of 35mpg foot to the floor driving and my wife has managed an average of 42mpg. With the CamCon cc-101 controlling the intake VVT-I & using 93 octane to optimize the 11.5:1 compression, I've managed a 16.02 at the local dragstrip from a non-heatsoaked CVT (once heatsoaked it went down from there). So, as far as a DD, it's a great little car with a few modifications.
No to be a wet blanket here, but you mentioned that safety is a concern. Before you buy a Smart or another micro, think carefully about what happens when a micro is struck by a much heavier SUV.
For instance, if a Smart is struck at speed by a big SUV-- say a 5800 pound Nissan Armada, the physics get ugly for the Smart. While the Smart is very stiff, it doesn't have crumple zones. In a head on with an Armada, the Smart will change direction extremely quickly. The Smart is stiff, so it will be fine, but the rapid change in direction subjects the human body to big G forces, which tend to be fatal.
Fifth Gear did a test where they ran a Smart into a concrete barrier at speed (it's on youtube). The car didn't look bad at all (because it's so stiff). But the G forces were so big that no human could have survived.
Here it is: Fifth Gear Smart Crash Test
In reply to MugenReplica:
Good to hear that someone likes his IQ. I really wanted to like the car, but heard so much grumbling about it....
I guess i'm more qualified than average to comment on this subject..
That's insane. This may actually be what we end up with. $5k for a plug in hybrid? Who cares if it only goes 50 miles? (iMiev is still stupid though)
I've driven an iMiev and a regular Smart ForTwo and I think the iMiev is probably better in every way than a Smart EV. Maybe there is an acceleration difference, as the iMiev is the slowest production EV that i know of. I think Fiat 500e and Smart EVs are similar in price and im 99.9% sure the Fiat is superior ergonomically and performance wise.
Based on my driving experience i actually think the gas Fortwo is a better highway car than stop and go car based purely on its horrible automated manual. The less shifting required, the better your experience will be. And that's not to say its a good highway car as I am a two-time Honda Insight owner and they wreck the Fortwo in driving fun, handling, mpg, and cargo versatility. They're dead even in acceleration. I actually raced a ForTwo in my Insight and verified this.
I've also driven a Pao! It was awesome and i loved it but it is VERY slow for American roads. Difficult to maintain highway speeds while not floored and merging is WOT or die. Given a little bit of power it would rise to about the coolest compact car i've ever driven. This is judged by MY particular odd standards. I can add power myself, so I should have bought the one i drove. 
I actually think the Scion iQ is probably the best overall 'normal' car mentioned here when it comes to being truly tiny but not having some of the horrible glaring drawbacks of the others. It has no unreliable battery pack, isn't anywhere near as slow as some of the others, doesn't shift like complete dog crap, etc. I'd say its biggest failure vs the others here is it's arguably much uglier! I think in this company prospective buyers are probably beyond caring about looks, though.
My wife bought a for two new in 2008. 140000 miles later the thing has been rock solid. Outside of maintenance/wear items and a few transmission software updates the car has needed nothing. 40 MPG is easy on the highway, I run it a few nights a week delivering pizza on the side and knock down 35 MPG. Not the most comfortable car, definitely not the fastest but it was cheap to buy, cheap to insure, and cheap to run. FWIW making sure the transmission has the latest updates is money well spent.
Kreb wrote: In reply to MugenReplica: Good to hear that someone likes his IQ. I really wanted to like the car, but heard so much grumbling about it....
THANK YOU!
It's not the best A spec car out there, but it's the best offered in the USA in the last couple of decades. A CVT cooler or manual transmission option and/or a bit more power would make it optimal. Having swapped out and lowered seats, added a Yaris rear Whiteline bar, put in lowering springs and added lighter wheels with tires reducing diameter from 24" to 22.8", I can tell you it did wonders for the iQ. Next steps for me are either tuning the CamCon cc-101 or buying a G13B 4-2-1 or 4-1 header (and modifying primaries 1&$) as it's almost perfect primary-wise to match up to the 1NR-FE.
Ok--- I'll be the wet blanket.
I understand the JDM love for the weirdness, and uniqueness of having a RHD car in a LHD world. This car was for the OP's wife though right? A RHD car in the U.S. seems cool and all......until your wife tries to pass a car on a two-lane road. Then it just gets dangerous, and the "cool" wears off real fast.
Micro cars are neat, but the MPG trade-off compared to a compact doesn't add up for me. I'd rather enjoy the better ride, and more hauling capability of a Honda Fit, or Mazda 2. It's not like these cars are hard to park. I guess I just don't see the logic behind the micro cars. Novelty--- yes, practicality......not so much.
Joe Gearin wrote: Ok--- I'll be the wet blanket. I understand the JDM love for the weirdness, and uniqueness of having a RHD car in a LHD world. This car was for the OP's wife though right? A RHD car in the U.S. seems cool and all......until your wife tries to pass a car on a two-lane road. Then it just gets dangerous, and the "cool" wears off real fast. Micro cars are neat, but the MPG trade-off compared to a compact doesn't add up for me. I'd rather enjoy the better ride, and more hauling capability of a Honda Fit, or Mazda 2. It's not like these cars are hard to park. I guess I just don't see the logic behind the micro cars. Novelty--- yes, practicality......not so much.
Yeah, we've kind of ruled these out other than the Smart ED (seriously, who named that?) and the Fiat 500e--which isn't really a microcar.
My wife is very slow to hit the horn in any car; her first instinct is to brake, then hit the horn as a retaliation of sorts. I've almost been merged onto twice by old people in Lexus SUV's in the 4 days that I've had my Miata. Don't think we need her in a small car--I didn't get hit because I simultaneously lean on the horn, swerve, and brake.
"Middle aged women in Lexus SUVs----- the most dangerous people on the road! "
I had a buddy who lived in Chicago and swore by this. His car was hit twice by nicely-groomed older ladies in their luxury SUVs---- they were his nemesis! The RX300 and it's later variants seem to be the worst offenders for some reason.
Joe Gearin wrote: "Middle aged women in Lexus SUVs----- the most dangerous people on the road! " I had a buddy who lived in Chicago and swore by this. His car was hit twice by nicely-groomed older ladies in their luxury SUVs---- they were his nemesis! The RX300 and it's later variants seem to be the worst offenders for some reason.
If you see a blue one on the IKE and it appears to have a wheelchair lift in the back seat, steer well clear. It's probably my MIL who should not be driving.
Everytime I ride with someone who owns a Sequoia I am terrified (n= 3 of 3). what is it about Sequoia's?
Joe Gearin wrote: Ok--- I'll be the wet blanket. I understand the JDM love for the weirdness, and uniqueness of having a RHD car in a LHD world. This car was for the OP's wife though right? A RHD car in the U.S. seems cool and all......until your wife tries to pass a car on a two-lane road. Then it just gets dangerous, and the "cool" wears off real fast. Micro cars are neat, but the MPG trade-off compared to a compact doesn't add up for me. I'd rather enjoy the better ride, and more hauling capability of a Honda Fit, or Mazda 2. It's not like these cars are hard to park. I guess I just don't see the logic behind the micro cars. Novelty--- yes, practicality......not so much.
I 100% agree.
They're more of a novelty than a practical car. In my case, struck a deal with my wife with our limited parking/garage area to have a project car that was tiny, so I'm more of the exception to the rule.
However, it's the same aspect as a FRS/BRZ or any slow (however exceptional) handling car or old vintage sports car in comparison. There are always newer, faster or better handling cars that are often cheaper, have a better drivetrain setup, or could be used only for racing. For right now, this works for me. I'd rather have a BRZ myself, but I can actually fit a 6'4" 250lb. adult in the backseat of the iQ comfortably with legroom (albeit at no storage) than I could with an FRS/BRZ. I'll stick with my cheap POS project micro for now.
I could be tempted by an iQ since that's as close to owning an Aston as I'll ever get.
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