As for parking, the fortwo's extremely tight radii of 8.8 meters (28.9 feet) makes negotiating compact parking lots easy, while its 2.5 meter (8.2 foot) length made it almost
 |
| Measuring only 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) in length, fitting into a downtown parking spot is never a problem . (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
possible to fit between parked cars on the street. Sidle up to the sidewalk in a regular spot and the real estate unused at each end seems wasteful, but you'll never have to worry about getting boxed in. But while parking ease is an obvious benefit, it's the fortwo's
fuel economy that I was most appreciative of at the end of my test week. As usual, I tested two cars at a time. The other car in the garage was the new CTS-V; yes the insanely fast 6-speed manually-actuated 400 horsepower Corvette Z06 V8-infused monster Cadillac that's now tempting Audi S4, BMW M3 and Mercedes-Benz C32 AMG buyers. Despite my regular need for speed, I have to admit to spending more time driving the smart. There's something I can't necessarily put into words (not necessarily good for someone in my profession) that had me choosing
 |
| Who needs a hybrid when the fortwo offers a combined city/highway fuel economy rating of 3.5 L/100 km (81 mpg). (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
the little tyke more often than not when faced with the dilemma. Still, the need to transport my wife and three children caused me to empty the Cadillac's tank completely once and about halfway the second time, to the tune of about $90 - to the CTS-V's credit I didn't exactly optimize fuel efficiency by driving at 100 km/h in 6th gear all of the time. Just the same, I zoomed around in the smart all week too, albeit at slightly lower velocities. Come Monday, the fortwo's tank was only partially empty, with a complete fill only needing $10 from my wallet. Now that kind of stinginess I can live with. It's the direct result of a combined city/highway rating of 3.5 L/100 km (81 mpg) - who needs a hybrid? Its low emissions, at 90 grams of carbon dioxide (CO 2) per kilometer, make it environmentally friendly too.
