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Many of us remember when the first “Smart Cars” hit the world’s streets. We’d never seen something so hilariously small, yet able to share the roads with much larger vehicles and not become a pancake if involved in an accident. The fact that the original smart car was so small put a lot of potential buyers off at first. But, after a while, the little smart car proved itself to be relatively safe, and even safer than some other, normal-sized cars on the roads.

The model in question is the Smart Fortwo, the German company’s debut model. It hit the market for the first time after debuting at the 1998 Paris Motor Show. Since then, the Fortwo remained Smart’s best-selling model for the majority of the years it was on the market. In total, the Fortwo spanned three generations, and while its styling changed, its core principles didn’t. It remained small, safe, and affordable. Speaking of affordability, you can even pick up used examples of the Fortwo for $5,000 that are less than ten years old.

Smart For More Than One Reason

Smart Fortwo Key Points

• Introduced in 1998 and in 2008 for the US market
• A 2016 Fortwo currently boasts an average resale value of $4,513
• Utilized a one-box design
• Axed following the 2024 model year

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The Smart Fortwo’s introduction into the market was revolutionary. Before that, microcars were seen as fantastically slow, usually unsafe, and really only meant for short city drives consisting of a few blocks of sub-20-mph travel. The Smart Fortwo took that unfortunate stereotype of the microcar and altered it considerably, as it could easily manage highway speeds, wasn’t made of flimsy, fragile materials, and could even accommodate a little bit of cargo. The Smart Fortwo’s name literally means “for two people”, as it’s only a two-seater.

These days, you can pick up a used example of the Fortwo for a low price, so long as you don’t mind owning one that’s older than a few years. Currently, Fortwos made before 2017 have very low resale values, with models as modern as 2016 fetching prices well under $5,000 in some cases with reasonable mileage. If you’re inclined to find a Fortwo that’s newer than nine years old, you’ll have to pay a good bit over $5,000. We break down the Fortwo’s current resale values by model year from 2008 to 2017 in this table:

*Pricing courtesy of Kelley Blue Book

How The Fortwo Got Itself About

Throughout the entirety of Smart’s existance as a company, it’s been owned or majority-owned by Mercedes-Benz. This means that Smart models, including the Fortwo, took advantage of Mercedes-Benz engineering, a definite plus for a small, cheap car. Engine sizes never went over one liter, and transmission options included five- and six-speed automated manuals, a single conventional five-speed manual offered on the third-final generation Fortwo, and a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, also offered on the third generation.

Since we’re more focused on the US-spec 2016 model (third generation, 453) Fortwo than any other version, let’s break down its engine and performance specs in a table below:

*Specs courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

It’s important to touch on how the Smart Fortwo was able to achieve the level of safety that it did. The core of its safety was something called the Tridion Safety Cell. In essence, it’s a strong steel cage that also acts as the Fortwo’s structure and features crumple zones that are designed to route impact force around the cabin, and absorb the rest. Because the crumple zones were so short, given the car’s diminutive 106.1-inch length, the hard safety cell was designed to eat into and use the crumple zone of the other car it hit in an accident. The short crumple zones and hard safety cell meant quite pronounced deceleration forces in the event of a crash against a more solid object, but it still performed so well that the NHTSA awarded the 2016 model a four-star overall safety rating, putting it at the same level as much larger vehicles like the Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck.

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Of course, it isn’t just a steel cage and crumple zones that make any given car safe. Smart also engineered special airbags to be placed in strategic locations throughout the Fortwo’s cabin in order to best protect any occupants seated inside during a crash. Further adding to its safety was the Fortwo’s lightweight design, which meant less kinetic energy was involved in any given car accident, lending itself to less damage and potential injury overall.

The Fortwo Through The Years

First Generation – 450 (1998–2006)

The debut 450 generation of the Smart Fortwo was released in 1998. At the time, the Fortwo was only available in Europe, as the US-bound Fortwos wouldn’t hit dealership floors until mid-way through 2008 as part of its second (451) generation. Engine options consisted of Suprex-made 0.6L and 0.7L inline-three-cylinders and, later, a 0.8L inline-three-cylinder diesel. A six-speed automated manual transmission was the sole option. A limited-edition Brabus version was produced, with just 50 examples being built, boasting 74 horsepower.

Second Generation – 451 (2007–2013)

The Smart Fortwo gained some of its fame during its second generation because, as we’ve mentioned, it was the first to be introduced into the US market. This time around, the Fortwo’s engines got a bit bigger, with a pair of 1.0L inline-threes sourced from Mitsubishi – one of which was a turbo – now taking the stage. The 0.8L turbo diesel stayed on as an option, although not for the US market. Interestingly, the Fortwo lost its six-speed automated manual, and it was replaced with a five-speed version instead.

Third Generation – 453 (2015–2019 / 2017–2024 as the EQ Fortwo)

The third and final 453 generation of the Fortwo debuted in 2015 as a 2016 model in the US. A much more modern appearance could even call attractive from some angles. US-spec Fortwos belonging to the third generation received a single 0.9L turbocharged inline-three-cylinder motor – this time sourced from Renault-Nissan – although a choice between a six-speed DCT and a five-speed conventional manual transmission was now available. Following the 2019 model year, the Fortwo was discontinued in the US due to poor sales. An electric variant, dubbed the EQ Fortwo, was introduced in 2017 outside the US market. The Fortwo as a whole was axed just last year.

It’s Not The Total End Of The Fortwo

While the car pictured above, a smart EQ Fortwo, was the last of the Fortwo lineage, said lineage is not ending. The Fortwo was axed just last year. However, Smart has reported that a successor is in the works, and it will be fully electric. It’s expected to be called the #2 to match the rest of the current smart lineup, and will potentially be a smaller version of the smart #1 crossover. Currently, Smart is looking for investors to aid in the project.

Sources: smart, Mercedes-Benz, Supercars.net, Geneva Motor Show, Automotive.com.