Smart Car gets US DOT approval

[bofh]

55 mpg in a Jetta......I don't think so, try again.


Gee, If I told you you would get 50 mpg in an Accord would you believe me too? Advertsing can tell you anything you want to hear. Nobody regulates the advertised MPG of any car. Remember when they advertised the Geo Metro at 53 MPG?! Do you even see the car on the road anymore?! Can you say YUGO!!!!

Actually I've owned a VW beetle TDI for the last five years, and yes, if you drive the speed limit you can get 55mpg, on the highway.

I'd doubt the holding 5 people part more so. Four people sure. being that fifth guy always sucks.

[bornl33t]

lol it's not even a grocery getter. How is that smart?

[CaliMagFan]

If a diesel VW was available in CA, you would have a point. Unfortunately, they are not. I don't know of any passenger vehicle model that is currently offered in CA.

the TDI line of VW is all diesel... the taureg and jetta are just 2 of the US models with diesel... dopnt know of any others with diesel yet...

[Lohman446]

55 mpg in a Jetta......I don't think so, try again.


Gee, If I told you you would get 50 mpg in an Accord would you believe me too? Advertsing can tell you anything you want to hear. Nobody regulates the advertised MPG of any car. Remember when they advertised the Geo Metro at 53 MPG?! Do you even see the car on the road anymore?! Can you say YUGO!!!!

MPG claims are decided by the EPA. It is in fact regulated by the EPA. Interestingly enough however that MPG claim is not based on actual road testing but by some mathematical equation involving engine load and fuel usage based on engine load.

The point is, the MPG claim, when given in quantitative measurements, is very regulated by the EPA. One it is the number they are to display according to federal guidelines on the sales sticker and two it is the number considered as far a CAFE standards by manufacturer.

[rkjunior303]

Cphillip and Thoradic were correct. These were designed to be a relief to commuting problems in BIG cities. If you look over in Europe where they were originated, most cars in congested big cities are small hatchback type vehicles. The roads can't handle anything else, at least IN the city.. Athens. Rome. Barcelona. Paris. Tokyo. etc.

In a city like Boston, where parking is a very big problem, these would be perfect.

[bofh]

the TDI line of VW is all diesel... the taureg and jetta are just 2 of the US models with diesel... dopnt know of any others with diesel yet...

I believe the Passat, and Golf and Beetle are available with the TDI engine.

As for the TDI cafe MPG, the highway mpg on my sticker was 48mpg. I get about 45-50 in town, and driving like an maniac. If I actually drive the speed limit (i.e. 55) on a highway, I can get over 55mpg. ( yes, I tired it once on a 600 mile trip, slowest trip ever at 55 mph, it came out to 57mpg overall.)

[cphilip]

55 mpg in a Jetta......I don't think so, try again.

I have no doubt they can do it. Diesel contains about 30% more BTU's per volume than gas and less of its by product is lost to heat. So its pretty easy to get a great increase in MPG out of it. However you have to raise the compression to take advantage of it and build strong to handle it. If my 8500 pound beast can get 20 MPG with it...then a Jetta surely can get 55 MPG. Easy.

[SlartyBartFast]

For the doubters about cargo space, look HERE

[HoppysMag]

For the doubters about cargo space, look HERE

135km/h is only 80 mph. for a city car thats damn fast. but for the rest of us, youd get runn off the highway.

[Chris42050]

Am I the only one who enjoys driving a big car with a V-8 in it. I like some get up and go in my car. And no, gas prices do not bother me. It's a small fee to pay to be able to haul A&&.

[Hasty8]

Or you could get a VW Jetta with a 1.9L Turbo Diesel and get 55mpg on a roadtrip...

Capable of holding 5 people and actually looks like a car...

http://www.vw.com/jetta/specifications_us.htm

GLS 1.9L TDI-PD get more like 46 HIGHWAY AND 33 CITY and these cars are more designed for the city commuters.

Not sure where you get the 55 rating from.

[Hasty8]

Am I the only one who enjoys driving a big car with a V-8 in it. I like some get up and go in my car. And no, gas prices do not bother me. It's a small fee to pay to be able to haul A&&.

I love this rather simple minded mentality.

"Screw everyone else. I'm going to do what I like and to hell with the mess I leave behind".

You are apparently a very charitable person.

[B.A.M.]

When i went on my trip to italy i counted a total of 300+ of those cars in rome. I asked a guy bout them and he said they were made of of plastic and aluminu but as see as there were not alot of cars that were bigger than them is was safe. Very good for the city but didnt see any on the highway
Edit think of what a 250 superduty truck or hummer would be like in euro cuz the cars are so small. MASS MAYHAM i would love to do that . so fun

[bofh]

http://www.vw.com/jetta/specifications_us.htm
Not sure where you get the 55 rating from.

Um, I dunno, maybe from actually owning a TDI and getting that mpg?

[bofh]

Am I the only one who enjoys driving a big car with a V-8 in it. I like some get up and go in my car. And no, gas prices do not bother me. It's a small fee to pay to be able to haul A&&.

Can't you have both? I'm fairly sure the SMART is going to pitched as a second commuter car, at least that's how I view it.