2013 - 2012 Smart Cars

New Smart Cars

The tiny smart car has made a big splash in the U.S. market since its introduction in 2008. Only the Hummer H1 is as instantly recognizable as the smart car. The smart fortwo is built and sold by Mercedes-Benz, so expect reliability on par with the luxury brand.

The smart car is designed to appeal to city drivers. Its small size makes it perfect for fitting into tiny parking spaces or gaps in traffic. The smart fortwo can even be parked nose-forward in parallel parking spaces. Starting at about $12,000 for a base model with no air conditioning, the smart car isn't cheap, and because it doesn't have much more cargo space than a motorcycle, most are bought as a second car.