In 2009 smart’s pint-sized two-seater celebrated five years on the Canadian market. Five years of dominating a niche that looks like it might be expanding soon. In fact, Toyota should shortly be launching the iQ three-seater (likely wearing the Scion badge), while Mitsubishi is thinking of marketing the gas-powered “i” on top of the electric variant.
While we wait for these other motorized Lilliputians to land on Canadian soil, smart’s success in Canada remains constant. Since 2004, every imported unit was sold despite daunting price tags.
The least expensive model, the Pure coupe, still starts at $14,990. That’s $1,370 more than the lowliest Yaris ($13,620).
And you have to admit that the diminutive Toyota boasts a more spacious hatchback body than the Alsatian pygmy. It can cram up to five people inside (albeit not too bulky people), it offers superior performance (acceleration and throttle response) and it only consumes one extra litre of fuel per 100 km.
The appeal of the exclusive
So how to explain this infatuation with the smart? It’s simple: the road is veritably teaming with Yarises. At the end of October of this year, Toyota had sold a little over 20,000 units across the country according to data gathered by the weekly American magazine Automotive News. And smarts? Mercedes-Benz sold ten times less of them.
This relative exclusiveness is largely responsible for the smart’s success. Although there are very few of them on the road, its friendly face makes it immediately recognizable. As for the Yaris, well, you don’t even notice it any more.
But if the smart “coupe” has people talking, imagine how much the cabrio version turns heads. Even more exclusive, the model offers the same advantages with the added bonus of the chance to soak up some rays!
This bonus doesn’t come cheap though. The cabrio commands a heartier price tag: $21,250. And that’s without the merest hint of an option. That’s $655 more than the basic Jeep Wrangler Sport, which offers an equally bumpy ride but boasts two extra seats and unparalleled off-road capacities.
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| The smart fortwo passion is the most affordable convertible on the Canadian market – after the Jeep Wrangler. |
While we wait for these other motorized Lilliputians to land on Canadian soil, smart’s success in Canada remains constant. Since 2004, every imported unit was sold despite daunting price tags.
The least expensive model, the Pure coupe, still starts at $14,990. That’s $1,370 more than the lowliest Yaris ($13,620).
And you have to admit that the diminutive Toyota boasts a more spacious hatchback body than the Alsatian pygmy. It can cram up to five people inside (albeit not too bulky people), it offers superior performance (acceleration and throttle response) and it only consumes one extra litre of fuel per 100 km.
The appeal of the exclusive
So how to explain this infatuation with the smart? It’s simple: the road is veritably teaming with Yarises. At the end of October of this year, Toyota had sold a little over 20,000 units across the country according to data gathered by the weekly American magazine Automotive News. And smarts? Mercedes-Benz sold ten times less of them.
This relative exclusiveness is largely responsible for the smart’s success. Although there are very few of them on the road, its friendly face makes it immediately recognizable. As for the Yaris, well, you don’t even notice it any more.
But if the smart “coupe” has people talking, imagine how much the cabrio version turns heads. Even more exclusive, the model offers the same advantages with the added bonus of the chance to soak up some rays!
This bonus doesn’t come cheap though. The cabrio commands a heartier price tag: $21,250. And that’s without the merest hint of an option. That’s $655 more than the basic Jeep Wrangler Sport, which offers an equally bumpy ride but boasts two extra seats and unparalleled off-road capacities.
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| The interior layout is original and becoming. |