The road trip is the beginning of all travel for most of us — how we first experience travel as a child, how we take our first trips as young adults with friends or partners.
For me, the destinations were memorable but there are also the memories of the car ride itself. The dens made from sleeping bags and pillows. The detritus of snack-food packaging that accumulated in the footwell. The line drawn down the middle of the back seat. The chilled homemade sandwiches my mother would pull from the cooler when we ate at rest stops along the way.
And of course I remember the cars.
The Ford station wagon with roof rack with its expansive back area, spreading out like the a fairway before us kids like our private playground.
The custom cherry red VW bug with flared flanges installed by the previous owner, which carted me and my friends to and from Austin.
Because every road trip, every driving experience, is made that much better with an exciting car.
That’s why I jumped at the chance to try out the Smart ForFour for a week. This version of a Smart car is designed to hold 4 people, better for families but still with all the benefits of the traditional
It’s cute (check!), it’s fun to drive (check!) and the new iteration of the Smart car seats 4 comfortably, important for family outings (check!). This car left an impression. Was it up there with the station wagon and the red bug? It could be, it could be.
Get a peek at the Smart ForFour on my video and see what my pros and cons list, below.
Pros
Adorable – Everybody wants a cool ride. For me, that means something cute, zippy and fun. Smart ForFour totally fits in the bill. It’s not all *serious face* with barely discernible lines and ho-hum interior. It’s orange and black and white, with contrast stitching, and looks like the kind of car in which fun happens. Perhaps we’ll laugh giddily like people do in car commercials.
Petite – A small size is a boon in the UK, where parking is a bore. I drove this all around South London and never failed to find a space that I would have to pass by in our regular car but in which the Smart ForFour slotted perfectly. Don’t hate me because I find good spaces.
Tech-enabled – You can connect via Bluetooth to play your music via the radio in just a few steps, plus there’s a smartphone holder so you can officially use your phone as GPS.
Light and airy – One of the worst things about car trips is feeling cooped up inside. I loved how the Smart ForFour had big windows and a sunroof that opened waaaaay up, so even when sitting in back you got to enjoy the rays.
Cons
Durable textiles? – While I loved the colour of the dashboard and the seats, I did wonder in our family how long they would stay spotless. They were covered with a fabric that seemed susceptible to stains from suncream-wet fingers or a dropped chip or dollop of ice cream. I would prefer a faux-leather that wipes clean.
Longer reach – The Smart ForFour gets good gas mileage (a reported 67.3 mpg) and I can picture myself tooling around London in it. I can even imagine going to Brighton, the Cotswolds…. For a bank holiday drive to Cornwall, with tailbacks and surf kit, things would be tight. We’d be tempted to pack things in the back between the passengers. For kids, it would be OK. With four adults, you’d need to buy them a beer at the end of the trip.
Jenography tried out the Smart ForFour for a week. There was no compensation and all opinions are my own.
