Toyota Corolla or a Smart car?

Question

I'm in the market for a new car and have narrowed it to these two.

What are the pros and cons of each?

Do any of you own a Smart car? Are you satisfied with it?

Answer 1

Why not a Honda Civic?  But between the two, I'd go with the Corolla.  Rock solid dependability.  I think it's smart to purchase new, as well, because a Toyota and Honda have great resell values, meaning a two year old car won't be significantly less than a new car.  Plus I like to bargain with new car dealers.

Answer 2

the smart car is best for short trips or city driving.

on the Hwy it has a choppy bumpy ride and leaves you feeling as if you have spent a day at the amusement park.

The corolla is one of the most popular cars in the world.

If you just need a car for a short commute and city driving it's  do-able  but if you need to do any Hwy driving it's not practical.

if your not on a waiting list or looking at a used smart car, your in for a 6 month to 1 year wait.

if your looking to attract a lot of attention the smart is the car for you. it will take you 30 minutes to answer ppls questions wherever you go.

Answer 3

Seriously, not to be mean or anything. Those of you who don't own a smart, refrain from posting negative comments about the car. If you have something to comment, back up with facts.

Let someone who owns a smart fortwo actually voice out something positive instead.

There is a reason why smart's (yes small case) logo is Open Your Mind when this very day I still see ignorant comments such as "die in a SUV crash etc". We have evolved into a rather sad state of human kind when the moment we are unfamiliar with something, we negate its purpose of existence and everyone else who is involved. I believe the term is xenophobia, even with consumer products. smart has been around since the mid 90s. By that xenophobic mindset, the factory should have collapsed in the 90s.

Firstly, smart is really about the lifestyle then the compactness that tags along with it. Case in pt: join the smart forum and you will see the demographics of smart owners. And it's usually not the first and only car of the household. Way I see this, pple who usually "attack" smart are those who can't afford the lifestyle.  Again, it's the lifestyle without having no kids, strollers, to haul around. Pple who owns smart, "get it".

Secondly, smart has been positively evaluated by IIHS and EPA. The smart has received an EPA Greenhouse Gas rating of 9 out of 10 (best rating is 10), and an Air Pollutant rating of 7 out of 10. The Greenhouse Gas rating of 9 puts the smart fortwo just 1 short of a Hybrid status.  IIHS already released the crash videos. http://www.iihs.org/news/rss/pr051408.ht...

Thirdly, I can also sense that you might ask about a Prius as well. If you're going to start comparing smart to a Prius (better MPG and more room), then you're really missing the pt here. Prius is a Hybrid. smart is not. You are comparing two different basic automotive power generation concepts. Is smart coming out a Hybrid? Wait til you start creaming when smart releases the MHD (micro hybrid drive) rated at about 58mpg and a MHD diesel at 80mpg. http://www.smart.com/-snm-0135207688-121...

Fourthly, all smarts you see at the dealerships are sold. Currently the smarts are oversold. This is a fact. But if you're "smart" enough, ask for the orphan list. The moment someone backs out, you're in. Current waiting time is 18 months.

Fifthly, smart is currently in its own category of microcars. Not even Yaris or Geo Metro is in this category. smart is also currently the best MPG gasoline car in the US.

Lastly, for a proper presentation: watch this http://www.truthaboutsmart.co.uk/. Then go test drive one.

Answer 4

I own a Toyota Corolla. It gets good gas mileage. However, you need to purchase a hybrid. Why not use the money you got from your "BIG" raise and buy one?

Answer 5

In my opinion, the Smart car is neat, but it's a waste of money, for 5 reasons:

1) Only a two seater

2) terribly slow acceleration

3) poor collision ratings, safety problems

4) untested reliability

5) gas mileage is not that much higher than the corolla to justify the many cons

Good luck!

Answer 6

Toyota Corolla.. its more reliable being a toyota and also it will last a real long time without problems!!..

Answer 7

smart car i own one and i never looked back because it gets good gas mileage and every thing else rocks.

Answer 8

No brainer - Toyota Corolla is the better choice.

Pros of the Corolla - (vs. Smart car) -

better reliability (Toyota vs. Daimler)

better warranty (3/36K vs. 2/24K)

carries more cargo and people (5 passenger vs. 2 passenger)

more standard options

You don't have to wait a year for your car to arrive.

safer

The only advantage the Smart car has is overall fuel economy and price, and those advantages are minimal, at best.

Answer 9

I own a Smart for two and I love it!!.... HOWEVER, it is a 2002 reg and so far i have spent over £1000 on repairs, including it needing a new engine. If you are getting a Smart car you'd be better off buying a newer one as I have read 100's of accounts of people having the same problems as me (with the older ones), when it reached 40,000miles the engine packs in. Check out some Smart forums on the net before buying a Smart, I would hate for you to go in blindly like I did and suffer like I have.  Saying all that, despite all the problems I have had, I love my car so much I have been willing to pay the price! Good Luck in your decision! x

EDIT: Just have to say thay guy up there said they were dangerous in an accident, thats not true, they are proven to be one of the safest cars on the road in a crash, research that too.

Also...slow accelleration???Pfffft, I like to race people off the lights and have only lost once, and that was to a lotus!

Answer 10

love my 05 corolla not 1 problem with it and it was 14,500 w 10,000 miles on it when bought

Answer 11

A friend of mine got a smart car, yea its good on gas but everything else is junk. Very dangerous car to be in if you ever were in a car accident you would get killed in that thing.

Answer 12

definatly a corolla.  i think smart cars are useless.  only 2 seats and yeah they may get 40mpg but you have to put premium fuel in.  my father has a 2005 corolla that he uses for the highway.  he bought it new and it now has about 78000 miles, he averages 35-38mpg depending on his driving.  the corolla is an overall better choice, its roomy, reliable and almost as fuel efficient