2000 smart fortwo - city coupe Pulse review from UK and Ireland

Only that the off-side brake light periodically fails.

Good points.

Very cheap to run, about 60mpg, that works out as about 230 miles for 14 pounds - full tanks worth. Group 2 insurance and low car tax.

Very spacious, strange, but true, there feels like more space in here than in my old Scorpio, perhaps because it's tall inside, like a mini MPV and having a glass roof probably helps.

Fun to drive, though twitchy on the edge, and with similar electronic stability to an A class, complete with anti-locking brakes, safe to drive. With an engine sound like a turbine, sounds like a baby 911.

Bad points.

One thing: Transmission. The semi automatic gear change is great, although in fully automatic mode it's a bit brutal. But the real problem is in the way the gearbox shifts down automatically when you slow to a halt. Imagine coming up to a roundabout and slowing slightly, the gearbox automatically changes down, you see a gap in front of a lorry and press the accelerator. For an agonizing full second nothing happens as 70% of the time you catch it in the process of changing down, then mercifully it takes off like a scolded cat in front of a startled lorry driver. The secret is to allow the space and have faith - and spare underwear.

But if you want a cheap car that's fun and you only need to carry one person at a time, buy it.