Overview

We are here considering two somewhat similar cars, but we can't deny some of the obvious differences. For a start, they are not even classified under the same segment, with the Volkswagen being a city car and the Smart representing micro car vehicle class. Another thing to take into account here is the wheel drive. The first one makes use of a front wheel drive system, aiming at people who use their car mostly to get from A to B, remaining in control during the slipery conditions, whereas the second one transfers the power and torque to the rear axel only, making it perfect for those who are enthusiastic about driving, and don't hesitate to push their car to the limit, even if that requires some additional effort in snow or ice.

Safety

A starting point here would be to take a look at the results from European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) tests which were performed on both of the cars, with the Volkswagen being a slightly better choice apparently. Still, apart from the official crash test results there are other things we need to be aware of. The first vehicle is a city car and that gives it a marginal advantage over the micro car competitor, at least that's what statistics show. Furthermore, taking kerb weight as an important factor into account, Beetle offers a self-explainatory difference of 71% more metal.

Reliability

Manufacturers have been building their reliability reputation for decades now and, generally speaking, it appears that Smart does have a slight advantage, when all the models are taken into account. These are the results of an independent reasearch, while our visitors describe reliability of Volkswagen with an average rating of 4.2, and models under the Smart badge with 4.3 out of 5. Some independent research have also placed Beetle 15% above average, and ForTwo those same 15% below the first one. That apart, owners of different cars powered by the same engine as Beetle rank it on average as 3.0 out of 5, exactly the same as the other one.

Performance & Fuel economy

Volkswagen is way more agile, reaching 100km/h in 7.7 seconds less than its competitor. In addition to that it accelerates all the way to 233 kilometers per hour, 82km/h more than the other car. When it comes to fuel economy an obvious choice would be ForTwo, averaging around 4.1 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (69 mpg), in combined cycle. That's 61% difference compared to Beetle!

Verdict

Smart appears just a bit more reliable, although the difference is truly marginal. The most important thing when deciding between any two vehicles should always be safety, both passive and active. In my opinion, everything taken into account, Beetle beats the other contender by far, making it the best choice without even considering other things. It all continues in the same direction, with Volkswagen outracing its opponent in any situation possible, making it better choice for boy racers. It does come at a cost though, and that's the fuel consumption... All together, there's not much more to say, in this case I wouldn't even consider anything but Volkswagen. Anyway, that's the most objective conclusion I could've came up with and it's based solely on the information found on this website. Aspects such as design, practicality, brand value and driving experience are there for you to measure them out. In case you have two minutes to spare I invite you to define your needs, desires and budget and see which car would be chosen by the virtual adviser™, among thousands of similar, yet so different vehicles.