Smart ForTwo on a camping trip? Why not?

THE PROS & CONS
2016 Smart ForTwo

THE PROS & CONS

WHAT’S BEST: The small footprint and supertight turning circle make it a dream for city driving

WHAT’S WORST: Interior quality feels down-market for the price

MOST INTERESTING: This car can hold far more stuff than most people realize

MY daughter and I recently drove to Point Farms Provincial Park, north of Goderich, Ont., for a little camping trip, which worked out rather nicely since proving a point was the entire reason we went.

The Smart ForTwo is well-known for being a great little city runabout, but it’s sometimes passed over by those who think it can’t be useful for much else.

Yet, I’ve seen posts on Facebook from friends boasting that they’ve crammed everything from oversized grocery hauls to a complete set of tires into one of these minuscule motor cars.

It got me to thinking: would it be possible to get enough gear into a Smart ForTwo to comfortably enjoy an overnight camping getaway for two? Madeline and I decided to find out.

First, you’re probably asking yourself whether it’s safe to put a child in a two-seater car. As parents, we have it hammered into our heads repeatedly that our kids belong in the back seat, full stop.

The answer is that the back seat, when it’s available, is always the safest. But in a car with only two seats, the side seat is sufficiently safe for kids, as long as: a) you use a developmentally appropriate child seat, as you would in any other car; and b) the car in question has passenger seat weight detection.

The second point is very important as this system will shut the passenger-side airbags off if it detects a weight any less than that of an adult, which is the critical step that makes the seat safe for kids. Most two-seaters come with this system, but it’s necessary to check as not all do. The Smart ForTwo does.

The next step was working out exactly what we would need for our trip and how to make it all fit.

I agonized for days over what was essential and what we could live without. I even went out of my way to buy two new compact sleeping bags and an air mattress with a built-in pillow to save some space. Still, I second-guessed myself and became so convinced we’d be cramped and miserable the whole time that I almost backed out.

I needn’t have worried.

We packed a two-person tent, the sleeping bags and mattress, a small suitcase, a small cooler, a large thermos of water, two camping chairs, and a couple more bags for food and sundries, and we amazingly still had more than enough room to drop a bag of firewood on top without making a separate trip.

This experiment of ours produced a few more surprises, too.

Since the ForTwo only has a 33-litre tank, one side effect I had braced myself for was annoyingly frequent stops for fuel. That didn’t pan out. Its little 0.9-litre, three-cylinder engine is efficient enough that we made it from Toronto to Goderich on a single tank. I wouldn’t recommend trying that, though. It was a little stressful. Google Maps sent us down some side roads that took us away from any stations for what seemed like forever. We’d have stopped earlier if we’d taken Hwy. 8, as we should have.

And it turns out that outside of downtown areas in cities where car-sharing Smarts are ubiquitous, the ForTwo is a genuine oddity. I had more people stop me in my tracks to ask me about this car than I have for even the most exotic cars I’ve brought home. If you enjoy attempting to convert the owners of gas-guzzlers to the ways of the green and efficient, this is definitely the right car for you.

In the end, my daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of our little camping trip for two: the drive, the campground, Lake Huron’s gorgeous beaches, and the rare and precious one-on-one bonding time.

And it was all thanks to seeing the potential in what Madeline affectionately refers to as “that funny little car.”

2016 Smart ForTwo

PRICE: From $17,300

ADD-ONS: Freight $1,295

TYPE: Two-seat subcompact

PROPULSION: Rear-engine, rear-wheel drive

CARGO: 190 to 350 litres

ENGINE: 0.9-litre three-cylinder

TRANSMISSION: Five-speed manual or six-speed dual-clutch automatic

POWER: 89 hp; 100 lb-ft.

FUEL CONSUMPTION: 7.5 L/100 km city, 6.1 hwy. (premium fuel)

TIRES: 165/65 R15 front, 185/60 R15 rear

STANDARD FEATURES: Flat-folding passenger seat backrest; cruise control; steering wheel radio controls

ACCESSIBILITY: A little awkward for larger drivers but overall not bad

COMPETITION: The Fiat 500 is 85 cm longer than the ForTwo but fits in a second row for more flexibility with similar fuel economy numbers (starts at $18,995; 1.4-litre I4 (101 hp)). The Nissan Micra is 113 cm longer and is thirstier but takes regular fuel and is lighter on the wallet up front (starts at $9,988; 1.6-litre I4 (109 hp)).

LOOKS: Quirky, fun, and attention-getting when it’s out of its element

INTERIOR: Roomier than expected, but not especially quiet and quality of materials could be better for the price

PERFORMANCE: Surprisingly good for the class; performs better on hills and under heavy acceleration than many subcompacts

TECHNOLOGY: Lacking; skip the factory phone mount if you care about using the radio controls

RATING: Even as city-dwellers it’s impractical for our family of three, but confirmed downtown one or two person households will appreciate it