The first Smart car ever made for public sale was the Smart City-Coupé (also written as City Coupe), which later became known as the Smart Fortwo. Production began in the late 1990s, and the model launched in Europe in 1998 as a tiny two-seat city car designed to make urban driving and parking easier.
The Smart idea grew out of a collaboration between Swatch (the watch company) and Daimler-Benz, aiming for a compact, efficient car with a distinctive, customizable look. The early production model kept the defining traits Smart is known for today: a short wheelbase, a two-seat cabin, and a visible safety cell structure (the Tridion safety cell) that forms the car’s outer frame.
If you’re considering a Smart as a first or commuter car, it helps to know that the earliest City-Coupé/Fortwo models were built for dense-city practicality, not high-speed comfort. Our team recommends prioritizing the basics that protect you and your budget: verify clean title status, confirm all seat belts latch and retract smoothly, and make sure the tires match in size and have even tread wear. Since these cars are ultra-compact, also check that doors close cleanly, the hatch seals properly, and all exterior lights work—small body issues can quickly become big usability problems.
For a more complete, step-by-step approach to choosing a safe first car (including budgeting and inspection priorities), use our checklist here: safe first car checklist and smart buying guide.
Most sellers will refer to the earliest cars as a Smart Fortwo even if the paperwork or enthusiasts call it a City-Coupé. Either way, you’re generally looking for a two-door, two-seat microcar with the contrasting safety-cell frame and a rear-mounted engine layout—a setup that helped keep the cabin compact and the turning circle tight.
They can be a solid choice if your driving is mostly city streets and you value easy parking and low fuel use. We recommend you focus on safety essentials (tires, brakes, lights, seat belts) and make sure the car fits your typical speeds and trip lengths.
Leave a comment