Getting smarter with the Smart Car

Georgia Home Health Care and Hospice purchases first fuel-efficient vehicle

    Georgia Home Health Care and Hospice is getting smarter with their allocated dollars with their first purchase of the Smart Car, touted to get 45 miles per gallon.
    "This is just one of the many cost-cutting measures we have initiated,” said JoAnn Strickland, Community and Public Relations for Georgia Home Health Care and Hospice, which serves 27 counties.
    The gasoline-powered cars are not only fuel efficient, they are economically priced. The 2008 Smart Fortwo model starts at only $11,590. The sportier Passion Coupe lists a base price of just $13,590. Compare that to the base price for a 2008 Mini Cooper hard top at $18,700.
    As for fuel economy, the Smart Car is designed to achieve 40 city and 45 highway miles per gallon (mpg) according to 2007 EPA standards. The 2007 Mini Cooper lists 32 city and 40 highway mpg.
    The Smart Car is manufactured by Daimler Mercedes-Benz, a leader in European style, performance, and safety. The cabin features plenty of head room and leg room, so even tall drivers and passengers are comfortable. The back offers spacious storage, some of it even hidden for extra security. With such a small-looking car on the outside, many are amazed at the amount of room on the inside.
    The Smart Car features a 1.0 Liter, 71 horsepower, 3 cylinder engine with a 5 speed automated manual transmission. The top speed of the Smart Fortwo is 90 mph, which is electronically limited.
    The Smart Car is a safe choice, too. In recent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests, the 2008 Smart Fortwo, the smallest car for sale in the US market, earned the top rating of good for front and side crash protection. The rating scale includes good, acceptable, marginal, and poor. On the "star scale,” the Smart Car earned the top score with a five-star crash rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for frontal and side impacts.
    Several local parents have expressed an interest in purchasing a Smart Car for their children who are high school or college students. Along with the fuel economy, parents are attracted to the Smart Car because it has only two seats. With room for only one passenger, this translates to fewer distractions than bigger vehicles that can accommodate four or more passengers.
    Smart Cars are available in six different colors. Some of the options include a panorama roof, alloy wheels, three-spoke leather sports steering wheel with shift paddles, power windows, electric and heated side mirrors.

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