Fuel-sipping Smart cars may rival hybrids:

Tiny vehicles carry driver, one passenger, a few grocery bags

Oct 01, 2006 (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - McClatchy-Tribune Business News via COMTEX) -- If everyone drove Mercedes' Smart cars, the line of vehicles at traffic lights would be only half as long and parking lots would hold twice as many cars.
A two-car garage would become a four-car garage. If you're still pressed for space, you could park one of these tiny cars on the front porch.
With fuel economy of about 50 to 60 miles per gallon, Smart cars could give hybrids a run for their money. And, unlike the hybrids, there are no expensive battery packs that eventually have to be replaced.
Now back to reality. While two of the micro cars could be squeezed into one parking space, there's only room inside for the driver, one passenger, and a few bags of groceries.
The Smart car is an odd vehicle. It's like a replacement for a motor scooter, but you're protected from the weather, said David Thomas with Cars.com, a Web site for automobile enthusiasts.
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