Would a SMART car be a good choice for driving around in the Pyrenees?
 

My husband loved driving a smart car for the day when we were on the Amalfi coast so I was wondering how it would do in the Pyrenees. It will be great in the towns and small enough to suit me on the narrow mountain roads, which have given me several near death experiences ;;) but do you think they have enough power to take us up and over the mountains.

Ron and I consider the smaller the better for a car when we are in Europe but is the smart car too small and underpowered?

Thanks for any help in this decision. Deborah

do you think they have enough power to take us up and over the mountains?

I think I can, I think I can.

No problem, I did the Großglockner road. Some burning rubber smell, but a fine car.

I would consider it if it was

http://www.whatcar.co.uk/used-car-su...427&type=1

Personally I'd just get a slightly bigger car otherwise you are going to be extremely restricted in what you can carry - after all the normal Smart Fortwo is designed for city driving only

ipod, fun comment and that is exactly what I was imagining, trying to reach the summit and half way up having the car start rolling backwards ;;)

logos, where is this road you were on and would it be more comparable to the French Alps or French Pyrenees? It was driving in the Alps that almost had me in tears so I thought the smaller the car the farther I can be from the edge of the road;;) Deborah

DeborahAnn,
First, I would just echo the comment regarding luggage space; don't know how lightly you pack, but all of your bags may not fit in that trunk.

In and around Guethary on the Basque Coast, I suppose you'd be ok just driving along the N10. But we wouldn't do the Madrid-Burgos-San Sebastian drive in one (which is the first drive of your trip, correct?) And I wouldn't want it on that drive from Gan to Zaragoza at all.

I do not have any mountain experience with a Smart, but I have discovered that they do quite well on the autoroute.

In fact, my least favorite use of a Smart is on city streets with big cobblestones.

I agree with those who say that if you drive over a coin in a Smart, you can tell whether it is heads or tails.

thanks, I can pack light Maribel but maybe not smart car light ;;) so I think I will wait for another trip to drive a smart car.

As always, the comments here are so helpful for making travel decisions.

thanks again, Deborah

It is true that when I go to the hypermarket, I have to put grocery bags in the passenger seat, because there is not enough room in back of me.

For those who haven't guessed from the photographs of them, the Smart does not have a trunk.

good decision, Deb....I would worry about getting hit with a bicycle while trying to cross the Pyrenee Tour de France passes...because many cyclists practice on them during the rest of the year. I don't know who I'd bet on in a SmartCar-cycle crackup.

All kidding aside...get at least an economy model for the Pyrenees. The scenery is much too dramatically beautiful for you to be worried about reaching the top of the passes.

Happy travels!

Stu T.

DeborahAnn, the Smart did it! :-)

http://www.grossglockner.com/highalpineroad/routeguide/