When most of us were growing up, many parents would make sure that the first car their new-driver-child received was big and bulky. There was a reason for that.
All that engine up front, and the big trunk in back, made sure there was lots of "crush" space in the event of an accident. So what happens when you're in a Smart car? Well, it may not be too good for the drive. Here's a photo of an accident near New Orleans involving two trucks and a Smart car that got sandwiched at less than 10 mph. Bad news.
So, you save some gas, but you take a huge risk. See that little gray blob between the two trucks? That used to be a car.
There's a reason my first car was a big old Ford, folks. Maybe your child's should be too.