It's the most honest car on the road — two seats, four wheels, zero pretensions. No phony rear seats, no attempt to ease the aesthetic shock by trying to ape a conventional sedan. The smart fortwo, the first truly modern microcar to arrive in the US, scrambles ashore with the irrepressible glee of a 2-year-old. It is absolutely confident it will win you over. And with unmatchable urban maneuverability, praiseworthy gas mileage, and startling safety credentials, it more than earns the love.

Form, Meet Function

For a teensy little car, the fortwo is one tough mother — Shut your mouth! Its unique design follows the shape of its safety cell, which transfers and dissipates collision forces around the passengers. Standard-equipment ABS, stability control, plus cornering and traction-control systems designed explicitly for an ultralight vehicle will help keep you from testing the safety cell's limits with your head.

Shockingly Roomy

For a car that's just 8.8 feet long — nearly 4 feet shorter than a Mini Cooper — it's as spacious inside as any decent-size sedan. Our 6' 1" tester had no problem fitting behind the wheel. The lesson: Size doesn't matter after all. That is, until you glance over your shoulder and realize that the body just sorta stops — right behind you.

Ultralight, Ultra-Efficient

Packing a three-cylinder, 1 liter, 71 horsepower engine between its rear wheels, this 1,800-pounder rolls about 40 miles for each gallon of gas. This is no golf cart, though: The fortwo will hit 90 mph with nary a complaint.

Twisty Fun

The big wheels, competent suspension, and automated manual transmission make it fun to drive. And even though it's not an actual automatic — it has a robotic clutch that engages on its own — the fortwo does have a full-auto mode, so anyone can drive it.

From $12,000, smartusa.com

Photo: Tom Schierlitz