Fun is the word for Smart car's fortwo Passion Cabriolet.

I'd seen the Mercedes product up close in Germany, but I'd never taken a ride in one. Somehow, the car didn't look as small in Germany, parked among other small cars, as it did in downtown Omaha, next to full-sized cars and sport utility vehicles.

http://www.omaha.com/neo-images/phot...kcsmartcar.jpg
A Smart car drew attention last
week in downtown Omaha.
A sales representative took a
World-Herald reporter for a spin
in a Smart car fortwo, above.

The space is tight but much roomier than it looks from the outside. And careful attention to detail was apparent in the layout of controls and placement of the seats. The passenger seat, for example, is set a bit farther back than the driver's seat, so shoulders do not bump, and the seats are higher than those in a normal car. That makes it easier to get in and out and provides a good view.

As we drove, people gawked and waved, so it seems its distinctive looks will attract an audience. When we pulled up to park, several people came up and asked about the car and where it was available.