A car scurries along the street like a little mouse with motorized legs. It appears to be like every other car, except it only has two front seats. It catches the attention of passersby with its agility and its size. There's just something about it. This little whippersnapper is the infamous Smart car.

The minute this European import zipped onto American roadways in January of 2008, it turned heads and even caused envy amongst its bigger counterparts. But what about the Smart is appealing? The number one feature on the tip of every owner's tongue is the ease of parking, affordability, and gas mileage. It's also a thrill to drive.

There is also a specific quality about the smart that keeps us engaged. It is unique and intriguing. "It's different and radical--there are not a lot of cars like it on the road," Smart car owner Carl Spanoghe says. "It's a smile factory. It cheers people up," Phil Garratt, the brand manager at the San Francisco Smart dealership says. They are the new cult car that everyone wants to talk about.

Nineteen-year-old Audrey Tommassini, a San Francisco native who recently moved to Los Angeles, notices Smart cars everywhere in West Hollywood. "They are everywhere bopping around the neighborhood." Cathy Sullivan, the twentieth person to buy a Smart in Northern California, says one day out of the blue she was pulled over by a police officer. He came up to her window and asked, "So how do you like your Smart? What is your gas mileage?" She answered each question gladly. The policeman then asked, "How fast does it go?" to which she replied with a smirk, "I can't tell you that."

Carl Spanoghe, who owns a black Smart with red interior, says he had a similar experience that he will never forget. On a trip to Las Vegas with his wife, his Smart took center stage and attracted an entire crowd of people buzzing about his car. Before long, he watched as a man came up to the car, sprawling his hands on its dashboard as if he were examining a contraption from another planet. "It definitely breaks down social barriers," he says.

Aside from breaking down social barriers, the car has a "cute factor" that appeals because of its size, which goes hand in hand with how it was originally marketed. It was marketed by the CEO of Swatch watches, Nicolas Hayek, to have interchangeable panels of different colors like the interchangeable faces and bands of the Swatch. The name Smart is actually an acronym for Swatch Mercedes ART--because the panels of the car are a fun way to show off multiple colors.

Hayek's vision was of a car that was small, inexpensive, and reliable enough to operate in the congested cities in Europe. It is a member of Mercedes-Benz and was dubbed the "Mercedes city car." In San Francisco, the Smart and parking go hand in hand. Parking really makes all the difference in whether a person will get to their destination on time or circle around in despair. "My Smart fits in between people's driveways where a normal car couldn't fit," Sullivan says. She can even find parking in Chinatown and in North beach--places where it's notoriously bad.

Tommassini says that the ease of parking is the best quality. "It is convenient for planning, time-wise, because I can pull up right before an appointment and not have to worry. It's a modern luxury." However both Sullivan and Tommassini find it unfair that it is illegal to park their Smart nose-in to the curb. "I wish the U.S. would make it legal so you could fit two cars in a parallel parking spot," Tommassini says.

The Smart also appeals because of its fuel economy. Garratt says, "Global warming will not go away and more and more people will become aware of its benefits. It's a replacement for cars that are fuel inefficient."

The Smart gets 33 mpg around the city and 41 mpg on the highway, making it the most fuel-efficient non-hybrid gasoline powered vehicle in the United States today according to fueleconomy.gov. "Most people have to stop for gas every three days. I don't even have to think about it," Bill Scott, the sales manager at the San Francisco Smart dealership says. "I used to fill up every four days with my Mercedes and pay $40 to $50 on gas, but with my Smart I pay $19 on gas every two weeks."

The price of a Smart is an immense appeal and ranges from $12,000 to $17,000. "It's a fantastic value--half the price of a Toyota Prius," Garratt says.

Aisha Krieger replaced her motorcycle with a silver Smart last October. "When I turned thirty-eight I decided I did not want to ride in the rain anymore," she says. "The Smart makes sense to me because of the fuel economy, its size, quality of product, and turn radius," says Krieger. She persuaded James Draper, her boyfriend, to get his own Smart, a pair they named "Stubby" and "Billy." As a firefighter, Krieger can easily fit all of her station gear in the trunk. "The seats are so comfortable. It's very spacious inside. I can fit my sister in the trunk," she admits with a chuckle.

Despite all its advantages, many Americans are still wary of the tiny Smart. There are a lot of misconceptions. Scott admits that one of the biggest concerns of customers is safety. As a product of Daimler AG--the parent company to Mercedes-Benz, it is put through the same safety standards and tests that their other "average" sized cars go through. And according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Smart had the highest front and side crashworthiness ratings. "It's like a steel cage," Smart owner Sullivan says. "So many people just assume things."

Would bigger people fit? Can I take it on the highway? Yes and yes. The Smart can comfortably seat a six-foot-four-inch frame and reaches speeds up to 90 mph. The only drawback is that the car does tend to get blown around when windy.

Since they were launched, the Smart has changed people's perceptions about driving a small car. Scott is very optimistic for the future: "A day doesn't go by where I don't see two or three. They're really going to blossom," he says. "Someone in a circle of friends will show up in their Smart and 'drink the Kool Aid,'" he says with a grin.

So the next time a Smart zips past you on the freeway, or the street where you get your coffee, remember that bigger does not always mean better.