Review: Smart fortwo cdi diesel

You wouldn't know the Smart cdi was the world's lowest emissions car if you spotted it on my south London street. From the outside it looks like any other Smart fortwo. Fire up the ignition, however, and the noisy rumblings of the engine reveal the secret of this fuel-thrifty runabout: diesel.

When it arrives in UK shops in February 2009, the cdi will officially be the greenest car on the roads. Because diesel is more energy dense than petrol and the car is a tiny two-seater, the cdi is capable of an eye-popping 85.6mpg and only emits 88g/km CO2. That's far less than the 112g/km CO2 recorded by the next most efficient Smart, the fortwo 45kw model. It also means you'll pay nothing for road tax (VED).

I took the cdi for a spin last weekend to see whether its green halo comes with any catches. Read on for the road-test verdict.

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