Paddling

I have to say I'm learning to love these things. Having driven only one paddle-shifting car previously - an Audi TT with the much celebrated dual-clutch DSG system - I have to admit I initially didn't get the hang of it. I'm a long-standing hater of automatic transmissions and I was reluctant to embrace this quasi-automatic contraption. But the Smart Car's standard shift points are so low and ponderous, I quickly switched over to paddleshift mode and haven't been happier. Now when I drive one of my other cars I instinctively slap the back of the steering wheel with my fingers expecting a shift - it's very easy to get addicted to.

The nice thing about this type of shifting over an automatic is that you can select the gear you want when you want it, force a downshift, stay in gear longer etc. - all the benefits of a manual, but without the hassle of a clutch pedal. And when you tap the accelerator all the way down it hits a switch which causes a downshift - a nice touch when your roaring down the freeway and need a little extra power.

I do have to quibble about one aspect of the paddles however. They are attached on each side of the steering wheel itself and thus move with the wheel as you turn. This sounds sensible - the paddles are always at your finger tips. But in practice you don't steer with your hands in a fixed position - you spin the wheel a few times around and then let it slide back through your fingers when straightening out. When you have to downshift in mid-corner you find yourself looking for and chasing the paddles around the wheel. Not ideal. That's why Aston Martin and Ferrari have their paddles attached to the steering column instead - you always know they are fixed at the three and nine o'clock positions.