The Daimler-created smart fortwo is a one-of-a-kind two-seater ideal for urban dwellers, commuters, eco-enthusiasts and attention-seekers. The smart brand, well known across Europe, prepares to bring its success to the United States with the help of Chairman Roger Penske.

I recently attended Daimler’s non-stop, action-packed press junket in San Jose, Calif. Before I stepped off the airplane, I knew little about the smart other than it is a compact, lightweight and fuel-efficient vehicle unlike anything else on the road.

Measuring 106 inches in length, 3 feet shorter than a Mini, the fortwo is about as long as a typical sedan is wide. You can theoretically park the car perpendicular to the curb, although local parking enforcement hasn’t approved this method yet. Even parallel parked, two smarts sufficiently fit into one standard parking space. Chicago will need more parking meters to accommodate this uniquely sized vehicle. Because the amount of parking is always an issue whether you’re in Evanston, Lincoln Park, Wrigleyville or the Loop, the fortwo allows you to easily fit in those “Do you think I can make it?” spaces. Signature panels are dent-resistant plastic and can be easily swapped at the dealership for another color.

Despite smart’s unbelievably small exterior, the head-turning compact has a surprisingly spacious interior. I’m 5-foot, 8-inches and had more than enough legroom on the passenger side. Driving, I actually had to move the seat forward to reach the pedals after my taller driving partner drove. I had plenty of headroom; even with the seat fairly upright, and I felt comfortable.

Trunk space is limited, especially in the smart fortwo cabrio model; however, approximately eight paper grocery bags or a set of golf clubs would fit without obstructing your rear vision. With no barrier between the seats and the trunk, the car feels more spacious, and I was easily able to snatch my purse from the trunk.

The smart gives new meaning to the term “compact.” With virtually no backend, you would expect it to be extremely unsafe. Weighing only 1,700 pounds, smart fortwo’s safety is comparable to a Honda Civic. The tridion safety cell is similar to what you find in a NASCAR racecar design. Given Penske’s background, this is no shocker.

The fortwo comes in three models: pure, passion and cabrio. All come equipped with front and side airbags, traction control, all-season tires and tire pressure control system.

Cutting the size of a car in half understandably, and happily, affects its price: smart costs half as much as other cars in its class. The fortwo pure retails for $11,590, the passion coupe starts at $13,590 and the passion cabriolet is listed for $16,590. The passion and cabrio models include a five-speed automated manual transmission, which uses paddle shifters to change gears. If you’re similar to me and carelessly forget to shift, the smart car will automatically do it for you, which is signaled by an up or down arrow on the digital dash. The sporty interior with analog and digital gauges, power windows, heated seats and contrasting accented panels is astounding given its affordable price. The half-moon shaped rearview mirror and curvy bucket seats are creative touches but reduce rear visibility. An audio jack for your iPod is standard on the pure. Foolishly, the jack is located in the glove box, which makes it impossible to control your electronics while driving.

All three smart models are ultra-low emission vehicles. A 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine that produces 70 horsepower powers these vehicles, and it accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 12.9 seconds. It has a top-speed of 90 mph and is “more than sufficient to grab to attention of the highway patrol” according to Anders Jenson, head of smart brand. The pint-sized smart gets 40 mpg on the highway and 33 mpg in the city (2008 EPA rating) using premium fuel.

Unfortunately, the weather didn’t inspire us to drive around with the top down, but it opens automatically, fully or partially, even while driving.

Overall, the smart was fun to drive, especially because I felt like a celebrity responding to all of the attention this car got on the road. I had a photographer taking my picture from San Francisco to San Jose, and I couldn’t stop smiling. People stopped us everywhere and wanted to know what we were doing, what this spunky little car was all about. Bikers, tourists, motorists in BMWs, Porsches and especially Prius drivers smiled and asked us questions. They snapped photos with their cell phones and digital cameras because people have never seen a car quite like this in the United States.

If the attention we received in California, as well as the popularity of smart in Rome, is any indication, smart should become trendy in Chicago and other major cities with traffic congestion and parking issues. Sales begin in January. Two-thirds will be sold within local Mercedes-Benz dealerships, and eventually one-third will become stand-alone dealers. Do your homework now or make a $99 reservation online at smartusa.com. See if smart makes the grade for you and the environment.