An ultra-compact, fuel-efficient, Mercedes-designed vehicle famous in Europe for almost a decade for negotiating traffic and squeezing into tight parking spaces is finally going to be available in the United States.

The Smart car is expected to get at least 40 miles per gallon and has been praised for its styling, economy, "zippy" handling, and ability to park almost anywhere. But with prices starting at about $11,600, some say the vehicle is expensive compared with bigger cars in its class.

At just under 9 feet long, the Smart car is about 3 feet shorter than the Mini Cooper and 7 feet shorter than the Ford Explorer. At 1,800 pounds, it's about 4,500 pounds lighter than an empty Hummer H2. It hasn’t yet been crash tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which waits until vehicles go on sale to the public before evaluating them.