Have you tried changing gear in a smart? Takes about 3 looong seconds with the flappy paddles. They're very slow, although you can tune them. If I were after a smart I'd definitely go for the dinky little roadster coupé:
My friend has one and says it's a hoot.
I do, however, think the Yaris would be a better choice if you want to travel very far with anything more than a rucksack and hip flask.