PREDICTIONS can be notoriously wide of the mark.

Just a decade or so ago some soothsayers said we would all be driving around in little smart fortwos as the world's oil supplies started to dwindle.

Mind you go back a bit further and there were those who said we would have cars that would fly or be able to take to the water in amphibious fashion when the occasion demanded it.

While we're not all driving around in ‘smart cars' as they've become known, the smart fortwo is still very much with us and hasn't changed all that much in the intervening years.

It could well have been one of those quirky creations that went the way of the Sinclair C5 but it's proved to be a resilient survivor - unlike smart's stylish roadster and the forfour supermini which have been sacrificed to achieve greater profitability.

Its biggest selling point is still its quirkiness and I expect many buy it for this reason.

While it's marketed as an affordable alternative to a conventional car, it isn't quite as cheap as you might expect, so many buyers probably buy it as a style statement as much as anything else.

While the overall appearance of the smart fortwo hasn't changed that much the car certainly has.

The latest version is an all-new car from the ground up.

The most distinctive difference is its compact dimensions have grown slightly in a bid to improve pedestrian safety, offer better rear impact protection and improved legroom.

More legroom is definitely a bonus and that enhanced rear impact protection is to be welcomed too. One of the things I always disliked about a fortwo was feeling kind of vulnerable.

With its high driving position it rather bizarrely has a big car kind of feel when you're behind the wheel.

But look over your shoulder and all of a sudden you're acutely aware of its compact dimensions. If a Toyota Hilux driver following behind nodded off at the wheel I wouldn't have fancied my chances - so that rear impact enhancement is definitely a good move.

As a driver's car the fortwo still takes a little getting used to.

Its innovative clutchless semi-automatic transmission was always one of the car's weak points.

Its lurching character as it changed up and down through the gears, made travelling in it akin to braving a fifties fairground ride.

It is now far smoother meaning the gear changes - whether been done manually or automatically - are certainly less jarring.

The steering is still on the heavy side but again the quirky nature of the fortwo actually adds something to its driving appeal.

On the inside it has a contemporary, if basic, feel. I loved the Pioneer touch-screen radio and sat-nav - once I had actually managed to work it out.

It has Bluetooth, iPod and USB connectivity and is part of a package of features on the limited edition high style model I tried. You also get distinctive metallic and silver paintwork, 15-inch alloys and my version had stop-start engine technology to further enhance the fortwo's already frugal character.

I did quite a lengthy trip in the fortwo, with a circuitous route along A-roads a-plenty and it performed well once you're accustomed to its individual nature and aware of its limitations