X-cart and Smarty

Getafix

Does anyone here have any experience of using x-cart?

I know it uses the Smarty Template System and I'm hoping that what I'm going to get is a complete separation of php code from html code. Thus enabling me to construct any site layout without modifiying so called core files.

To date I've used opensource carts such as oscommerce and Zencart.
Zencart has a great template override system, but the fact remains - php is intermingled with the html. So in order to acheive the required look I have to hack core files which is a pain in the backside when it comes to applying later update patches.

I'll be downloading the demo version of x-cart later but in the mean time I thought I'd ask just to see if anyone has aready travelled this road.

Many Thanks