Battery size: 74 - 94 kWh
Miles per kWh: 3.5 (est)
E-Rating™: B
Max charge rate: 400 kW
Range: 280 (est) - 366 miles
Introduction – Smart #5
We can officially forget Smart being a manufacturer of small, city-oriented cars. At 4.7m long, and with a 2.9-metre wheelbase, the new Smart #5 is a big car and it is expected to be a big seller too – understandably, since it seems to be a way of getting into a Mercedes SUV without paying Mercedes prices…
Smart is now an all-electric car brand, and is owned by Mercedes – although Smart vehicles are built in a joint venture with Geely, which also owns Volvo, Lotus and Polestar.
You’ll be able to get the Smart #5 with dual motors for all-wheel drive performance in the Summit and Pulse models, both of which get 588bhp for a 4.9 second 0-62mph time, as well as off-road ability courtesy of selectable terrain modes. The Smart #5 Pro, Pro+ and Premium models will all be single motor and rear-wheel drive, with more road-focussed manners. The entry-level Pro also gets a smaller, LFP battery compared with the 94kWh pack that powers the rest of the range.
The new Smart #5 has Mercedes design, and bits shared with Volvo (also a Geely-owned brand), among others. I don’t know that it looks very Mercedes, though – and that may be a good thing? While there is a distinctly Mercedes-like shape to the new electric Smart SUV, there are unmistakable Smart cues. There are these oblong themes on the headlights and grille, wheels, mirrors and the rear lamps. There’s also a huge Smart logo on the D-pillar, and these floating wheel cap logos, which remain upright when the wheels spin – just like on a Rolls-Royce! The back is really upright, giving quite a boxy look – rather like the Mercedes EQB, in fact - but the window has quite a curve.
There are a couple of versions too. The Summit Edition has off-road enhancements to make it look like a mini-Defender, with a roof platform and side ladder. If that’s a bit too Tonka toy for you, then the Premium is a bit more car-like, but you won’t be able to climb onto the roof to watch the kids play football. An entry-level Smart #5 Pro model will join the range later, and will offer a smaller battery and more basic kit list. Mind you, if the other Smart models are anything to go by, it’ll still have all the comforts that you want- or need.
Check out the nearly-new electric cars for sale on Electrifying.com
Range, Battery and Charging
The #5 has an 800 volt electrical system and can take a charge of up to 400kW, which is faster than the new Tesla Model Y, Porsche Macan or Audi Q6 e-tron – never mind the Skoda Enyaq and Ford Mustang Mach-E that are closer rivals to the Smart #5.
The problem is that you’ll struggle to find an ultra-rapid charger that can deliver 400kW speeds, although they’re becoming more commonplace in countries like Norway and the Netherlands, so they’ll likely start to pop up over here in the next few years, too. If you can find a 400kW charger, it can take the Smart’s 94kWh lithium-ion NMC battery from 10-80% in just 18 minutes. A 350kW charger (which are very common on UK motorways) will do the same in more like 25 minutes, so still not too bad at all!
There will be a smaller battery Smart #5, too, which will get a 74 kWh usable (76kWh total) lithium iron phosphate LFP battery, but won’t have the same 800V charging system, so expect charging speeds of 150kW or less.
The claimed range? The 74kWh Smart #5 gets a WLTP range of 289 miles, while the 94kWh battery (100kWh total battery capacity) manages 366 miles WLTP. For such a big battery, that’s a bit… meh. The 2025 Skoda Enyaq can do 365 miles from a smaller battery, and the new Tesla Model Y is 387 miles – again with a smaller battery. Which suggest that both will be more efficient.
Smart’s boss has said that he believes recharging speeds are more important than the outright range and battery speeds, and I can see what he means: if you can add miles quickly then you don’t have range anxiety. But I think a lot of buyers still don’t trust the charging infrastructure, so I worry that ‘okay but not brilliant’ efficiency and range will put people off. Still, the charging speeds are pretty remarkable. Future-proof, in fact.
Practicality and Boot Space
It’s a comfortable and classy-feeling place up front in the Smart #5, complete with a lot of Mercedes switchgear, including seat adjustment on the door. And check out the frameless doors! Not very SUV-ish, is it, but it looks really smart. It’s smart in the back seats, too. That square body shape means you get decent headroom and the seat backs are adjustable, or can be folded flat. There's no seven seat layout in the Smart, though, as you get with the Mercedes EQB.
Open the boot lid (and yes, you do have to press the button hidden in the middle of the ‘a’) and there is 630 litres, compared to the 585 you’d find in an Enyaq. Push the seats down and it goes up to 1,530 litres in the rear.
In addition, the #5 has 34 storage compartments dotted around the interior, and a 72-litre frunk which’ll be big enough to keep your cables without needing to fold them into tiny coils. There’s also a 220V, three-pin power socket in the boot, making it easy to make the most of the vehicle-to-device charging. Useful!
Interior, Design and Technology
Inside, the #5 features a number of design touches already seen in the #1 and #3. There’s the ‘floating bridge’ centre that divides the front passenger space, which you might recognise from the other Smart models. Then they’ve gone big on screens. The two largest 13-inch OLED screens are in the centre and ahead of the passenger, and there’s a smaller 10.3-inch one in front of the driver with all the essential info. There is also a 25.6-inch Augmented Reality Head-up Display.
The two central touchscreens are powered by a new AMD V2000 chip, which is super powerful so should be able to handle things like games and video. Also notice that there is a cartoon animal in here. In the #1 it’s a fox, the #3 has a cheetah and this is a…. Lion! If you want to see how Nicki got on with what Smart describes as ‘next level’ AI voice control in the Smart #5, don’t forget to check out the video.
The fun doesn’t end there, as there’s also a built-in projector paired with a Sennheiser Signature Sound System with 21 speakers - including a portable one that you can remove and use for those camping parties. If you want it to, you can also synchronise the ambient lighting to pulse with the rhythm of the music. When the disco has finished and you want to relax, the front passenger seat has a leg rest along with heating, ventilation and a massage function. The seat belts are also built into the seats to ensure they are in the right place for comfort, and to give the best protection in an accident.
Motors, Performance and Handling
We managed to get an early drive in the Smart #5, out in China. The problem here is that, when the roads are clear it’s tempting to make use of the Smart’s slightly over-the-top acceleration. Even the base model will cover 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds, while the standard, four-wheel drive 94kWh Smart #5 manages it in 4.9 seconds. The Brabus manages 3.8 seconds!! It’s all a bit much, really. In a country like China, where the speed limit is already capped at 75mph (120kmh) the Smart can feel like it’s something of a magnet for the local police.
And that performance might feel more appropiate if only the chassis were a bit more responsive, but the #5 does feel quite heavy and inert, and I’d like more bite to the the brake pedal response, too. And more precise steering! But the Chinese market likes a car that’s fast but also tailored for lazy touring, and Smart has a few engineers in Europe who will no doubt be tweaking the chassis and suspension to make it more palatable for markets like ours, where a slightly sportier and more involving drive is generally favoured. I reckon Smart’s boffins will be able to get the #5 on track…
Price and Equipment
There’s no word on prices yet, but we’ve always been pleasantly surprised at the cost of Smarts. So the #5 could be a bargain priced alternative to a Mercedes, and I reckon it's got a bit more personality too.
If European pricing is anything to go by, we’d expect the 76kWh #5 to cost from something like £48,000, while the mid-spec #5 Premium will be somewhere around £53,000, and the Pulse and Summit Edition will be around £55,000, but this is all speculation until UK prices are confirmed. A high-performance Brabus version is on the way, too, and will be the most expensive model, but we can’t tell you anything about that just yet!
Verdict
The Smart #5 is a really intriguing prospect. I do wish that the efficiency were better, for a longer range and, well… just because better efficiency is what we should all be aiming for. It sounds like it drives just fine, but we're hoping for a bit more of a handling edge to it when it's had the European treatment - although comfortable and fast doesn't sound too bad, does it?!
Overall, the tech, the style, the space and the general character of the Smart #5 really do stack up well. This could be the new ‘one to beat’ in the family electric SUV class, but watch this space and we’ll bring you a video very soon, when we've driven it in Europe.
8
