Smart continues to expand its now 100% electric range. After the Smart #1 and the Smart #3, it's time for the Smart #5, which is positioned directly opposite the best-selling Tesla and the Peugeot e-3008. We were able to test it ahead of its launch in its most extreme Brabus version with over 600 hp. We tell you absolutely everything in this exhaustive test.
Smart continues its journey and expands its 100% electric range from the top. We were able to try the Smart #1 which now represents the entry-level model, then its big sister the Smart #3 which is even more convincing with a chassis that really lives up to its performance. Now, the brand, which is owned equally by Daimler and the Chinese giant Geely (which also owns Zeekr as well as Volvo and by extension Polestar or Lynk & Co) is preparing to launch the marketing of its largest and most powerful model to date with the Smart #5.
A Smart for the whole family
When you approach the Smart #5, the first thing that comes to mind is that the days of small city cars capable of parking almost anywhere like the Fortwo are long gone. While it is said that Smart has not completely abandoned the idea of a Smart #2 which returns to the roots of the concept, the Smart #5 is clearly the opposite. Namely an imposing electric SUV in the D segment, which should also continue to grow in Europe to see its market share increase from 6.98% in 2025 (i.e. more than one million units), to 8.60% in 2030 (1.332 million) according to projections from the IHS firm.
With its 4.70 m length, 1.92 m width (not including the rearview mirrors) and 1.70 m height, the Smart #5 does not go unnoticed and therefore positions itself directly opposite the essential Tesla Model Y, or the recent Audi Q6 by example.
As was already the case for previous models, Daimler was responsible for the car's design while Geely provided the technical basis. And it shows with false Mercedes-Benz GLB looks for this Smart #5, especially with the very vertical tailgate.
Its front end marks a real break when compared to that of the Smart #1 and Smart #3. Indeed, it adopts a completely new lighting signature with optics that contain horizontal LED bars. A thin light strip connects them and houses four small LED blocks. These give it a false Jeep look that suits this large SUV quite well. This rugged look is underlined by the protrusions on the front and rear bumpers, which will avoid unpleasant surprises when you leave the vehicle parked bumper to bumper in a city like Paris.
On the sides, the Smart #5 we notice the mudguards, roof bars and various appendages which reinforce this impression, as well as the now characteristic C pillar with its Smart logo. The door handles are flush to gain a few points of Cx (0.30 all the same against 0.22 for the Tesla Model Y for example), and try as best they can to compensate for the enormous 21-inch alloy wheels.
These are standard on our top-of-the-range Brabus version, as are the red calipers and accents on various bodywork elements. By the way, note that the (motorized) charging hatch is located at the rear left and not at the front as one might think.
Finally, the rear part of the Smart #5 has the same elements as the front, whether it's the light signature or the bumper as I was told above. And like the Smart #1 and Smart #3, the button for opening the electrically operated tailgate is hidden in the letter A.
Aboard the Smart #5, space galore
It's not just on the outside that the Smart #5 is undergoing a revolution, the interior is also getting a complete overhaul. Indeed, while the two previous models had a more or less similar interior, the newcomer plays first class with impressive on-board space, a presentation worthy of German premium brands and unprecedented in this price segment.
The imposing central console, a sort of backbone of the Smart #1 and Smart #2, gives way to a more classic and more practical model with plenty of storage space. The front section has two cradles for wirelessly charging smartphones with a cooling system that is very useful for this type of device.
Speaking of cooling, the storage in the central armrest is refrigerated and deep enough to hold a one-liter bottle. There is also a small card holder for the charging badge, which you won't lose like that again.
Another storage space is provided under the center console with a non-slip mat. This is also where we find two USB Type C ports and a 12V socket.
The presentation is very neat as evidenced by the different trims, notably in Dynamica, the wood trim on the door panels, or even the felt and leatherette padding in the upper sections. Everything is enhanced by LED ambient lighting which can be configured via the infotainment screen. Ventilated and heated, the only thing missing is massages in the front seats. It must be said that we're becoming greedy with this decidedly astonishing Smart.
At the rear, we see even more how the Smart #5 takes the brand into another dimension. It's quite simple, we've rarely seen so much space in a 4.70 m SUV. Thanks to the 2.90 m wheelbase, passengers will be able to travel comfortably. By the way, taxis and other VTCs will appreciate the switch that allows you to move forward and adjust the inclination of the front passenger seat from the rear seat.
As for the front row, the rear seats are heated and equipped with an electrically adjustable backrest. And don't worry if the driver is very tall, the knee room is so important that it will not be a problem for the unfortunate person sitting behind him, especially since the headroom is also generous. In short, even with three people, it is difficult to feel cramped in the back of this Smart #5, which definitely has a sense of hospitality. A downside, however, is the central seat, whose backrest is particularly hard due to the elbow rest that also acts as a ski hatch.
Furthermore, the feeling of space is also reinforced by the presence of a large panoramic glass roof, again standard, while the large glass surfaces compensate for the high ride height. On the other hand, it is not possible to fully open the tinted rear windows, unlike the frameless ones at the front.
On the other hand, unlike the Tesla Model Y, the Smart #5 skips the rear screen and only offers two USB C ports, one of which is 60W for charging a laptop, for example.
As in the front, passengers sitting in the rear benefit from plenty of storage, whether it's the compartments behind the front seats or the spaces in the door panels. And something increasingly rare, we even have grab handles in the roof, both on the passenger side and in the rear, in addition to courtesy lights. It's hard to be more complete in terms of on-board reception.
Finally, and this is excellent news, all this space does not come at the expense of the trunk capacity which goes from 630 liters to 1,530 liters by folding the rear bench seat 2/3 1/3 using the buttons located in the trunk. However, in the absence of motorized seats, they will have to be repositioned by hand. A scandal!
If necessary, a double bottom can accommodate the cables that can just as easily be stored in the 72-liter frunk for the rear-wheel drive version of the Smart #5, and 47 liters for the four-wheel drive.
An infotainment system as impressive as it is efficient
Smart has decided to go all out with its #5 and it shows with the three screens that are offered as standard from the first trim level, just like Xpeng with its G9.
Placed behind the steering wheel, the first screen is dedicated to the instrumentation with a 10.25-inch HD LED panel, whose brightness can be easily adjusted to avoid glare. It displays traditional driving-related information with an interface that can be modified in a new way. Indeed, while navigation is activated, it is possible to switch the mapping to the instrumentation behind the steering wheel by swiping the main infotainment screen from right to left with three fingers. It's almost like being at Apple. If necessary, you can also keep the standard display with its two small windows on either side of the instrument screen, whose information can be scrolled through using the buttons on the steering wheel. All of this is very well done and very practical.
But the highlight remains the infotainment system which now relies on two 13-inch OLED screens. We're not telling you anything new by saying that this panel offers the best in contrast and color richness. Above all, the brightness is there. The definition is high and takes full advantage of the various features, including the 360° view that can be configured at will, or the reversing camera, which is very useful with a vehicle of this size.
In addition to the quality of the display, Smart has also reworked the infotainment system interface which is intuitive despite the wealth of features. Because everything goes through this screen, whether it's the air conditioning settings, the mirrors or even the car settings, including driving. In the end, only the seat adjustment retains its own physical control.
Fluidity is also a given with a fast AMD V2000 chip. In addition to the various sections, a toolbar remains permanently displayed at the bottom of the infotainment screen. A great classic now for adjusting the air conditioning in the absence of dedicated physical buttons, but also the music volume in addition to displaying very practical shortcuts to navigation, the 360° camera view or even the main menu and applications.
Regarding the applications, these have a dedicated page with a very classic display inherited from the smartphone. That being said, the more there are, the more you will have to scroll through the pages in the absence of directories for the moment.
As you can see in the photos below, the different sections are self-explanatory and it's easy to find your way around after familiarizing yourself with the Smart #5's infotainment system interface. If necessary, pop-up windows are displayed to provide explanations to the user, such as activating Launch Control.
In addition to the infotainment screen, touch buttons are also integrated on the left for direct access to certain functions such as the hazard lights, defrosting, or even the car's driving modes.
Of course, in a car that's as geeky as we like it, Smart offers the use of Android Auto or CarPlay. We chose the latter during our test to see that Apple's application fully exploited the potential of the Smart #5's OLED screen. One regret, however, is that the passenger cannot control this application from their dedicated screen, which is a shame.
Indeed, this third screen is primarily dedicated to entertainment, while other manufacturers offer to display features such as navigation, for example. For their part, the passenger sitting in the front of the Smart #5 will have plenty of video games and other audio and video streaming services to pass the time. Here again, the interface is very inspired by the Apple universe. Note that this screen does not have a privacy filter to prevent the driver from also watching a video.
Instead, the program will stop to display a warning message if the camera integrated into the left A-pillar detects that the driver is looking at the passenger screen for a few seconds. This happens more often than you might think, even if it's just when aiming to exit a bend to the right. More generally, the Smart #5's driver monitoring is sometimes intrusive, prompting us to stop for a few unfortunate yawns, for example.
Furthermore, as mentioned above, the Smart #5 is equipped as standard with a Head-up display. This displays several pieces of information, including the car's speed, but also the map if you didn't have enough of the large infotainment screen and the instrument panel to know where to go. That being said, it can be configured to display more or less information thanks to brief or detailed modes, but above all it has augmented reality like Mercedes.
Thus, a series of arrows will be displayed at the start of changes of direction to indicate the path to follow to the driver or to confirm the activation of the automatic lane change, which works very well.
Finally, a word about the Smart #5's audio system. Like the Mercedes, the car inherits a system designed this time in partnership with Sennheiser and boasting 20 speakers. In addition to its power, it displays a nice balance and benefits from compatibility with Dolby Atmos content. We thus rediscover certain pieces, not without displeasure, such as Michael Jackson's Thriller with its creaking door in the introduction and the footsteps crossing the passenger compartment with a surprising spatial effect. We benefit from it all the more since the Smart #5 benefits from excellent soundproofing of the cabin both in terms of air noise and road noise.
XL, 800 V and V2L battery, everything is there
In addition to our Brabus test model which tops the range, the Smart #5 is available in four versions with the Summit, Pulse, Premium and Pro/Pro+. The latter represents the entry-level model with its 340 hp (250 kW), and stands out above all by being the only one to have an LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery with a usable capacity of 74.4 kWh (76 kWh gross). Smart announces up to 465 km of WLTP range and 30 minutes to recharge from 10 to 80% with a peak power of 150 kW on a direct current (DC) terminal. Allow 8.5 hours on an alternating current (AC) terminal thanks to the 11 kW on-board charger. In terms of performance, the Smart #5 Pro already pushes hard with 0 to 100 km/m which is achieved in 6.9 seconds.
A little more powerful (267 kW), the Pro+ version achieves the same time or almost (6.5 seconds. But above all, it has the large 100 kWh NMC (nickel manganese cobalt) battery (94 kWh useful) which equips all the others of the Smart #5. Thus equipped, this propulsion can theoretically travel up to 590 km. In addition, charging is taken to the next level with a standard 22 kW on-board charger for AC charging, and above all 800 V technology and the possibility of handling up to 400 kW in DC.
Smart has also given us a truly impressive demonstration when the conditions are optimal, particularly in terms of temperature and SOC (State of Charge or battery level). The result: a charge from 8% to 81%, or 75.6 kWh in just 15 minutes! That said, the manufacturer is more conservative and announces 18 minutes to go from 10% to 80%. Charging stations capable of delivering sufficient power still need to be found, but technology continues to progress in the right direction.
Furthermore, the Smart #5 Premium displays the same technical characteristics and performance as the Pro+, but it benefits from a higher level of equipment. On the other hand, the Pulse and Summit versions, which stand out for their equipment, take the electric SUV into another category with their 587 hp (432 kW) to dispatch the 0 to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds.
Equipped this time with two electric motors, these are four-wheel drives which therefore display a slightly lower range at 540 km WLTP. On the other hand, the charging values remain the same as those of the Premium and Pro+. Finally, our Brabus version is the most extreme with its 636 hp (475 kW). This has no impact on the announced WLTP range which remains at 540 km. We suspect that this will not be the case at all in real life. Finally, note that the Smart # also supports V2L (Vehicle to Load), which allows a 220 V device to be powered via the car's charging socket for a adapter.
At the wheel of the Smart #5
You can imagine that with such a technical specification, our Smart #5 Brabus has what it takes to send us into orbit by mashing the accelerator pedal. So much so, in fact, that our passenger will beg us to have a lighter foot on the winding roads of the Douro region in Portugal. It must be said that with 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, there's plenty to enjoy. Better still, the car seems to be able to accelerate endlessly with pickups that continue to crush us in our seats once we pass 120 km/h.
The The chosen route also allowed us to see that the different modes only affect the steering firmness and throttle response. In the absence of controlled suspension, even though the car is extremely well equipped, the damping setting is sporty, so as to contain the body movements of this large SUV weighing more than two tons, as we recall. However, the Smart #5 remains comfortable and allows you to rack up the miles, especially since we didn't hesitate to activate the massaging seats with their well-calibrated programs.
In the city, we might have feared that its dimensions would make maneuvers complicated, but fortunately, this is not the case. When space is more restricted, as in some of the villages we crossed during our test, we can always count on the various cameras and other sensors. In addition, the turning radius is light years ahead of that of the Tesla Model Y, which really deserves to improve in this area. One-pedal driving is also available, with deceleration that is well-balanced and that the driver can adjust at will via the infotainment screen.
On the highway, we had plenty of time to test the Smart #5's level 2 autonomous driving. A formality for the car, including in curves that close slightly. It took us a few tries to master the automatic lane change function that is triggered by activating the turn signal. And here again the system stands out for its effectiveness, while confirming once again the delay taken by Tesla with its autopilot. Even if the latter benefited from a big publicity boost by negotiating the roundabout of the star without human intervention while waiting for authorization from the FSD.
On the other hand, if there is one area in which the Tesla Model Y remains untouchable, it is that of energy consumption. As expected, with such a profile combined with a high weight and more than 600 hp, it is very difficult to approach the announced WLTP consumption. We recorded a consumption of 23.3 kWh/100 km with an average speed of 57 km/h. Let us point out that our test took place in a region with steep roads. In addition, consumption remains at the same level on the highway at 120 km/h, like competing models of the same size and with the exception of... Tesla.
Price and options of the Smart #5
For once, let's start by listing the options of the Smart #5: it's quite simple, with the exception of the matte paint, there are none.
In terms of prices, Smart seems to want to make a big splash with an entry ticket set at €46,600 for the Pro version which already has very rich equipment, including the large panoramic glass roof, leather upholstery with electrically adjustable rear seats, two screens for infotainment and instrumentation, and CarPlay and Android Auto. The Pro+ with the large 100 kWh battery is priced at €51,600. The Smart 5 Premium and Pulse are both priced at €56,100. Remember that the former is rear-wheel drive, while the latter is four-wheel drive. The equipment evolves with 20-inch rims, LED lights with adaptive lighting, head-up display with augmented reality, ventilated seats in the front and heated seats in the rear, and the 20-speaker Sennheiser audio system with Dolby Atmos. In return for its four-wheel drive, the Smart #5 Pulse inherits less rich equipment than the Premium, of course. However, it still offers 20-inch rims, tinted rear windows, a heat pump, and a passenger OLED screen.
Finally, count €56,000 for the Summit with its rugged look reinforced by its exclusive Olive interior, and €61,600 for the fully equipped Brabus. In any case, the Smart #5 offers a really interesting price/performance ratio, not to mention the space on board for families.
Smart46600€
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